2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Bucket Seats Installed

[onestackdram]

Well all I found a pretty good set of buckets out of a '92 3500 that only had 1 armrest a little damaged. I got them for a fair price to include the console. I drove to Lincoln, Ne to pick them up on Sat. and got them installed yesterday. I am having a little bit of a problem with the back rest on the drivers seat, but I will handle that this morning PERMANTLY... But everything looks really good, and SOOOO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE now. LOTS more leg room for both passenger and driver. And in a reg. cab that makes a TON of difference. I will get pictures of what they look like now, and then some with the NEW covers on them, the wife is making for them. I can't show you pics of the pattern she made, cause she wont let me see them yet, she promises they will be awesome. So keep your finges crossed.

As far as the installation goes, for those who think of the same thing. It was all in all pretty easy. I used the brackets for the original 40/20/40 seat, and just drilled a new hole for the BACK of the brackets. The new seats are offset with their mounting bolts and the old ones are inline. Secondly you will need to make a spacer of some sort that will sit the seat about 1" to 1 1/2" over the brackets, due to the seat belts being attached to the brackets. I personally had some square tubing laying around I cut in 2" sections in length and drille holes for them, and just used a longer grade 8 bolt. Now for the drivers seat thats pretty much it, but for the passenger seat it took a little more, not much though, because unlike the drivers side when you take the sliding rail off you have 4 good holes that are threaded, the pass. doesnt slide for those of you who have had 1st gen with buckets know, it just folded up. So all you need to do for that side is just take out the double side stud nut to access the 4 threaded holes, then follow above like the drivers seat.



I am very pleased with the turn out so far, and cant wait to see the finished product with the new covers.



Russell



P. S. if someone wants the 40/20/40 seat I still have it and would sell it for a reasonable price, minus the brackets for them. They are vinyle, and the drivers seat is ok but will need redone in the future. But the pass, and center console are in great shape.

 

[redram]

I made bucket seats out of my 40/20/40 bench.

Just removed the center seat / console and ground off the rivets for the brakets holding the center seat.

With a 5 speed, you had to be fairly intimate with anyone sitting there anyways if you had to grab reverse!!!



Then I installed a console from a Ford Van that matched with the gray cloth really well.



On my 89, I had installed captains chairs from a Van along with a console from an old Ramcharger that worked out really well.



Why can't Dodge get their head out of the sand and offer a "true" crew cab with a full sized back seat and at the same time, a two seat front arrangement captain's chairs rather than that funky split seat arrangement with a compartment for a laptop that doesn't fit my laptop. !



And why would you take it out of the brief case to store in a compartment that wouldn't stay latched?

 

[onestackdram]

Thank you I have been saying those same things for years now, but all those damn gasser owners like all that stuff I guess, cause every CTD owner around my neck of the woods hates those seats, and we all pretty much concure that the bucket seats are the way to go for these trucks. Heck out of all the cars I have owned in my life, I have always said that the bucket seats that were in my '92 CTD were the most comfortable I have ever had, erego thats why I decided to find a another set in good shape and make em work in my '97.

 

[RJ2]

I was thinking about getting some nice buckets and

welding up a brace and putting an arm rest on each seat . That would open up the middle.

 

[onestackdram]

I am here to tell you that it makes a world of difference in the cab now. Leg room, comfort, and overall space. Now that I have approx. 250 miles in the "new" seats, it was sooo worth it