Fold down seat brackets - help

CantedValve · Dec 23, 2018

My car was originally a fixed seat car. I am converting to a fold down. I had previously installed the fold down without the side latches... mainly because the latches didn’t line up, and I was using it as a fashionable rear seat delete - I didn’t plan on folding it up. However, children need someplace to sit, so here we are.

The problem is that both laches miss the latch holes by about an inch - they are too high. They are also probably too far towards the back of the car as well, but I can’t be sure. I originally thought that only the passenger side was off as it didn’t fit the trim panel (repops), while the driver side did... but both hit the seat at the same spot. Here are some pictures to illustrate.

Driver side with trim panel. Latch fits through the hole, but barely. It hits the rear and top of the hole. Note you can’t see the screw holes on the face

Passenger side with trim panel. You can see the holes on the face. I think that’s a trim panel problem

Driver side latch on the latch plate

Passenger side latch on the latch plate

Pmustang · Dec 24, 2018

Hmmm, I would have first said it needs a shim or many of them, I've had as many as three shims each side, but that looks like it would need more. I would think they would build the car to the spec of the car. Thus if a non fold down as yours was they would have set it up and if it fit they left it. Had it been a fold down car they would have shimmed as needed to get it to line up

Can I ask if you are using the middle portion of the fold down seat that came with your non fold down seat assembly? As the middle portions are the same or did you buy a complete fold down.

Also, any chance the floor mounted brackets have been moved? I find a fair few of them with broken welds.

Cheers. Peter

69GT350H · Dec 24, 2018

I can only provide photos of my 69 fold down if needed. My rear inner quarters are currently out.

CantedValve · Dec 23, 2018

So that is the issue I have. The good news is that both latch brackets are in the same position relative to each other an the seat. The bad news is that they are about an inch off with regard to the latch holes in the seat panel. That appears to be too much to shim, particularly given how flat and perfect all the panels sat, and how the trap door was perfectly aligned and sitting perfectly. Of secondary concern is making the trim panel fit, which also keeps me from wanting to shim because that doesn’t address the fact that the latches are too far backwards for the panels.

So, I am assuming that my only real option here is to cut, reposition, and weld the brackets. Anyone feel different or see something I’ve missed?

Fold down seat brackets - help

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities