'76 Bench seat into my 89

[DKM MIKE]

I couldn't find another thread about this but right now I have two bucket seats in my 89 bronco. they are in terrible condition and I do have access to a bench seat out of a 1976 f100 truck. I heard that holes were predrilled so you can swap a bench seat in place of bucket seats from a friend of mine. But what about as early as a 76 f100 bench seat. How much work will this be if any?. Thanks

[Alvin in AZ]

Originally Posted by DKM MIKE

I couldn't find another thread about this but right now I have two bucket seats
in my 89 bronco. they are in terrible condition and I do have access to a bench
seat out of a 1976 f100 truck. I heard that holes were pre-drilled so you can
swap a bench seat in place of bucket seats from a friend of mine. But what
about as early as a 76 f100 bench seat.

I put a bench seat from a '91 F150 Super Cab in my '91 Bronco and yeah the
holes and/or captive nuts were already there. I didn't use the nuts, I punched
those sorry suckers out and used 7/16" grade-8 bolts and large thick washers
and double nutted the bolts from underneath.

But the floor is different in the '76 than a '91 so you need the "legs" that match
the floor of your rig.

The legs/stands swap and fit the "seat portion" no sweat...

That rusty one is the seat from a '75 F100 Super Cab and the new looking
one is the one I took out of the '91 F150 Super Cab.

---------------------------

What that picture's about is how crappy the springs are in the newer seat
and how Ford effectively left out -half- the springs. The '91 seat sucked! :(
Hurt my stepfather's bad-back and hurt my good-back too! :(

It really sucked! :) No kidding.

Anyway, I've got the old bucket seats from my '91... {edit} the stands
on the bucket seats floor-bolt-holes are spaced different front-to-back
than the stands on the '91's bench seat. That means drilling holes and
nothing more, looks like to me. Mas details manana if needed? :)

Alvin in AZ
ps- Had to make provisions for the left out springs...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/seat-springs1.jpg
The square-wave looking springs are practically worthless
and definitely made from a lower quality of music wire.
pps-

How much work will this be if any?

That -totally- depends on your attitude. ;)
Fun and cool as anything from my point-of-view because bench seats rock! :)

[DKM MIKE]

So, correct me if I'm wrong. But it looks and sounds like the '76 seat will be more comfortable than a newer model which makes me want to go on with the project that much more. Another question is, will I need to buy any extra parts then if the floors were different?? Thanks again

[Alvin in AZ]

Originally Posted by DKM MIKE

...will I need to buy any extra parts then if the floors were different??

No other real parts just bolts, nuts and thick washers?
I used what I had.

I raised my bench seat while I was at it. :)

Something I noticed last night was the black oval plastic bump stops for the
Super Cab seat backs on the old frame. The new ones? They were crap! :/
They were thinner to start with, soft and squished to hell. The 35 year old
ones were like new. LOL :)

----------------------

The non Super Cab seats use thin wire and coil springs like the bucket seats
have under 'em. They suffer from not enough springs too but that's easy to
fix by doubling (or whatever amount) up on the coil springs (new or used).

YMMV but I don't like cars and I sure as heck don't like bucket seats. Those
that came in my '91 Bronco were especially bad. I fiNgure they need more
coil springs too?

Alvin in AZ
ps-
I can't remember where I got these strap-keepers from... LOL :)
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/seatnuts.jpg

Used large grade-8 washers for the front...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/seatnuts1.jpg
...that is the front bolt, right?

[DKM MIKE]

You're awesome :) Ill have to go out and get started on it.