Hey guys...
When I bought my '82 TA it had split rear seats, but 1 side was a different seat-style than the other, which lead me to believe some previous owner "monkeyed" around with them. I also remember reading somewhere that the 82-84's only had 1-piece rear upper seats, then the split style came in the following years? Well, just put in a 1-piece rear seat & at the top part of the center floor "hump", directly below where the 2 split seats would have met there's a little bar that sticks out about 2" on either side? Any help with this? How do I know what type of seats (split or 1-piece) were original with my car?

And please don't ask me to search previous threads...already did.

 

1982's were originally equipped with the one piece rear seat,
Split-back rear seats were not offered until '85 I think.

someone must have added the hinge bar and split seat combo before you bought it.
it would be pretty simple to remove the bar and bracket to bring it back to original configuration, it'll either be spot welded or screwed on.

 

Untill 84, then the TA started having split rears.

 

That bar you see in the middle is infact for a split seat and my 84 T/A was originally equipped with one. I don't know any historical info on when the split seat option began, but does the bar look to be original to the car? Does it look like it was painted at the same time as the rest of the floors? post a pic and it might help us determine if it's original to the car.

 

Don't have car with me right now...it's currently getting true dual exhaust installed. I bought a set of PMD seats w/ a 1-piece rear & had them installed a couple of days ago when I noticed the "bar". I'm an 82-84 Firebird fanatic & I'm 99.9% sure these years only came with a 1-piece rear seat. It's just when I looked to see how the seats came out there was "the bar" sticking out like a soar thumb! I'll take another look at it when I get the car back in about a week or so.
Thanks for all the great, quick replies! This board ROCKS!

 

i'm very sure that the split rear seat bar in my 84 TA is original. it was obviously painted at the factory along with the rest of the floor and was attached using the same style spot welds used throughout the rest of the car. I don't like the split rear seat though, so i cut the bar off and installed a 1-piece seat back. Congrats on the dual exhaust, be sure to post up some pics when it's completed

 

Will do, Jeremy...thanks! By the way, if your '84 was produced somewhere at the end of the '84 production line, then it may, infact be original as production into the '85 models began in early to mid '84. I just can't believe I'm seeing this stupid "bar" on a 1st year, 3rd gen car???

 

My 1984 Trans Am has the split rear seats, all original. RPO code AM9: "SEAT, RR, SPLIT, BACK, FLDG". Build Date: June, Week 3 (06C). Body number: 256530. Does that mean it was one of the last 1984 models built?

 

My 84 T/A came with the solid rear seat. It has a mid year body number (dont have the exact number with me).

 

To find out what options were available to your model year specific, you can contact GM through the following web site. Fill out as much information as you can provide. Indicate that you'd like the specifications for your model year. It also helps to indicate that you are restoring it or something like that anyway. It takes a little while to get the info packet but, I've done it for a couple of cars I own.

http://www.pontiac.com/divisional/co...ment_other.jsp

Good luck

 

Great info...thanks!
Ian

 

There is a lot of half right info here. Let me fill in the rest.

All 1982 firebirds where one single rear seat.
Split rear seat was an option beginning SOP (start of production) on 1983 (standard on S/E)
1984 and later continued to offer split rear seat

All my 83's have had split rear seats

 

Thanks for the info!

 

My 84 came stock with a split rear seat, and it was built in October 83.

Joe