|
Project 1969 Firebird / 2004 GTO seats..
So I decided to do it. I will be converting my 69 firebird interior from green to black. I will also be replacing the soft springy seats with a set of perfect 2004 GTO seats front and back. I have seen another guy online install it in his first gen camaro.
Its my winter project and will no doubt involve some custom fab, so now i need to get a new black carpet, some paint for the panels etc. If anyone has any info on this type of a project please provide links and tips. Much appreciated and stay tuned for pics as i get started this fall... |
Sounds nice. I just picked up some 2000 Trans Am black leather seats for my 69 Firebird build and will be looking forward to power leather seats as well. I think I will buy a new cover for my rear seat and have leather panels cut out of the TA rear seats and put in the 69 rear seats instead of tring to make the Ta seats fit.
|
So the winter project is now moved into a spring project. Moving and over xmas kinda messed up my plans.
So the seats have been acquired, I placed the drivers seat in manually and sat in the seat and compared it to the stock seat and i think the new seat actually sits lower then the stock kidney crushers. So with power racks i can adjust it. I had my fab guy modify the stock mount for the the power seat rack to fit the stock holes. Tonight it goes in to see how it looks. I'm going to remove the seat belt receiver latch from the seat as well. Ill probably go with a set of generic seat belts unless i can find a good set of black ones. New carpets are in, new floor mats, black headliner kit, black A piller covers, I bought dye to paint the kick panels, debating on replacing the door panels as mine are a bit rough. Have to remove the rest of the interior yet. I'm going to take pics of where i am at this weekend and post them up here. I rebuilt the drivers side door window mechanism as the two main rollers were shot. I replaced the main roller track on the window as the old one was warped and bent in several places. Does anyone know how to raise the position of the window? i tweaked the smaller track all the way down that raised it up a bit. But the side closest to the front of the car seems to sit a bit low (meaning it could go up higher into the weatherstripping). I checked that i was not topping out on the right side stopper and that's not the case, so how do i get it to crank up about 3/16 - 1/4 inch more? |
I was thinking about retro fitting a set of newer seats though I hadn't put alot of thought into which ones. Do you have any pics of your new set up? Thanks!
|
No pics yet, will try to snap one of the drivers seat installed and post it up soon.
|
Small update,
Many weeks in, I have the car interior stripped, just finished painting the dash black (turned out real nice). New black headliner. Mouse House Count is up to 3, one in the headliner on driver side above visor, two in the floor kick panel vents. Sail panels in, new dome light, visors painted an in, only windlace to install at this point is the rear window. I have a rear floor panel to replace in the near future behind driver. But for now i've rustoleaum'ed it and will seal it up, structurally sound but pin holes beginning to develop. Next step is the shifter. I bought a correct factory 1969 super com plus hurst shifter, but need the handle. Anyone got one? email me. All the panels etc are painted or dye'ed, ready to go in, that was not as tough as i thought. The wiring in place for the seats, List seems endless, but its coming together. I cant wait to drive it.. |
This would match your interior perfectly:
http://turnkeyengines.cgwebsolutions.com/engine%201.jpg :) If I wasn't down the path so far, I would have gone this way on my '69. Phil |
Quote:
|
5 hours of fiddling last night with the Hurst shifter.. UGG..
So i have a 69 Hurst Shifter, I am told form a Camaro, are they not the same? I have and older M21 4 speed manual (1963 or 1964 Corvette i think) and the 67-68 mounting kit for the shifter. Ugg.. crap goes together but the shifter and hole don't line up. Macgyver to the rescue. I re-engineered the POS mounting plate. I rotated the shifter on the large bolt as a pivot so the shifter was square with the hole, I drilled a hole on the mounting plate to relocate the smaller bolt. It all lines up now. On to problem #2, my shifter linkages no longer line up. So I extended the threads down the shafts and two out of the three now line up fine. However the reverse linkage will not extend long enough, i've run into the bend. So I'm going to have the shaft shortened an inch and things should line up then. Onto the reverse wiring as there is none in my car, and then back to assembling the interior now that i know where the hole for the carpet will be. I am still in need of an original shifter handle. Anyone got a used one kicking around or know of someone, if so hit me back.. |
Not to take away from bascom123's thread....but I'll add some info about 4th gen TA and Camaro seats in the first gen Firebird. I have leather 2002 TA seats I am putting in a 68. The 2002 power seat tracks line up for the front bolts but for the rear bolts you have to cut and re-weld the mounting tabs a bit. I must say the 4th gen TA/Camaro seats are awesome feeling. Incredible side support with the large bolster area in the seat. I dont know how they work if your really tall.....that might be a factor. Ive only cut and rewelded my drivers seat and test fitted it. There is a company that makes some custom covers for the 4th gen Camaro seats (like houndstooth fabric etc) but not sure about the TA.
