I just installed a set PMD seats in my '89 formula using the seat track from the '89 seats. Now the driver's seat seems too high. Has anyone ever done this? I have the old PMD tracks and am prepared to swap them if I have to. Any thoughts?

 

The PMDs sit kind of high in the car anyway, due to the thickness of the seat bottom compared to a regular Firebird seat. Redraif is running PMDs on regular 87 tracks, since her PMD tracks were power and in 82 (when PMDs were used) there were no front seatbelt retractors...they won't clear a car with the seatbelt retractors. I don't know about non-power PMD tracks, they might clear ok, but I don't think the height is going to be any different.

 

are the '87 tracks the same as the '89? My '89 tracks have the "pivot" feature that allows the front of the seat to raise and lower. My PMD's are non-power. What do you mean by seatbelt retractors?

 

The 87 tracks don't pivot. If you look down at your sill plate area by the seat, there is a plastic cover over the seat belt retractor (the thing you pull the seat belt out of to connect it). 82 models just had the belt bolted to the floor, with no retractor...so the PMD seats (which were 82 only in the F-body)
weren't made to clear it. They will hit, and not allow you to bolt the seat down. Later seat frames space the seat in slightly, more towards the console, to clear the seat belt retractor. Basically, you can only run the PMD seat tracks in an 82, but any later F-body track will interchange and clear. I have only tried this with the power tracks though, maybe the manual set is different.

 

oh, ok , duh, seat belt retractor, i get you. I see what you mean now. I'll check the old tracks, but I'll probably have to use the new tracks. Thanks! Here is a pic of the seats before I intalled them. Redraif inspired me on the 2-tone covers from Hawks.

 

Very nice! Her Hawks seatcovers have been on for at least a couple years now, and they are holding up very well.

 

Just an FYI - The PMD seats were also available in 83 Trans Am's and S/E's, As well as Pontiac 6,000 and Grand Prix's

 

I have never seen them in 83 Firebirds, but I have purchased two sets out of 6000s (one set is in Redraif's car, with the recline assembly switched out from another seat since they were in a 4 dr), and one set from an 83 Grand Prix. The 6000 and Grand Prix seats are usually in better shape, since both cars are easier to get in and out of (and less likely to have been subjected to leaky t-tops).