By Vann Von Luebben 1962-64 SUPER SPORT …

1 By Vann Von Luebben1962-64 SUPER SPORT BUCKET SEATS & CONSOLEINSTALLATIONThis month we ll be addressing one of our most often asked readerquestions. Many of you have expressed interest in installing SUPER Sportbucket seats in your bench seat equipped Late Great Chevy. Most peoplethink that you simply need to get a set of factory buckets, maybe drill a fewholes and you have instant bucket seats. While this may be close to thetruth, it s not as simple as all that. Read along and let s discover the insand outs of installing factory buckets and a console in your Late : WelderBasic Hand Tool SetTime Frame: 8-Hours519158562237531391 Parts Needed.

2 5313911962-64 Bucket Seat Floor Bracket Set5191581963 Console Auto or Manual5622371963 Console Bracket Kit 5191311964 Console Automatic5112481964 Console 4-Speed5610111964 Console Bracket Kit5312361961-64 Full Length Floor Pans (Left) (Optional)5312371961-64 Full Length Floor Pans (Right) (Optional)Assuming you have already removed your current bench seatand carpeting, check the condition of your floor pans and seatmounting area. If you find any sign of rust, this will have to beaddressed. The last thing you want to attempt is installing newbucket seats and a console on weak and rusted floor areas.

3 Ifrust not only appears in the floor pans, but has also made itsway to the seat mounting portion of the floor pans, I wouldsuggest replacing them with the full length pans P/N 531236(left) and P/N 531237 (right). These full floor pans not onlyinclude the front and rear pans, they also include the portiondirectly under the front seats. Be sure to also check out yourfloor braces at this time. If you find a great deal of rust in yourfloor pans, this simple bucket seat and console install couldturn into a much larger project. Consult your favorite salesrepresentative for the correct application for your floor pan andbraces needs.

4 For now we ll assume that your floors are niceand solid! #1a#1b Photo #2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f & 2g: To facilitate the bucket seatinstall in non- SUPER SPORT cars, Late Great Chevy has a niftybracket kit P/N 531391. These bucket seat brackets, along witha set of buckets with seat tracks, help to make the bucket seatswap a reality. Take a look at the left (drivers) seat inboardbracket and track placement on Project 63 (Photo 2a). Lookclosely and you ll notice that the rearmost portion that bolts tothe floor bracket is bent at an angle. The track does not boltsquarely to the floor bracket.

5 In this bracket kit, there are twosets of one pair of brackets, one inner and oneouter, for the left (drivers) seat and one pair for the right(passenger) seat. The following photos illustrate how thisfloorboard bracket kit mimics the originals (Photo 2b). Whenthe inboard seat tracks are bolted to the brackets, you can get abetter idea of why you need the special brackets and (2c & 2d) show the same inboard left hand bracket laidin place (in project 63 it is shown over the original bracket) toillustrate how the bracket holds your seat to the track and thetrack to the floor of the car.

6 Photo (2e) shows a spare right(passenger) Impala SS seat track that someone has modified. Ifyou look closely at the inboard rear track, you can see that it isbent straight down. The original shape of the track is bent at anangle where it bolts to the floor bracket. Shown in photos (2f &2g) is the track on the same seat and a correct unmodifiedtrack in two different views.#2a#2c#2d#2e#2f#2g#2bPhoto #1a & 1b: In a factory Impala SS, the floor pans will havetwo sets of brackets on each side. These brackets are welded tothe floor pans of the car to allow the seat adjusters (the tracksunder your bucket seats) to bolt to the floor boards of the this tech article we used the Project 63, a factory SuperSport, because the bucket seat brackets were already presenton the floor as there are a pair of left and right floor brackets (one setof each seat), there is also a pair of left and right seat to the arrangement of the seat tracks and drive shafttunnel that runs between the seats, you must have the factorycorrect seat tracks.

7 The major obstacle that most folks find isthat, currently, no one reproduces these tracks. Often a readerwill say they just purchased these bucket seats, but can t figureout how to install them. The problem is, many people areselling bucket seat assemblies without the seat tracks. If you reconsidering the purchase of used bucket seats for your LateGreat Chevy, make sure the tracks are included with the bucketseats! If you re one of those readers who s now looking forbucket seat tracks, all GM s used the same tracks from 1962 -64. Photo #3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g & 3h: If you have replaced yourfloor or are installing buckets in a bench seat car, then this nextsection is just for you.

8 The best way I know to get everythingright is to take your seat frames (I say seat frames because yourseats could probably use reupholstering) and bolt the tracks tothe seats (Photos 3a, 3b, 3c & 3d). Use the contour of the floorpans as a guide. This is how your seat tracks, brackets andframes will look when bolted together, waiting to be set in thecar. I used my hand for a focal point since the brackets are #3hI measured from the inboard edge/seam of the rocker is where the rocker metal stops inside the car. I measuredbetween this edge and the outboard edge of the with the left (drivers) side, here are the measurementsI recorded.

9 Yours may differ - Inboard edge of rocker panel to forward bolt in the bracket = 6-3/4 inches2 - Inboard edge of rocker panel to middle of bracket (edge of bracket) = 5-7/8 inches3 - Inboard edge of rocker panel to rear bolt in the bracket = 6-5/8 inchesThen I measured from the inboard edge of the bracket to theinboard edge of the inner bracket next to the drive shafttunnel. These measurements - Forward edge of outboard (closet to the drivers door) bracket to the forward edge of the inner bracket = 13-1/42 - Middle edge of outboard (closet to the drivers door) bracket to the middle edge of the inner bracket = 12-3/4 inches3 - Rear edge of outboard (closet to the drivers door) bracket to the rear edge of the inner bracket = 12-1/4 to make out in a photograph (Photos 3e, 3f & 3g).

10 I alsoused a set of sand blasted and painted frames for the photos inthis article. Now, set the assembly into the appropriate side ofthecar. In the photos, you can probably see what the next stepis. Measure the distance from a common point of referenceand then trace the bracket outlines onto the floor pans (Photo3h). Remove the seat track and bracket assemblies from thecar. Grind the floor pan metal to achieve a clean surface toweld on. Replace your seat assembles, outline a quarter inchfrom the bracket. In other words, don t trace the bracket butkeep your marker outline one quarter inch from it so youwon t be welding on a marked surface.