Interior: Remove Rear Seat 64 Cruiser

[adamevans]

Hey guys!

How do I remove the rear seat on my 64 Cruiser? Looking to install seat belts, and I can't see how to do it. (I don't want to pry too hard for fear of prying in the wrong spot and breaking something.)

[thunderations]

Grab the lower front edge of the seat bottom and jerk it straight up. It's held by pressure of the spring frame and slides over 2 angled brackets welded to the floor. You're not going to break anything. Sometimes they seem very stubborn, but just pry them straight up. You might want to bend the angled brackets a little to make it less tight. It will be easy to see what's going on once you have the seat bottom removed. There should be rubber plugs in the seat belt anchor holes. You might even find seat belts under there.

[rockne10]

There should be rubber plugs in the seat belt anchor holes.

Seatbelts were an option at that time, so all Studebakers off the line were already equipped with the anchors. Just make certain the reinforcement, which would be visible inside the rear inner fender just in front of the tires, is still intact.

[adamevans]

The anchors are already there? Good to know. Thanks!

[2moredoors]

I took my back seat out of my '66 Cruiser, no problem as has been previously mentioned. It is sometime tricky to get it fit back in as you are pushing back and down at the same time. Good luck.

[tomlewis]

Sometime during the '64 model year seat belts became mandatory in the U.S. My Dad ordered a new first-year '64 Chevelle. --- plain- Jane, 230 6-cylinder, three on the tree, etc. Back then everything was an option. First car he ever had with even a radio and he got that so he could listen to Phillies games on Friday nights when he drove up to our summer place in the Poconos. He was ahead of the times and ordered seat belts. By the time the car was assembled, seat belts had become mandatory and Dad was happy that he now didn't have to pay extra to get what he wanted anyway. I think Chevrolet actually ate the cost

Much different from today when we are forced to pay for things we don't want or need. (Think Tire Pressure Monitoring System as an example).

In in any case, anchors should be installed in all '64's

Tom

[bezhawk]

Actually the seat bottom anchors are angled and slightly hooked. Pulling straight up may not release it. Push toward the rear, as you lift.

[rockne10]

Actually the seat bottom anchors are angled and slightly hooked. Pulling straight up may not release it. Push toward the rear, as you lift.

Likewise, when re-installing, you can't simply push them down. You need to forcefully push them rearward until they drop in to the hook.

[joncon]

My 66 Cruiser has "rear seat belt delete" listed on the PO. It has front belts.

[Warren Webb]

As Bez said in removing the rear seat bottom by pushing back & up to remove & back & down to install. The brackets welded to the floor are in the mid portion between the driveshaft tunnel & the door on both sides. That is where you will apply pressure. This will work on most other brand X cars too.

[Skip Lackie]

My 66 Cruiser has "rear seat belt delete" listed on the PO. It has front belts.

Front seat belts were mandatory on cars built on or after January 1, 1964, but virtually all 64 model cars, including those made in 1963, came with them. Rear seat belts did not become mandatory until later in the decade, but most 64 and later cars came will all four sets unless someone requested the deletion of the rears.

[adamevans]

Front seat belts were mandatory on cars built on or after January 1, 1964, but virtually all 64 model cars, including those made in 1963, came with them. Rear seat belts did not become mandatory until later in the decade, but most 64 and later cars came will all four sets unless someone requested the deletion of the rears.

Oh really? Mine doesn't have any belts. I wonder if my 64 was built in 63 or if it was ordered without them...

[studeluvr]

Oh really? Mine doesn't have any belts. I wonder if my 64 was built in 63 or if it was ordered without them...

My 64 Canadian Cruiser has seat belts front and rear.

[rkapteyn]

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?82579-Original-seat-belt-anchors

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/seatbelts/sdc39954.html

http://www.raylinrestoration.com/TechnicalPages/Seatbelts/belts.htm

http://stude.com/FAQ/Questions/SeatBelt.htm

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/seatbelts/sdc49084sb.html

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?40892-Shoulder-Seat-Belts-in-Studebakers

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/seat-belt-historya.cfm

[jackb]

seat belts were a "delete" option...those years...(I think $5.00)