Back seat hold down issue..

[tutone63]

Okay, this is going to sound like I am either a weakling or dense in the head...but My 4 dr 1963 lark at one time has had its rear seat removed, and it has just been sitting in the back, looking installed, but not "snapped down" for the lack of a better term. I understand how it is supposed to fasten, i see the retainers attached to the floor, and the corresponding metal frame under the seat that is supposed to snap down onto the retainer. but for the life of me, i can't get the thing on! I have pushed the front seat up as far as it will go, wedged myself back there and pushed back and down with all my might, and I cannot get the thing to line up with the retainers. I there a trick I am missing? When you reach up under the seat and feel the location of the point to where the underseat frame is supposed to attatch to the retainers, there is a gap of about one to one half inch between the two if the seat is just resting there. is this a normal distance? Or is there something wrong? like perhaps a different seat has been substituted? Any advice would really help. I need to get this fixed so I can have passengers in the rear safely.

Thanks!

[jackb]

a couple of thoughts....1) possibly the wrong back seat bottom.....a quick check could be to see if there are metal part number tags on the springs of the seat.....the numbers on the upper and lower seats need to be quite close.....2) If the seats have been recovered and re-foamed, you might have a "too-thick" situation that prevents a good fit...3) Install: with the seat back in place and held in place by the 2 retaining screws, place the seat bottom in place as best aligned as possible. place your hand on the bottom-most reinforced part of the seat bottom on the left or right side just forward the retaining tabs. Push back with one hand and press down with the other...than to the other side....I recently had this same problem in my 63' Cruiser...Had to really push "in" actually flexing the seat bottom to get the fit.....And these were with original seats and seat covers.......GL

[Bullet]

Another way that I used to do on my '63 Cruiser was, with the back of the back seat in and bolted down. Put the bottom cushion on the front clips and then push the back of the bottom seat down until it goes under the back of the back seat. Hope that makes sense.

Mark

[tutone63]

Thanks! I will have to check on those #'s. And yes, the seats have been re-done and have covers on them, so thickess is probably the issue. I will attempt both ways, sounds like it isn't a unique problem.

[skyway]

The passenger side floor clip on my '64 Cruiser has always been a real bear.
Lots of pushing and cussing before that side of the seat bottom will snap into place.
Its so bad that I've been known to pull the front seat so's to be able to push with my feet.
I'd always thought it was a mistaken fabrication/assembly jig issue?

[2moredoors]

I had a similar problem (still have) and my car has the original seats ('66 Cruiser). I attached a wire to each side of the seat back frame and while someone pushed in the car I pulled from the trunk. It worked.

[skyway]

"I attached a wire to each side of the seat back frame and while someone pushed in the car I pulled from the trunk."

Thanks, great idea!