Guest Rivdog Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Just got my first Riv, a 65 with a 425 4bbl and std interior. Always liked them and now I have one. I rule! Anyway what options do I have to get the driver's seat to go back further? I also have a 65 Corvair and a 69 Firebird and I don't have this issue. It seems like I am far too close to the steering wheel. I checked and the seat is as far back as it goes in the tracks (manual seat). Driving in this position is not comfortable at all. I'm not tall only 5'9" and I don't have a huge gut. Also what's involved in converting to a power seat with the controls on the seat (std interior)? Thanks to everyone. Rivdog 65 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool57 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Previous owner may have been short and moved mounts forward(?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Typical for all first generation Rivieras. For once in my life, being 5'8" is okay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockitRiviera Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Love your Riv! I have no suggestions, just wanted to say that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I think it was Jim Cannon who suggested turning the front brackets around and drilling new holes for the rear bolts. This will give you about two inches. The holes for the seat bolts are not just holes in the floor board, there are substantial pieces of iron in the braces that run under the seat bolt holes. The seat bolts are threaded into some pretty heavy duty stuff. If you drill new holes, make sure they are heavily backed under the floor boards. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest onedesertdog Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I don't have anything to add either, except to say that is a sharp looking ride you have. I'm 6ft. tall with a nice Beer Belly I've been working on for many years, and I fit in my 65 just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Thanks to everyone for your replies! I think I will try RivNut's suggestion. Anything will help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 If your car has power seats, you might look at the screw drive that moves the seat forward and back. It can get clogged with old grease at the point where it was used for so many years. Clean the tracks and the screw drive and see if that helps. At 5'9", you should be able to move the seat back more than enough to get comfortable with the seat in the factory bolt holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufcar Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Im 6ft 180 and fit in my 65 with room to spare (power seats). That said I had the same problem as you when I re did my 69 Camaro last yr and they make an iron seat extension that bolts to the existing floor and moves the seat too new homes approx. 2" back. You can look up seat extensions in any Camaro book. I think they were around 90 bucks. You can at least blow up the picture and see what you can make on your own from there design as its not rocket science but simple math with steel. The Camaro site I use is "Ground up" www.ss396.com Good luck Jim F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Yeah unfortunately I don't have power seats. Thanks Jim for the tip about the seat extensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Have you taken the seats out? If not, do that first to make sure that there is nothing binding, stuck, or out of alignment that would keep the seat from going all the way back. You might even want to pull the seat from the tracks, reinstall just the tracks and see if you can find a problem before trying to rig up something that's not necessary. Put some time into it before sinking a lot of money in it. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I had a '68 Riviera in 1971 and a '66 in 1974. I didn't get my '64 until 1978 and I noticed the elbow room was a little short. I've been learning to live with it. I've found the best way to deal with it is to have more cars. Then you just appreciate the little nuances about each. I have too many now and that seems just about right..... well maybe one more.Bernie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Good advice Ed. My mechanic is going to look at it over the next week and I'm including your suggestion about reversing the brackets. I need more space man! Bernie - My Dad always had GM and worked his way up from Chevy to Buick to Caddy (b.1927. d. 2008). He had a 79 Buick Electra 225 Limited when I was 15. He sold it in 1987 and I was never allowed to drive it once! We got t-boned in it on my way to school in 1980 and no one was hurt! (Not sure about the other driver, I was just too scared what my Dad was going to do to him to care!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alini Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I chuckle as I read this thread, because I never sat in the car before I removed the interior. So I have no idea how well I will fit once they go back in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I took the wife for a cruise for the first time tonight - I got the car 9 days ago - her comment - wow you are close to the wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I'm surprised at the lack of leg room in your '65. I had more than enough leg room with my '63 and I'm 6'3. I bought my car from the original owner and he was a little old man, maybe no more than 5'5 so I know there wasn't anything altered on the seat tracks. Does it make a difference between years plus also mine had a power seat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 My first Riv so cannot comment on the manual vs. power seat. Mine has the former. Like I said I have a 65 Corvair and a 69 Firebird both with manual seats non modified and I don't have this issue. Anyway it will get fixed one way or the other. Thanks everyone for the attention and posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 This maybe out of line but look at the picture of how close Frank is to the wheel in his 63. I'm the same height as him and that's how I look and feel driving my 65 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Actually Frank and Deano scooted up their seats to make more room for Angie Dickinson, Ava Gardner, Shirley McLaine and maybe Marylin. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 A lot depends if it is foot room or belly room. I had a customer tell me the seat on his '41 Cadillac was jammed and wouldn't move. He had owned the car for about 30 years at the time. It seemed fine, but I took it out and cleaned the tracks and made sure everything worked. He came to pick the car up and stormed into the garage; "you didn't do a damned thing!" he bellowed. I got in and showed him the full range. He always wore a white shirt and continued to put a folded towel between the shirt and the steering wheel. