Install 97 buckets/center console into 98 reg cab...help?

[lowryder99]

Hi,

Did a search but came up empty.

I found a set of tan buckets and a center console out of a 97 silverado, my truck is a base model with a bench.

How do I go about installing these? Is there mounts for the center console in my truck? Do I just mark where I think it should be? How many holes will I have to drill for these buckets?

My carpet and everything is out of the truck so it should be fairly straight forward i hope.

Thanks!

[Loudnfast91]

When I went from a bench to bucket seats in my pickup, the only holes I had to drill were for the inner seat brackets. I used the outer holes from the bench and they worked just fine.

[bthomas454]

if the seats came from an ext. cab the mounting will be a bit different. its not too hard to modify it though.

[lowryder99]

they are from an ex-cab, what makes the mounts different though?

[IH8FORD]

. put a set of ext cab buckets and center console in my 91. Had to drill the two inner holes for each seat and 4 holes for the center console. Its tricky to get the bolts on from the bottom because the exhaust sheilds were in the way or at least they were on my 91.

[LS6TT]

what I did when i mounted my buckets

i removed the carpet, put the driver seat in, bolted down the wo outside bolts..marked the inside bolt spots, removed the seat and drilled

same thing on the passanger side

[CKTA]

what I did when i mounted my buckets

i removed the carpet, put the driver seat in, bolted down the wo outside bolts..marked the inside bolt spots, removed the seat and drilled

same thing on the passanger side


That's how you do it. :smokin:

[lowryder99]

thanks guys!

PS. Is 525 Canadian a good deal for these (buckets, brackets, console and all hardware, no rips, stains, burns)

That's roughly 460ish American right now...

Oh and last question, I have had removed my bench before but the nuts on the underbelly of the truck seemed like they were welded to the body, is this the case? Like I am assuming since I have to drill new holes ill need to use nuts and washers on the underside of the truck correct?

[CKTA]

Not bad if they are in real good shape.

[lowryder99]

Not bad if they are in real good shape.

Well he said 675, I said that's a little high and im a serious buyer, he then said okay 575, so im contemplating handing him 500 cash and see what he says, but since I don't like being a total low baller im probably just going to hand him 525....he said they are absolute mint, truck had 75k on it when it was written off due to rear end damage I think.

[lowryder99]

Well I picked em up,

No rips, tears/burns or anything of the sort, however there is glass shards in them dammit! He says AFTER we load them, you might want to vacuum them when you get home since there is glass shards in them.

Anyways, I got them home, cleaned them a little (Still need to vacuum) but I noticed the drivers seat has a VERY minimal rocking to it (on the bottom rail, has nothing to do with the seat back just the lower bottom), I found the loose part to be one side of the "latch" that grabs the little teeth on the railt to slide the seat back/forth, there looks to be no way to replace that latch so is there any fix to this? Ill be pissed if my "new" seat has a slight back/forth motion in it because one little latch is worn a millimeter or so,

[hca]

what did you end up paying? 500?

[lowryder99]

I payed him 540 Canadian. That is $436.00 American according to xe.com

[lowryder99]

Well, did the test fit today...

Got the driver seat in a.o.k, drilled the 2 new holes, got stainless hardware to install it, Went to the passenger side and WTF, the brackets don't line up,
However said the ex-cab seat brackets had a different mounting position were right!

Thankfully it wasn't too hard to fab something up, I had my buddy with me who knows everything about everything so we used one stock bolt in the stock location and had to drill for the other three, one bracket had to be "contoured" to the fit of the floor pan, the other had to have a spacer (a thick washer for you slower folk) under the bracket to keep the seat level and that was about that.

Im not really to huge on the center console however, just doesn't do anything for me, plus now my subs are exposed so im going to probably build or buy a new custom center console with a sub mounted in it.

Overall im really happy with this project, quite a bit of work since im putting new black carpet, sound deadning, running new power wires, hooking up the power lumbar etc..etc... but it should pay off once I get everything back together all perfect.

[seth350]

:nopics:

[lowryder99]

:lol:
As requested

Keep in mind

A) These pics suck

B) There is NO carpet or anything on the floor since this was a test fit

C) That is a custom made center console that "hopefully" my friend will let me have a for a good buddy discount so I can then recover it in black suede to match my new black carpet/headliner

[lowryder99]

All I know is this beats the hell out of the stock non adjustable bench seat, my truck actually looks like it's worth something from the inside now LOL....even though I have to build a new subbox, find a new amp mount etc..

[seth350]

Thats more like it! :D
Looks good man! Wish I had bucket seats

[LS6TT]

Nice console man!!!!!

[lowryder99]

Thanks guys, so far im pretty happy with the results.

I really wanted to go with sport buckets or racing buckets but I couldn't really find a way to make it affordable, the APC "full size truck seat" package was going to come in well over $1200.00 bucks and there was no way I could justify that kinda dough just to plant my butt in, not to mention I wasn't sure if I trusted their stitching/materials holding up in our extreme conditions either.

I know it looks plain right now but I am just waiting for my sound deadener and carpet to come next week, I will install those and then hopefully head to the fabric shop and recover that console in black suede with a "stealth' sub box internally in it, it will be really tight and maybe not the optimum conditions for a sub but ill make it work and sound good if I have to rebuild it 10 times LOL!

I will keep updating this thread with pics if there is an interest in how it turns out!