Moose2 Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 My '64 Riv has a power seat on the driver's side and I need more legroom! I want to move the seat back at least two inches and have not yet examined the situation critically. I realize the floor pan under the seat is not flat/level and that the mounting brackets on the seat frame are probably not all equal and "square". So I suspect that moving it will not be as easy as it might seem when I'm sitting in the living room sipping a brew. Does anyone have any advice or "tricks" or other experience that would make this job a bit less painful? Thanks for any feedback!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Mike, this has been discussed in previous threads. Search this forum for some info. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Thanks Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gungeey Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Moose, did you find a solution? Also, you are certainly free to post questions that have been answered in the past. Perhaps others have a fix besides than those recorded that may better suit you. Or maybe there are newer members that have not seen the older posts: they might have something insightful to add or a fix not yet described. Just because somebody did it doesn't mean it can't be done better/easier/cheaper/quicker. Or for that matter, that it's the only or best way. Beautiful car and great color combo, by the way. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Curran Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 1 hour ago, gungeey said: Moose, did you find a solution? Also, you are certainly free to post questions that have been answered in the past. Perhaps others have a fix besides than those recorded that may better suit you. Or maybe there are newer members that have not seen the older posts: they might have something insightful to add or a fix not yet described. Just because somebody did it doesn't mean it can't be done better/easier/cheaper/quicker. Or for that matter, that it's the only or best way. Beautiful car and great color combo, by the way. Steve It doesn't get much better than Diplomat Blue with a white interior. But then again, I'm biased after owning one for 24 years!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeJS Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 Albeit a '65, this thread may help; x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 15, 2022 Share Posted June 15, 2022 (edited) For those of you who were not able to attend the 2022 ROA meet in Branson, Moose2’s 1964 Diplomat Blue won the best in class in the modified class. KX engine, fantastic paint, and real wire wheels. Edited June 15, 2022 by RivNut (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 Thank you all for the great feedback and the comments on my '64 too. It took ten years of "onagain-offagain" work to get it on the road, but I'm sure everyone knows that story by heart! I found a thread on "Adjusting seat position on first gen Riviera" started by SurfGreen64 on 5/14/2020 and it gives me the courage to get up off the couch and get started. If I think I have a new twist on the subject when I'm done I'll make sure it gets on the forum. Being at the ROA meet in Branson was like a kid looking in the window at a candy store. Every car there made me want to get closer and admire it in detail. The members and staff were easy to meet and eager to share their experiences. I think one of the most charming parts of the meet was that we all had the ability to laugh at the goofy mistakes we made as we struggled up the learning curve to improve our Rivs. Happy cruisin' and thanks for your support!!!! Moose2/Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegart Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Mike, your car will look great in the winner's circle at Kalamazoo next year. Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 Thanks Kevin! I feel very lucky - there were so many fine Rivs at the Branson meet. Like yours for instance - which was on display in the winner's circle!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 I gotta get busy - Taking my Riv to the "Back To The FIfties" car show at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Approx 12,000 hotrods/cruisers/full classics/ratrods on display. Talk about a candy store!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Just did it as well. 70 mm extra leg room. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cannon Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 2 hours ago, OldGerman said: Just did it as well. 70 mm extra leg room. Yes, that's pretty much what I did, but I only moved it back 50 mm. Nothing wrong with 70. 😆 On my original factory carpet, you could see the front edge of the carpet when the seat was moved all the way back. That's why I limited it to 50 mm. But now with my new replacement carpet, I could go back further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 Great minds think alike Frank! I did almost exactly the same brackets you created, and the end result added 70mm of legroom. I felt it was important to NOT drill new holes in the floorpan and you used the same strategy. It was sort of a mouse-around to get the correct orientation for the brackets, but I cheated and used an old barnyard trick - I made the mounting holes somewhat larger than necessary and used class 8 washers below the bolt heads to compensate for the sloppy fit. Can't tell to look at it now. I agree with you that any additional legroom would be difficult to conceal with carpet at the front mounting brackets for the assembly. Thanks everyone for the input!!!!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share Posted July 4, 2022 One last comment. I was careful to paint my homemade brackets the same color as my carpet to reduce any visual contrast that might be seen in the small areas where my brackets weren't hidden under the seat or under the carpeting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
