At 12:34 PM 1/4/98 EST, you wrote:
>I should have looked at my car before answering your question. Just after I
>got my car, I noticed that the seats were wobbly. A quick look revealed lose
>mounting bolts, which I then tightened. I thought I remembered accurately, but
>no.
>My seats are probably the same as your passenger seat:
>In a message dated 1/2/98 6:49:58 PM, you wrote:
>
><<On the passenger seat, the bolts all go through 2" by 21" piece of 1/8"
>steel which sits on top of the wood wedges, thereby giving the seat more
>support and attachment to the front four bolts. >>
>
>The steel and the wood wedge fit the gap between the chassis cross member. At
>the rear, the bolt passes through the following, from top to bottom:
>Aft end of lower seat adjustment rail
>Steel plate (I didn't measure, but 2" x 21" seems right)
>Wood wedge
>Carpet
>Floorboard
>Metal chassis cross member
>
>The seat adjustment rail is shorter than the steel plate, the front edge of
>the seat rail is bolted to the steel plate, and this bolt does not pass
>through to the bottom of the floor boards, presumably because the floor is
>just wood at that point. The nut that secures the bolt can not be seen (its
>inside the wood wedge.)
>
>At the front edge of the steel plate is another bolt, passing through:
>Steel plate
>Wood wedge
>Carpet
>Floorboard
>Metal chassis cross member
>
>The factory mounting appears very robust, with solid metal connections. For
>safety reasons, you may want to make both seats like the passenger seat.
>Let me know if you need more details.
>Brad
>
Thanks Brad and others,
It appears the drivers seat on my car had been removed and the plates
misplaced. The bolt which attaches the front of the runner to the steel
plate was replaced with a longer bolt and the hole drilled through the floor
board. This is a much weaker mounting than with the steel plate.
I note the Rutter parts list shows seat runner plates in 17.5", 18.25" and
20", but not in 21" lengths. Having two of the proper size at hand, I am
having two more fabricated locally. Doesn't seem too complicated, if I can
drill the holes in the right places.
For reportedly having only had one previous owner (who never drove the car
much) I am finding lots of little "messes" like this, that make me think the
car has seen a more active history than the seller chose to tell me. I
can't wait to see a "new" +8 to see how they come from the factory. I can't
believe they would leave the wiring to the lights in such disarray either.
But, when I get done with it, it'll be right(er).
Gary
1991 +8 R10432
Grafton, OH
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