Mounting Late model Buckets in my 68 Dart - issues

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MileHighDart

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I recently bought a nice set of bucket seats out of a 2005 Scion TC. The seats only have about 10K miles on the cause the guy took them out to install racing seats.
I think they will go good in my dart. They are very comfortable and are black with black/blue inserts which is perfect for my black and blue interior.

Ok, so the problem is the raised up sections of floor along the outside of the floorpans. Where the original bench seat was bolted down.
As you can see in the pics, on the drivers side the seat will mount just inside the raised section and only interferes with the seat mounts in one spot (I could notch the raised section) and I could bolt them in.
However on the Passenger side, theres less space cause the transmission tunnel isn't in the middle of the car. On that side the hump has got to go !

As I see it my options are: Cut these raised sections from the floor and weld in flat metal.
or Build some raised mounting brackets for the seats to get them above the raised sections of the floor, but I think that will end up placeing the seats higher up than I want them.

If cutting the humps out and welding in flat metal was all there was to it, I'd be doing it right now. But if you look under the car, there are big metal brackets welded to the floor and the rocker that add support to the raised section of the floor (to support the bench seat). So this option is starting to look like a pain in the butt.

Any suggestions ? Or How have you guys handled this problem ?
 

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Theres a pic from under the car. Looking from rearwheel forward.

The bracket at the back could probably be left alone, but the one at the front that goes up into the raised section of the floor need to come out, or something.
I think the only function of this bracket is to support the area of floor where the bench was mounted.
Shouldn't cause any problems cutting it out should it ?
 

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Heres a pic of one of the seats. Cant wait to get them mounted up.
 

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Nice score on the seats...!
I personally would be reluctant to cut any brace or support in an older car unless you plan on refabricating it when done, especially something that is supporting the floorboard.
Hope someone here can give you some "been there done that" help.
Good luck.
 
Take some short section's of square tubing and weld it to the floor. Then take another piece or a piece of flat strap or angle iron and weld it across the short sections. Mount your seats to that.
 
DA69RT GT said:
Nice score on the seats...!
I personally would be reluctant to cut any brace or support in an older car unless you plan on refabricating it when done, especially something that is supporting the floorboard.
Hope someone here can give you some "been there done that" help.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

its just seat support, but agreed cant just bolt it to the floor
 
jefflock said:
Take some short section's of square tubing and weld it to the floor. Then take another piece or a piece of flat strap or angle iron and weld it across the short sections. Mount your seats to that.
Click to expand...

This is a much easier solution than cutting and welding the floor humps. Doing it this way will raise the seat height only by the height of the added steel needed to clear the humps.
 
Summit offers mounting brackets for racing seats the would likely work for you. 2 pieces of aluminum angle are bolted together kinda like a Z. Multiple bolt holes pre-drilled to achieve about any grade.
 
Well, as usual I decided to go the more difficult route...lol

I'm cutting out the floor humps and welding in flat metal in its place.
Have the passenger side almost done, haven't started on drivers side yet.

I did remove the brace underneath, and I replaced it with a new one that fits the new contour of the floor. So the seat is well supported on the outside. Both the front and rear bolts go right through the supports that are underneath.
I will add some reinforcing plates made of 16ga under the inner side seat rails.

This was more work I'm sure than the other way, but it will come out nice. The seats will be nice and solid, and wont we any higher than neccesary.

Also, a nice feature of these Scion seats is that the passenger seat not only leans forward to allow entry into the back seat, it leans forward and then slides forward.
Check out video, should be nice for people trying to get into the back !

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rpVws8prWY"]YouTube - S5002586.AVI[/ame]
 
RedFish said:
Summit offers mounting brackets for racing seats the would likely work for you. 2 pieces of aluminum angle are bolted together kinda like a Z. Multiple bolt holes pre-drilled to achieve about any grade.
Click to expand...

Does anyone have any experience with these? I have a set of buckets to mount also and have been thinking about how to do it.
Thanks
 
My advice is to place one seat at a time in the vehicle and using books, make the level you need, then figure out brackets for them because cutting the floor really isn't the way to go. I have Lexus seating and had the brackets made while the books were in place.

BTW, those Scion seats are real comfortable or at least they were for me in the 10000 mile I drove my Scion and they are light weight as well
 
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