Does your classic car or truck need new seats?
Restoring older vehicles often involves the challenge of finding suitable replacement seats. Original seats may no longer be available for purchase, or they may be difficult to locate. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to install replacement seats in older vehicles, with a focus on bolting and wiring. It also offers suggestions for suitable seats for different types of vehicles, from project trucks to hot rods and small cars. Whether you’re dealing with a simple 4-bolt mounting pattern or a more complex system, this guide will help you navigate the process. Let’s dive in!
Bolting In
Mounting styles can vary significantly, with most seats featuring a simple 4-bolt mounting pattern. However, some newer GM seats use a 2-bolt/2-hook mounting pattern. For hot rods and project cars, the easiest route is often a seat with a completely flat seat track. This allows for through-bolting to the frame for a safe, secure seat and minimizes the amount of grinding required.
Wiring Up
Powered seats offer many benefits, but it's important to ensure they are manageable. Fully "loaded" seats with heat, A/C, and memory can be complex to install. Powered tracks and lumbar are usually straightforward, typically requiring just 12 volts and a ground.
Seats equipped with memory require a memory bypass, which can be achieved by mapping out the switch harness and splicing it into the wires that go directly to the track motors.
Seats equipped with heat (without A/C) can usually be wired in with the OEM heat switches with some adjustments. If you want a heated seat but can't find one, don't worry! You can add a universal heater to it. This will likely be cheaper and cause fewer headaches in wiring.
Seats equipped with Heat and Air Conditioning use a special system that requires a computer. The best way to install this is to purchase a Katzkin DegreeZ kit from your local Katzkin dealer and retrofit it into your seat. For most manufacturers, this is very easy as the DegreeZ system is used in the OEM system.