1980 seat adjustments

[try2pas]

I just put my stock seats back in my 1980 corvette. I don't like the way the back of the seat lays so far back. In the past I have seen remedies for that but can't remember what they are. So how does one get the back of the stock seat to be more upright which is way more comfortable and better driving control?

 

[bill81vette]

unfortunately,that's the way they are.
perhaps,you could put a pillow behind you or find some way to jam where they fold forward.
eg 2x4,piece of wood,something along that line without damaging the seats.

 

[dirtypants]

adjust seat back on 80-81

since there is no from the factory seat adjustment provision,the easiest way, that works well is to cut a length of rubber heater hose or small stiff automotive hose and slide it onto the lower ed behind the seat..sometimes another over the top..to get the angle you want.

 

[try2pas]

My seats are red so I bought 1/2" and 5/8" red heater hose from Napa. On the bottom I put the 1/2" and then the 5/8" over that and on the top clam shell I put the 5/8" hose. Works great with bringing the seat up to a real comfortable seating position. On the driver's seat I put a 3/4" short piece of hardwood floor board, between the clam shells, and it brings it up to basically vertical. That's the position I like to drive in and so far is working great too.

 

[6880 Mike]

You can make minor adjustments by shimming beneath the rear mounting points of the seat sliders.

 

[try2pas]

I forgot to weigh the shell/seat combo before I put them in. Anyone out there know what the shell/seat combo weighs?

 

[stevolwevol]

I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but I wish my seats in my 77 could recline more. I believe GM should have designed adjustments for this. Anybody know how to make the seats recline?

 

[6880 Mike]

Check to see whether a seat back shim kit may have been installed on your seats.

 

[stevolwevol]

Check to see whether a seat back shim kit may have been installed on your seats.

I'm not sure what to look for. At the base their are flats with phillips, and they meet with rubber heads that are attached to the seat back. It appears to be a factory set up. I feel like turning the bases clockwise, but I don't want to break them off. If I just could get the seat to recline 1" it would feel perfect.

 

[jim in oregon]

I'm not sure what to look for. At the base their are flats with phillips, and they meet with rubber heads that are attached to the seat back. It appears to be a factory set up. I feel like turning the bases clockwise, but I don't want to break them off. If I just could get the seat to recline 1" it would feel perfect.

Originally when the C3 was new, the dealer could supply a setup to change the seat back angle...These days the dealers haven't a clue what that apparatus was..

Anyhow, last question FIRST:
To INCREASE the recline of the back, FIRST add a drop of penetrating oil to each of the two large phillips head bolts that hit the rubber seat bumpers.

THEN, screw each phillips head bolt clockwise(downward) making sure each gets the same number of turns so the seat stays level laterally and the seat hits the bumpers at the same time..

To adjust the seat back so one sits more erect, there's only so much the phillips head bolts can be unscrewed upwards and still be stable.

A simple fix to adjust the seat back so one sits more erect is this:

First turn the phillips head bolts so they come upward but still have at least 1/2" of thread holding them snugly to the lower mounting rail.

Then unscrew the two hex head bolts that secure the latch mechanism to the seat bottom & remove them.

You want to increase the erectness of the seat back, BUT you want the seat LATCH to still latch..
So, See how much you can increase the erect incline and still have the seat back latch..
THAT'S how much max you can shim the latching mechanism.
Usually this is about 1.5" ..

So go to a good hardware store and get bolts that are 1.5" longer than the original ones holding the latch mech down.

Then get some steel spacers that are 1.5" long ..

Put the new longer bolts thru the flat mounting plate of the latch assembly and thru the spacers and then bolt them up snug.
You'll find that a 1.5" raising of the seat back latch mech attachment changes the inclination of the seat back very nicely...and the seat will still latch properly for safety..Jim

 

[stevolwevol]

Originally when the C3 was new, the dealer could supply a setup to change the seat back angle...These days the dealers haven't a clue what that apparatus was..

Anyhow, last question FIRST:
To INCREASE the recline of the back, FIRST add a drop of penetrating oil to each of the two large phillips head bolts that hit the rubber seat bumpers.

THEN, screw each phillips head bolt clockwise(downward) making sure each gets the same number of turns so the seat stays level laterally and the seat hits the bumpers at the same time..

To adjust the seat back so one sits more erect, there's only so much the phillips head bolts can be unscrewed upwards and still be stable.

A simple fix to adjust the seat back so one sits more erect is this:

First turn the phillips head bolts so they come upward but still have at least 1/2" of thread holding them snugly to the lower mounting rail.

Then unscrew the two hex head bolts that secure the latch mechanism to the seat bottom & remove them.

You want to increase the erectness of the seat back, BUT you want the seat LATCH to still latch..
So, See how much you can increase the erect incline and still have the seat back latch..
THAT'S how much max you can shim the latching mechanism.
Usually this is about 1.5" ..

So go to a good hardware store and get bolts that are 1.5" longer than the original ones holding the latch mech down.

Then get some steel spacers that are 1.5" long ..

Put the new longer bolts thru the flat mounting plate of the latch assembly and thru the spacers and then bolt them up snug.
You'll find that a 1.5" raising of the seat back latch mech attachment changes the inclination of the seat back very nicely...and the seat will still latch properly for safety..Jim

Actually, I did as the instructions you posted, before you posted them. I used a channel lock to turn the bottom bolts after I applied some PB blast to the threads. I just couldn't get enough torque out of a phillips. I figure I got about an inch of recline, and it feels fairly satisfactory.