The 4th gen camaro seats have the integrated headrest and the 4th gen TA seats have the headrest separate........get whichever one you think looks the best. I actually like the look of the 4th gen Camaro seats better......but I couldnt force myself to get them and put them in a 68 FB.....so I went with the 2002 TA ones. Here are a couple of links over at team camaro with excellent info on guys who have performed the 4th gen seat to first gen swap. http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=68016 http://www.camaros.net/forums/showth...t=4th+gen+seat |
Great info, similar to what I had to do with the frames. But i went a much more stout way. Ill post pics up soon.
|
Before I chose the 2002 TA seats I had my eye on a pair of 2004 GTO seats like yours....they are gonna look really nice in your car! I luv the look of those new GTO seats.
|
So here is a few pics to tease you guys..
Modified Seat Frames: http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2562.jpg Front New Carpet http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2588.jpg Rear Carpet with new Wiring. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2584.jpg Headliner http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2569.jpg God I hate that dash pad. anyone got a nice one? Tonight its on to the interior, new belts, shifter boot, and much much more, maybe even the rear seat installed. More to come.. |
|
OK so i have to say that inserting the two rubber bushing isolators and the tin plates with the factory shifter handle was a PITA! But its in.. looks great.
I mocked up the one seat. Its taller, but its way better then the previous seats. good clearance on the doors too. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2603.jpg http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2605.jpg |
Looking good!
|
|
Tonight the dash goes back in..
|
Are you leaving the GTO embroidery in the seat?
Thats the only thing that would kinda turn me off on using those seats. They look great otherwise and I bet they are comfortable. Do they have heat? I have all stock mint interior for my 69 bird but would prefer the newer seats. MAybe I can find set ripped and do aftermarket catskins covers or something |
The GTO label is staying on for now, and no there is no heat.... I plan on taking it to an upholstery shop one day and having it replaced and or getting cat skins yeah... I have been debating dying the thread to make it less noticeable. But heck it will still be there so why bother.
Here a few snaps from tonight.. the Dash and Column is in. Yes i forgot to put the turn signal lever in.. so I guess the Steering wheel will come off again.. uggg, i was tired. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2622.jpg Got the back seat upper in also.. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...o/DSCF2618.jpg |
Here is what i started with btw..
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...ird/fire12.jpg Man I hate that green...and the console is gone. I did not like it either. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...d/DSCF2422.jpg |
It looks great. did any of the GTO seats have heat?
How about the late 4th gen T/A's If I was going to do this Id want the heat. Being in CT with a vert its a must. I am planning on driving my convertible well into the colder months when its done. Of course if its anything like my old vert the headers heated the floor pans so much it would burn your legs.LOL Sometimes the metal strip on the center console would litterally be scalding hot when stuck in traffic on the way to the beach. |
So after much work this weekend it all came together. To bad the weather here in Ohio did not cooperate to allow me to unveil it at a local show on Saturday. Trunk Carpet kit is in, 12 inch sub installed in the trunk, I think i need a Capacitor to bolster the power requirements. Its just in a box for right now. Anyone got nice pics of a custom box idea?
I'm going to get pics up soon. I have to say its nice to sit in a car that has the shifter in the right position and seats that support me. Its a world of difference. I sourced a center console from a wrecked '02 WS6 Firebird. Going to pick it up tonight, i saw a guy who put one in a 69 bird and it looked good. So its going in the garage and will be a project for later. No I just want to drive the car and have fun. For anyone interested I will likely be at the following show this coming weekend (weather permitting). If you local drop by and say hi. http://www.arthritisautoshow.com/ |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:30 AM. |