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 My legs are bent quite a bit in the farthest position back. I have a 30" inseam. Arms are bent quite a bit as well. Belly is not any issue, it's more the driving with arms in the t-rex position. I'll circle back with the solution and pictures once my shop fabricates something to give me another 3-4" of travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 The Packard fits good. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 (edited) When I pulled the seats in my '65, I found a second set of holes in the front of the tracks to the rear of the set mine were bolted with. I turned the brackets around and bolted the seat through the rear holes. I think I had to drill the rear track holes. Can't remember if it gained 1" or 2' but it did help. I'm 6' 2". It has power seats. Steve Correction: The holes that I found were in 'front of' the ones with the bolts in them. (Original owner was of Asian ancestry.) Edited August 22, 2015 by slosteve (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Thanks Bernie, Wow you are close! It must be me. I like driving way back. I like my arm fully extended on the top of the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrlforfun Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 OK Riviera People: I would welcome a retro fit bracket set-up that would allow the seat to travel back another 2 inches. In my experience I've found that a Custom power seat goes back the farthest. I'm 5-11 (yeah, ya didn't know they piled it that high haha) and I have always had a leg room problem with every other First-Gen front seat. I'm like the Riv Dog. I like to flop in the seat, do the gangsta lean with my arm laying over the wheel. Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Circling back on the solution. My shop fashioned new seat mounts and welded them 4" back from the original ones. Perfect now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slosteve Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 My shop fashioned new seat mounts and welded them 4" back from the original ones. Can you post some photos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 (edited) Not sure if the body shop took pictures, I'm trying to find out. If I pull the rug I'll update this post with pictures, until then here's what it looks like. I actually have to move the seat up one notch from the furthest back position. Like 10x more comfortable driving like this. Note the position of the passenger seat (in the furthest back position) vs. the driver's seat now Edited September 4, 2015 by Rivdog (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Charlie Evans Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE MY BUCKETS BACK.DO YOU SALE THE BRACKETS I'D BE GLAD TO BUY A SET. THANK YOU MY NAME IS CHARLIE EVANS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Charlie Evans Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 please forgive me its for a 65 Riviera thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord14080 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 RIvdog, Can you tell me if your riviera has the original colour burgandy mist or is that colour something newer ? Thanks Gord 14080. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 14 hours ago, Charlie Evans said: I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE MY BUCKETS BACK.DO YOU SALE THE BRACKETS I'D BE GLAD TO BUY A SET. THANK YOU MY NAME IS CHARLIE EVANS. Hi Charlie, Body shop did it. I don't have any custom made brackets for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rivdog Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 6 hours ago, gord14080 said: RIvdog, Can you tell me if your riviera has the original colour burgandy mist or is that colour something newer ? Thanks Gord 14080. This was a custom gangsta color. I bought it that way. That car is sold now - I still have a triple black 65 though. I also had the driver's seat modified in it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Moving the seat back should be fairly easy for anyone with some basic mechanical skills. You'll have to make a plate that bolts to the original holes in the floor board then make new holes in the plate where you want your seat mounts to go. One thing you need to take into consideration is that the threaded holes in the floor board are not just drilled and tapped into the floor pan. The bolt holes in the floor plan are over the braces that run under the floor pan. Inside those braces, just below the surface of the floor pan is a steel plate. That steel plate is where the strength comes from for holding the seat in place. Make sure that when you make new provisions for moving the seat back, you include enough steel to make a solid foundation for the seat frame, just don't bolt it to the floor pan. You might consider using the same "under the floor" hardware that are used for attaching seat belts. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaRiviera Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I'm 6'-5" and I've had some experience moving seats back in my cars. I like both front seats to match, so here's what I did to gain 3" of leg room in my Riviera. I bought a piece of 1/8" thick x 4" wide x 28" long piece of plain carbon steel at my local hardware store and cut it into 7-pieces each 4" x 4" long. Using the original front clips as a template, I drilled two 5/16" clearance holes 1/2" from the front edge on four of the pieces. Then using the first two holes as reference points, I clamped and welded the front clips 3" back (center hole to center hole) from the opposite edge. These four pieces are the front extensions. Next, I took two 4" x 4" plates and using the rear outer seat track section (the one with TWO holes) as a template and I drilled two 5/16" clearance holes 1/2" from one edge. Then, measuring 3" back drilled two more 5/16" clearance holes on the opposite edge and welded two 5/16"-18 nuts over the two rear holes. These two pieces are the rear-outer extensions. Finally, take the last 4" x 4" piece and in half, so you have two 2" x 4" pieces. Using the rear seat inner track section (the part with ONE hole) as a template drill a 5/16" clearance hole 1/2" from the edge. Then, measuring 3" back drill another 5/16" clearance hole on the opposite edge and weld a 5/16"-18 nuts over the rear hole. These will serve as the rear-inner extensions, you may need to cut a notch from one side so these pieces lay flat. Using the original (or new) seat bolts, bolt your new extension plates to the floor, then mount your seat on the extension plates and enjoy your Riviera with ample leg room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowslow64 Posted August 27, 2016 Share Posted August 27, 2016 I look at a lot of photos of first gen Rivieras and a lot of those have people driving in the cars. I noticed they look far up in the car and realized how limited the space is inside the cabin, even with the power seat. My guess is GM wanted to be sure you allowed passengers a reasonable amount of space. I for one, plan on getting my seats to move back farther in the future. Thanks for all the information everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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