65VerdeGS Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 On 6/16/2022 at 1:41 PM, OldGerman said: Just did it as well. 70 mm extra leg room. Hi Frank - any chance you could provide dimensions of the brackets you created to allow the seat to go back further? Did you install identical brackets on the passenger side to add legroom there too? If the passenger side brackets are different, let us know. Thanks, Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
65VerdeGS Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 On 6/14/2022 at 8:39 AM, Moose2 said: My '64 Riv has a power seat on the driver's side and I need more legroom! I want to move the seat back at least two inches and have not yet examined the situation critically. I realize the floor pan under the seat is not flat/level and that the mounting brackets on the seat frame are probably not all equal and "square". So I suspect that moving it will not be as easy as it might seem when I'm sitting in the living room sipping a brew. Does anyone have any advice or "tricks" or other experience that would make this job a bit less painful? Thanks for any feedback!! Hi Mike - lovely '64 you have there! Will hopefully see it and meet you in person one day. As an aside, I also owned a '68 Eldorado for 21 years so this tells me you are a man of exquisite taste. Cheers, Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted July 8, 2022 Author Share Posted July 8, 2022 I'd be pleased to meet you Alex, and hope we can connect. You have my deepest sympathy with the '68 Eldorado (LOL). Mine was a true barn find and was reluctant to remember how to function. The little bits and pieces I replaced were not easy to find. A surprising amount of the Eldorado parts were peculiar to JUST the Eldorado. Stuff like gas tanks............. But yeah, what a graceful, beautiful beast it is!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr914 Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 I always remember my electric drivers seat going further back but it does not now after restoration even though the seat motor works. Is there only one bolt in position for the seat racks to the seat body and the seat rack to the floor? Is there another position that the motor can be moved to to let the seat go back further? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose2 Posted July 8, 2022 Author Share Posted July 8, 2022 To my knowledge the seat tracks only fasten to the bottom of the seat frame in one position. Also, my experience when I was installing seats was that there was a choice of bolt hole sets on the outboard track, but no choice on the inboard track. Besides you would still have to craft a way to move the two front stirrups rearward so the front feet of the track would engage the stirrups. I hope you get additional feedback from other readers!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XframeFX Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Moose2 said: my experience when I was installing seats was that there was a choice of bolt hole sets on the outboard track Only 1 position to bolt to the floor. Although the outboard track has a small hole 1" ahead of the rear hole that can be drilled-out. Then reverse the front brackets. This leaves drilling only 1 hole on the rear of the inboard track. I gained only 1" more travel (25mm) but good enough for me with not having to fab brackets. With the driver's seat now further back, I have a rear seat passenger sit on the right side. If I have two back there, I ask the passenger seated behind the driver to mind their feet. Not to kick and break plastic mouldings on the driver's seat. Peculiar how the power seat in my friends '64 Skylark (A-Body) doesn't need to be at the end of it's travel. This shows how Bill Mitchell wanted a lean Riviera, not as big as a full size. By 1964, GM's new A-Body grew to the Riv's size! We all know how popular they became! Edited July 8, 2022 by XframeFX (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riviera63 Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 2 hours ago, Moose2 said: To my knowledge the seat tracks only fasten to the bottom of the seat frame in one position. Also, my experience when I was installing seats was that there was a choice of bolt hole sets on the outboard track, but no choice on the inboard track. Besides you would still have to craft a way to move the two front stirrups rearward so the front feet of the track would engage the stirrups. I hope you get additional feedback from other readers!!!!! I reversed the front u brackets on my 1963. There was a second set of bolt holes on the inboard and outboard side. The only thing I had to do was enlarge the inboard hole slightly to accommodate the bolt. For some reason it was a bit smaller than all of the other holes. Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGerman Posted July 13, 2022 Share Posted July 13, 2022 (edited) On 7/7/2022 at 6:55 AM, 65VerdeGS said: Hi Frank - any chance you could provide dimensions of the brackets you created to allow the seat to go back further? Did you install identical brackets on the passenger side to add legroom there too? If the passenger side brackets are different, let us know. Thanks, Alex Alex, you need 7 bracket pieces. 4 in the front, 3 in the back. I have have welded the front brackets together with a separate piece of flat steel, to provide support to the seat slider in the front. I did not document this distance/width, but it is the distance of the two mounting holes in the original bracket mountet to the floor. Just take ameasurment from there. See dimensions in attached sketch. Edited July 13, 2022 by OldGerman (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
65VerdeGS Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Hi John, Wow, and thank you for the template and schematic for the seat brackets! This should be enough to get me going on this project. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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