I'm taking the plunge....2005 seats in a 76

[matthewdcase]

I've read up on several seat swaps, and did a similar seat swap in a W150 a few years ago. That told me what I was in for.....Anyway, I wanted the seats out of the 99-06 trucks in my 76 and was always told how tall they were and how much of a pain it was. So I am going to document my install for anybody else that might want the same.

So far:
76 C10 reg cab...had a bench seat that was "custom" sometime around 1988....it'll make a great seat....in a man cave. Probably going to put casters on each corner and have a rolling couch.

I don't really care for the seats from the early 90's trucks....They are comfortable, but I did't want anything that looked like a couch. I considered 94-02 Dodge seats, but decided to stick with Chevrolet.

Went to a pull-a-part and looked over everything about 15 times before I decided to pull the seats out of an 05 1500 that had been wrapped around a pole. They are the 40/20/40 seats...the ones that look like they have a fold down center console but its actually just an uncomfortable middle seat. ($100 with belts and sliders and all)

The seats come out in three individual pieces, so I pulled the bench out and threw the driver's seat in. It is tall. But I am 6'1' and it isn't tall enough for me to hack them up. I want the sliders and recline features functional. Keep in mind, the previous owner installed a steering wheel that is TINY. I may change my mind about all this when I get a real steering wheel, or I may just install a tilt column.

In my truck, the center seat and cup holders won't fit. I have a B&M shifter and the cup holders won't let it go any further south than Drive....so I cant lock it in 1st and take off. My plan is to build a mount that will span the entire width of the cab and mount the driver and passenger seats. After that, I will build a center console out of plywood and cover it in material. Right now, it's just a plan...but I will update this thread as I go.

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[matthewdcase]

A couple more pics....

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[eskimomann209]

Interesting. Part of the whole appeal of these seats is the jump seat. Also that’s a pretty common steering wheel size round my parts. Good thing you’re a thinner guy. That seat at that height wouldn’t work for me. It looks like your column doesn’t tilt either? I might be tempted to remove the floor shifter and find a tilting automatic column. And get that jump seat in place. As far as seats go they aren’t that great just as buckets.

Hell rip them cup holders off.

 

[metal tech]

I just got a set of 2008 Chevy seats & center seat/console for my 85. My console has the cup holders on the upper lid portion.

 

[78C10BigTen]

I've read up on several seat swaps, and did a similar seat swap in a W150 a few years ago. That told me what I was in for.....Anyway, I wanted the seats out of the 99-06 trucks in my 76 and was always told how tall they were and how much of a pain it was. So I am going to document my install for anybody else that might want the same.

So far:
76 C10 reg cab...had a bench seat that was "custom" sometime around 1988....it'll make a great seat....in a man cave. Probably going to put casters on each corner and have a rolling couch.

I don't really care for the seats from the early 90's trucks....They are comfortable, but I did't want anything that looked like a couch. I considered 94-02 Dodge seats, but decided to stick with Chevrolet.

Went to a pull-a-part and looked over everything about 15 times before I decided to pull the seats out of an 05 1500 that had been wrapped around a pole. They are the 40/20/40 seats...the ones that look like they have a fold down center console but its actually just an uncomfortable middle seat. ($100 with belts and sliders and all)

The seats come out in three individual pieces, so I pulled the bench out and threw the driver's seat in. It is tall. But I am 6'1' and it isn't tall enough for me to hack them up. I want the sliders and recline features functional. Keep in mind, the previous owner installed a steering wheel that is TINY. I may change my mind about all this when I get a real steering wheel, or I may just install a tilt column.

In my truck, the center seat and cup holders won't fit. I have a B&M shifter and the cup holders won't let it go any further south than Drive....so I cant lock it in 1st and take off. My plan is to build a mount that will span the entire width of the cab and mount the driver and passenger seats. After that, I will build a center console out of plywood and cover it in material. Right now, it's just a plan...but I will update this thread as I go.

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I like the b&m floor shift

 

[AuroraGirl]

A nice thing about floor shift enables you to have a manual column and not worry about the gear shift indicator, which seems t obe an issue for many after years of degredation.

