HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Just got done with my 4th gen seat swap and thought I would share some pics. The job took about 8 hours with the seat belts included. It sure helped to search other peoples posts.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Here is a before and after of the rear seats.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

The original seats were really not in bad shape but, to me, they never looked like they belonged in this car. If I had ordered this car new in '85 I would have ordered black seats. I do like the contrast of the charcoal leather with the tan carpet and trim . The new seats are out of an early 4th gen Firebird , or at least that is what I was told when I bought them from antoher TGO member. The whole swap went very smoothly, the only real issue was forgetting to put the belt retainers on . Overall, I'm very pleased with the end result.

jstoltz

iTrader: (16)

looks good but you still have a contrast issue with the new ones but I would leave it the rest of your interior is in good shape, but the new seats will probably be more comfortable to say the least.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

I like that contrast. The door panels are tan with black accents. The original interior had the black console with the tan carpet. To me it looks very classy. And yes, it is very comfortable.

steNcho

Is it hard to swap the seatbelt part inside the headliner?

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

No real need to swap the seat belts, unless your original ones aren't working right anymore or are damaged. Every time I've put in 4th gen seats, I've just reused the OEM seat belts.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Some of the others who have done this say to remove the entire headliner but, since I have an over-head console that I really didn't want to remove, I decided to try just pulling it down from the back and reaching in to get at the bolts. It worked out just fine. I pulled the trim from over the door, sail panel and the piece that goes across the rear glass. The belt retainers are almost identical (3rd & 4th gen) and bolt right up with no problems.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

I swapped belts to change the color. I didn't like the look of the dark seats with the tan belts. The nice thing about keeping your original belts is that you don't have any issues with the door sill plates . Anyone have any tan '83 f-body sill plates for sale???

RCAR7395

iTrader: (124)

They Look GREAT ! ! !

ShMaCk2004

8 HOURS!!! someone works slow...

Tobias05

4th gen seats FTW. I liked mine so much, I bought another pair! lol

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

That time included shampooing the carpet and removing the new seats once because I forgot to install the belt retainers on the belts the first time. There was also a trip to the auto parts store for one trim fastener and a couple of cocktail breaks. Working too fast on a Saturday only leads to more work.

BobbyRod

LUV my 4th gen LS1 seats! (Front)
No hassle at all!
Very comfortable, nice upgrade, A REAL BOLT-ON!!!

bcmag

are 4th gen belts and seats a direct swap or is there fab work involved?

BobbyRod

seats Yes! direct swap
Belts I did not do...

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Like the post says It really is as easy as it sounds. Take the old seats out, put the new ones in. The only real issue is the lower seatbelt mount is different . There is no lower recoil on the 4th gen belts so the notch in the sill trim is visible. If you search the site you will see how others have solved the problem. One way is to use '82 sill plates.

Robb Knight

I have never removed a seat of any type on a car. So So everything underneath or whatever connects and lines up? You just take out the 3rd gen seats and put in the 4th gen with out changing any mounting or whatever? They attach the same way and same points?

joee5

iTrader: (4)

eventually i'm going to swap out my red interior for gray on my 86 z28. i have thr plastics as well as the carpet and am shopping for seats. i didnt know that no mods were needed to make the 4th gen seats work. thanks for posting this and sharing with those of us that arent as well mechanically inclinded as others. myself included.

plasmeh

iTrader: (10)

You cannot ever knock someone for wanting to do a quality job over simply getting it done for the sake of getting it done. Attention to detail is what makes it all worth while.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Yes. 4 nuts hold each seat onto studs in the floor. And 2 screws hold the seatbelt retainer to the seat.

8 nuts & 4 screws total, will swap seats out.

Only modding you'd need to do, is if your putting electric seats in. Then that would just require some wire splicing.

norcalz28

iTrader: (13)

Werd. Looks good man, those seats are in great shape. Putting 4th gen leather in my iroc was probably one of the best things I've ever done to it. I get lots of compliments and they are just wicked comfortable.

Will

BobbyRod

NOTHIN' MORE RIGHTY!!!

vengetta82

what about power seats?

BobbyRod

I just ran a poistive wire from fuse box (power lock circuit) and a ground and that's it, works just fine.

Dr.NickRiviera

It would have been a quicker way than how I did it. I went to the bone yard and scavanged a complete wiring harness pulled the carpet up and ran it so it looks factory.

BobbyRod

Yeah Sure! I took the power from the power lock circuit because There's where the stock circuit is taken according to Chilton's manual.

So it looks stock too! ...Anyway here in Venezuela we have not as much choices as in the US!!!

NBC

How hard are the back seats

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Even easier, since there is never a possibility of an electrical connection there. Just a few nuts.

norcalz28

iTrader: (13)

Well, if your car was like mine and had split rear seats, that bar that secures the inner edge of the seats will look dumb if not used. I just removed it, no biggie, but it may be something you'll run into.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

I left my split rears in & only put in 4th gen front seats.

BobbyRod

I did the same thing

gsmith

Bump to this thread..

These look great! How much did the new seats cost you? I want to do the exact same thing to my 90' RS. I'm changing my interior from gray to black, and have the carpet down already..I just need to get some new black leather seats, but I can't find any sources to purchase them from. Any help will be greatly appreciated

jstoltz

iTrader: (16)

just get some fourth gen seats and get new covers not the cheapest but they look brand new when your finished.

ROCFATHER

Seats look good... but the contrast is horrible. Maybe get some covers or something? The originals were buck ugly man, better choice overall.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

The seats I used were from fellow TGO member RCAR7395. I thought his price was vewry reasonable. I know that he has listed several other seat sets on this forum since. Check him out, maybe he can help. He sure was easy to work with.

gsmith

I sent him a pm but he doesn't have any more black leather seat sets at the moment..oh well, I'll just have to keep looking around. Do you think going to a salvage yard might be a good idea?

jstoltz

iTrader: (16)

worth a try but being in Texas they might be a little sun baked though.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Took me all of... 45 minutes I think to do mine. But I reused my belts and such.

It's amazing how much mroe headroom I got afterwards. There is a LOT more room in the back. I am 6'2 205 lbs and I could handle sitting in the back on a short trip now, whereas before I couldnt fit back there at all.

58mark

iTrader: (3)

it should be possible to get a good set of cloth 4th gen seats for $100-$150

gsmith

What about a leather set?

modern0utlaw

Leather sets are around 500-800 on ebay. I scored a dark gray cloth set from a 97 camaro for just $50 on craigslist, they were taken out when the car was new and never used. So it just depends if your lucky enough to come across a good deal

topgun91

are seats from a 02 camaro a direct bolt on for a 91 rs

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

ALL 1982-2002 seats are a 100% physical bolt in swap. The only time you'll have any swap issues, are with wiring for power seats. Even then it is just a matter of splicing wires (if you already have some, or running new ones).

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

nope, the originals matched a lot better of course. and these seats aren't even black.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Huh? Are you trying to say that I was wrong?

92 Camaro

iTrader: (1)

HAH?

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Somebody drunk & posting tonight? You aren't making a lick of sense with your posts tonight!

navy02ws6

Those are 1997-02 Camaro seats. All Firebird seats have actual adjustable headrests.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

I realize that now. Since I installed the seats I have been checking out what's in a lot of 4th gens. Still love 'em! Haven't used the car much lately though, weather has been so nice the 'vert is getting all the miles.