Installing bucket seats

[papasnova]

When you install bucket seats is there a rail that bolts to the floor first then the seats bolt to the rail or does the seat just bolt to the floor? If a person like me would like the seat higher what would you suggest?

Larry at Papas Nova

[69NovaSS]

by rail do you mean the tracks?:confused:
Cause ya normally they are bolted to the tracks and then the floor so that the seat will have some adjustment

[Custom Jim]

Some seats and slide rail tracks can be seperated from each other while some are riveted together and not easily seperated. On the 73 and 74 Nova's of mine the rails can be seperated from the seats. There are differences between bucket seat and bench seat slide rails and where they attach into the floor boards.

Depending on how high you need the seat raised and how it all attaches you could get by with a simple stack of washers, longer bolts, cutting a bracket and welding in additional steel, or a combination of things.
Years ago a buddy of mine had a chopped 55 Chevy and he kept the bench seat but he wanted to feel comfortable behind the wheel with the seat angle, heights, setback, adjustement ranges, and so on. We rigged steel plates, 2x4's, and anything else laying around the shop to where we could temporarily mock it up and test drive it. Once it felt right brackets and spacers got designed and installed. Part of it was basic nuts, bolts, and washers while other area's required welding.
However you do it, make it secure. Small diameter washers backing up and going through thin sheet metal can allow the area to flex and while not right away but after time the metal will be flexed enough and will stress crack. This is like taking a coat hanger and bending it back and forth. Eventually it breaks in two. If you look at the factory seat mounts they spread the load out on an area. Granted it might only be spot welded together but it does add to the strength by being attached to a larger piece of the metal it's on top of or underneath of.

Jim

[jade76]

Hi Larry,

For the buckets I used in my 76, I used 2"x2"x1/4" steel spacers from local hardware store. Since I'm a little shorter and wanted the seat set a little higher. It would probably be best to fab a bracket and weld it in if you have capability. If I had my choice, I would go back and do mine that way so I wouldn't have the extra holes in the floorboard from changing my mind on seats.

At least with brackets, you can fab them up to allow installation of just about any bucket seat should you change your mind later on. If you just bolt them to the floor, odds are if you decide on a different seat, they won't match up and you'll end up with extra holes that have to be patched or plugged.