Need some advice on installation of bucket seat tracks. Were they originally put down directly over top of the carpet or were there factory cutouts / slits so that they could be anchored directly to the floor? If there is anyone with an original, survivor carpet still in place, a pic would be wonderful. Thanks for any help.
Thanks jman01. Took the carpet and seats out a couple of years ago at the beginning of the restoration on my 68, but just cannot recall how they were at that time. It would seem to be a more secure installation bolting directly to the floor metal, with more threads in the holes and a solid base. Until I find otherwise, definitively, I'll just bolt down over the carpet.
I had asked on a few forums and census tend to lean toward having a L slit that the foot went under. That puts the foot metal to metal. Carpet would eventual give and foot would become loose.
Thanks Harold - as always, some good input. Hopefully, someone has a survivor with original carpet, and will weigh in. If you think about it, an assembly line worker would not have time to poke around, trial and error, through a single carpet hole to find the floor-pan hole.
Two of us did weigh in. Seats bolt over carpet. The carpet gets compressed pretty good. There is no issue with loosening. Now my 69 goat had slits where the seats bolt down to the metal.
Like Bob said, seats bolted over tops of rear section of carpet, rear edge of front portion of carpet falls over the tops of the front brackets.
Two survivor cars, both done in that manner. Some repop carpet is made too long in front that interferes with this concept. The front carpet goes over the top of the rear carpet and has a finished edge.
Seat belts bolted over carpet as well.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure. I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe. 1968 400 convertible (Scarlet) 1976 T/A - 455 LE (No Burt) 1976 T/A New baby, starting full restoration. 1968 350 - 4 speed 'vert - 400 clone (the Beast!) 1968 350 convertible - Wife's car now- 400 clone (Aleutian Blue) (Blue Angel) 2008 Durango - DD 2008 GXP - New one from NH is AWESOME! 2017 Durango Citadel - Modern is nice! HEMI is amazing! 1998 Silverado Z71 - Father-daughter project 1968 400 coupe - R/A clone (Blue Pearl) (sold) 1967 326 convertible - Sold 1980 T/A SE Bandit - Sold
Thanks Bob. Didn't realize that yours was a survivor, or maybe you were the original owner. Hard to argue with first-hand information. Thanks also to 68tpls400 and all others responding. I see where the rear edge of the front carpet just rests over the seat-track bracket.
