seat platform rivets

[padgett]

Have all the pieces to lower the seats now but just thought I would ask first: what is the best way to remove the rivets holding the mounts to the seat platform ?<BR>a) drill<BR> cut off tool<P>Was just wondering what has been found best in past since both have drawbacks.<P>BTW, seems like a real buyer's market in Reattas out there, is it FUD ?<P>BTW2 driving in to office today (rare occurance) noticed that the accellerator linkage on the Reatta seems much different from my other cars - depress an inch and nothing happens - my other 3800s are much more linear. The Olds minivan I had a week ago was the opposite. Instant reaction (hard to control wheelspin on wet road from stop).<P>Just an observation.

[ol' yeller]

Regarding low prices, I view this as a positive thing for those of us who are holding onto low mileage cars. As I am sure you are aware, the most reliable formula for appreciation is for demand to outrun supply. While the Reatta is a limited production car to begin with, there are still a lot of them out there (more on the east coast it seems). There are a ton of them with 150K+ miles on them. If those go on the market cheap enough, people will drive them as used cars and dispose of them as they wear out. That will make ours more valuable as the limited supply depletes. It is a good suggestion to buy right now if you can. BTW, that is a good suggestion for the stock market too right now. All that being said, it will take a long time for these cars to appreciate as we go through the attrition process. I wouldn't pay top dollar unless I really wanted the car. Now is the time to buy low and put it away if you can. The problem with that approach is that they are such neat cars to drive it is hard to resist the temptation. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Guest EDBS0]

Took me 3 hours to drill out the rivits on a ball joint on the Reatta, Would have loved to have had a cut off tool. The seat rivits should be smaller? and in my opinion I would use a drill. my 1.275US cents (exchange rate) Robert <P>Would love to hear how it works out as I am a short dude 184.2 Centimeters tall<BR>(6 feet 1/2 inch to others )<p>[ 10-04-2001: Message edited by: Drive it like I stole it. ]

[Barney Eaton]

It comes down to the equipment you have and the access to the rivets.<P>If accessable...I would grind them down with my 4" high speed grinder and knock out the rivet.<P>If you cannot get the grinder into the space, you may be forced to drill. I don't like drilling rivets because.....<BR>(A) Often the shape of the head makes it difficult to get the drill started in the center.<BR>( Once you get started drilling often the rivet spins in the hole.<BR>© Sometimes the rivets are harder steel and difficult to drill.

[padgett]

Thanks Barney, is about what I thought. Once seat is removed, the rivets are easy to access, connect the foot to the seat assembly on the bottom though I will probably remove the adjuster platform to keep the "dust" off the seat.<P>Pretty sure the rivets are hardened steel since are a safety item and they look like it.<P>Picked up a little air cut-off tool at Home Depot to do the job and will see how it works. Also need to trim the 2"x10"x.125" aluminum scrap I picked up (U$1.30 for two) down to 1.5"x4" (two needed for each seat. <P>Since under the seat does not need to be real pretty, do not need to use a mill (wish I had one but like a lathe and a press brake some things cannot be justified), some hand work should suffice.<P>Do expect to be able to lower the rear of the seat almost an inch which for me will be a much more comfortable position.<P>May be odd, but am most comfortable almost lying down in the seat and with my arms and legs nearly straight out. Fiero (which incidently has *more* headroom than a Reatta)is close to my ideal.<P>Really wonder what bean-counter vetoed a lower seat (pedestal is same p/n as Riviera)

[padgett]

Never have understood the "hide until collectable" concept. By that token should hide mine for at least another seven years (will turn twenty then, twenty five probably better) and have no particular desire to enrich my estate.<P>Bought mine because is GM (actually first non-Pontiac have bought since about 1975), interesting, fits my driving habits, has a drivetrain I understand, and does not have an air bag. All of the toys are just a bonus 8*).<P>Have enough people who chide me for powershifting the Muncie in my Judge (thirty one years old now). <P>Some people just do not understand what cars are for. Seemed like everytime I would point out the absurdity (used to be a Platinum judge, stopped because I got tired of picking apart nice cars) of things like "What year did Delco go from embossed to painted plug wires", half the crowd would think I was serious. (Still have a half case of PF-23s 8*).<P>Think the Fiero crowd has the right idea: have seen with every conceivable GM powerplant that could be made to fit (and some inconceivable: e.g. an aluminum Buick V-8 mated to a Subaru five speed) with the DIY-FI people a close second.

[padgett]

Just doing rear pedestals since would not get much from fronts, suspect motor may scrape and the rivets are considerably harder to get at.<P>Rivets are out (used a cut off tool - since cutting side was on top of steel pedestal which is being removed anyway, was not concerned about surface.<P>Would have taken about five minutes for all four except the cut off tool wants 6 scfm and my aunchient 3/4 hp belt driven single stage compressor is maybe 2 (30 gallon tank though & ratchet does not use as much).<P>So it was grind for 30 seconds/wait five minutes for the pressure to come back up/grind 30 seconds...<P>Given that I wound up cutting the aluminum barstock with a hacksaw. Bottom line is that the pieces are still 2" wide instead of 1 3/4". Does not seem to make any difference.<P>Used old pedestal as template to drill holes - two 1/4" on one end and one 1/2" on the other. Did offset holes so would not extend any further to the sides.<P>Used 1/4-20x1/2" grade five bolts with nut but no washer (locktite blue is good) to minimize hight. Most difficult part was inserting the second bolt since had to tighten first on plate before second was started. Finally just wedged some paper into a box end to position bolt until nut could be started.<P>Everything went together fine except that the rivet heads were 1/8" high and the bolt heads are 3/16". I can feel the seat scraping the bolt heads on traverse (getting full travel but feel the scraping). Have now ground some bolts down & will exchange in morning.<P>Bottom line, hair no longer brushes headliner and feel the position is considerably more comfortable.<p>[ 10-06-2001: Message edited by: padgett ]

[Rattaboy]

Why lower the passenger seat?

[padgett]

Because my 5'4" wife asked me to.