 

[bft305]

I just picked up the same style seats and have the same steering wheel as you. I am just a much bigger guy at 6'5" so there is no way it will fit for me the way it is. My plan this summer is to remove the old gas tank, since it has a crack in it and I am using a fuel cell. I have looked into the short bed gas tank that came in these trucks since it is approx. 12 shorter and might fit with a flat floor, but have not measure anything yet. Anyways, since I have to install new inner rockers anyways due to rot, I am going to take out the humps and make the floor flat under the seats. I am sure it is going to be a pain in the ass but worth it in the end!

 

[Doublenaughtspy]

I put 08s in my 84 and with a tilt, it's tolerable. The headrests have got to go, though. I really like the extra storage in the armrest. The homemade brackets were a bit of a challenge, but that's where good friends come in handy. Thanks, Mike! I think I like the end result.

 

[matthewdcase]

I just picked up the same style seats and have the same steering wheel as you. I am just a much bigger guy at 6'5" so there is no way it will fit for me the way it is. My plan this summer is to remove the old gas tank, since it has a crack in it and I am using a fuel cell. I have looked into the short bed gas tank that came in these trucks since it is approx. 12 shorter and might fit with a flat floor, but have not measure anything yet. Anyways, since I have to install new inner rockers anyways due to rot, I am going to take out the humps and make the floor flat under the seats. I am sure it is going to be a pain in the ass but worth it in the end!

Yeah at 6'5" you'll never be able to stand it. I haven't had a ton of time to mess with it lately but I did think of another option, and it might be something you would want to consider....

Take one of your seats and flip it on its back. What if....IF.....you unbolted the guts from underneath the seat removing the sliders and all. Then took flat steel and connected the mounting points under the seat. Basically you'd have a "frame" bolted directly to the bottom of the seat. Then get on ebay and buy a set of universal sliders and bolt them directly to that steel. That would lower the seat, what, 6" inches? Then you would just have to figure out a way to keep the recline feature and bolt the buckle for the seat belt somewhere else....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Univers...=26440139934727ed44b336e749159f34de6906b0e773

 

[bft305]

Ya I thought about stripping it down to just the seat and making a frame for it. Don’t really care about the sliding feature. It just seemed like the seat would flex too much and didn’t want to mess with it incase of an accident. I have rot repair to do on the floor area anyways so figured make it flat and be done with it and it will give me plenty of room.

 

[80BrownK10]

Interesting. Part of the whole appeal of these seats is the jump seat. Also that’s a pretty common steering wheel size round my parts. Good thing you’re a thinner guy. That seat at that height wouldn’t work for me. It looks like your column doesn’t tilt either? I might be tempted to remove the floor shifter and find a tilting automatic column. And get that jump seat in place. As far as seats go they aren’t that great just as buckets.

Hell rip them cup holders off.

I'd want the cup holders. I would get rid of that shifter and put a column shifter back in the truck.

 

[eskimomann209]

I'd want the cup holders. I would get rid of that shifter and put a column shifter back in the truck.

That would be my choice too

 

[Bigred3plus3]

I did the same swap into my truck. Mine are from a 2003 extended cab. I just cut all the stock brackets off the seats and made my own brackets. Mine are also power so I have all kinds of adjustment. I all swapped the rear bench out. Turned out really good. Way better then the stock bench seats.

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[Chevyguy]

A nice thing about floor shift enables you to have a manual column and not worry about the gear shift indicator, which seems t obe an issue for many after years of degredation.

The gear shift indicator isn't any more of a problem than the loose tilt steering problem. After 33 years of use my tilt won't tighten up anymore and I need to either rebuild, or replace the column.

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[bucket]

I must be the only person on earth that finds those seats mildly uncomfortable. The base model type pictured by the OP are a little better, but I hate that the center seatback doesn't fold down. I'm not just an occasional observer either, I've ridden in who knows how many of those trucks and owned a couple of them too. I just don't understand why those seats are so popular.

And I also don't know how people can install them on the tall factory floor humps and be comfortable with that. The steering wheel doesn't belong in your lap. Imho, the only 'non hack' way to install them is how @bft305 mentioned. It's also how @Old77 installed them, he's got a thread about it too.