Tray under seats ??????????

[Jim]

I received an email from someone looking for some parts and she was also looking for some trays that went under the seats.

The following is part of her emails to me. I have never seen any trays and wonder if anyone else has. Barney???

The "underseat trays" are white plastic boxes that fit under the seats and hold the seat wiring. Back in 1987 I was one of the original Reatta promo people and during training I remember being told these boxes were to protect wiring. When I remarked that seat wires don't need a box, I was told about the wires under the carpet. If you're still wondering what I'm talking about, you're in good company. I think most original Reatta owners threw theirs away! Those boxes are hard to find.

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[Barney Eaton]

This year at Danvers, we were doing some engine compartment comparison and found several differences on 1988 cars.

An example is the 1988 has a black plastic cover over the transmission (drivers side) it appears to do nothing but clean up the appearance and hide wiring going down into that area.

There is an excellant chance that these white plastic boxes were similar, short lived items that were eliminated for cost savings. I have never owned an '88 and have never seen anything that fits the discription on the later cars.

[Ronnie]

The "underseat trays" are white plastic boxes that fit under the seats and hold the seat wiring. Back in 1987 I was one of the original Reatta promo people and during training I remember being told these boxes were to protect wiring. When I remarked that seat wires don't need a box, I was told about the wires under the carpet. If you're still wondering what I'm talking about, you're in good company. I think most original Reatta owners threw theirs away! Those boxes are hard to find.

"...wires under the carpet" make me think of the raceway for the wiring under the carpet on all Reattas. My '88 dosen't have boxes for the wiring under the seats.

[NCReatta]

"...wires under the carpet" make me think of the raceway for the wiring under the carpet on all Reattas. My '88 dosen't have boxes for the wiring under the seats.

That's the first thing I'm thinking of.. perhaps their raceways are white..? :confused:

Can you have them send you a picture?

[KDirk]

My 88 has no special protective "box" for the wiring going to the seat motors, at least not above the carpeting. Now, mine is not an early production unit, so if these were done at start of production and quickly eliminated for cost savings, I wouldn't have them anyway.

Under the carpet, all the wiring is protected in snap-shut plastic raceways, although by my recollection from doing carpet in the 91, these were all black plastic, not white. Could have been different in 88, but I've not had the 88's interior torn apart that far [yet] to see.

KDirk

[Jim]

As Barney mentioned there were several changes shortly after the initial production. I had vin 900106 here as a parts car and it did not have trays. It did have the seat belt escutcheons up on the pillars with out the hole in the center of them for the Phillips screw as was on all later Reatta coupes.

[Vincent Vega]

As Barney mentioned there were several changes shortly after the initial production. I had vin 900106 here as a parts car and it did not have trays. It did have the seat belt escutcheons up on the pillars with out the hole in the center of them for the Phillips screw as was on all later Reatta coupes.

828 does not have the screw holes. Not sure about this tray thing under the carpet.

[KDirk]

Jim or Vincent,

In these early cars, what holds the escutcheon on since there is no screw? I assume it must snap into place, or be attached to the rear upper quarter trim somehow. Just curious, as I was never aware of this before now.

KDirk

[Jim]

The back side of all seat belt escutcheons have a prong at each corner to hold them in place. This prong pushes into a small metal piece on the trim panel. The first '88 only had these four corner prongs and GM figured out right away that they could break and the piece would fall off so they added the center screw. Many times now you will see the corner tabs broken off but because the trim plate fits in a depression on the panel all four corner pins can be broken off and the center screw will hold the trim panel in place without it rotating.

[KDirk]

Jim,

Thanks for the clarification. I agree the four push retainers are wholly inadequate for the job, at least on their own. Rather surprised they even tried it that way instead of having a retaining trim screw right from the start.

KDirk

[NTX5467]

Use of the retainers would most probably have been for ease of assembly on the line, which would relate to fewer labor hours on each vehicle. Having a retaining screw would make more sense, knowing how plastic retainers are subject to breakage. Using a screw, though, would be an additional labor operation needing applicable tools on the line.

Regards,

NTX5467

[NTX5467]

Regarding "the tray", how would the use on Reattas have related to the similar Rivieras?

Just curious,

NTX5467