Midget Seat Removal Question

[TheMidget69]

Hi All. What's the easiest way to remove Midget seats? Do I need to unbolt the rails from the floor board?

I just got a pair of 1966 Midget seats and plan to get new seat covers, foams and rubber diaphragms. I must say the 66 seats are much more comfortable than the 1970 and onward seats.

 

[tosoutherncars]

Yes, rails from floor... half of the bolts from above, half from under the car!

 

[walshja]

be careful that you are working the correct end of the bolt.

the bolts towards the rear of the car are removed from inside the car. the front bolts are removed from underneath the car.

don't do what I did and try and remove the rear bolts from underneath the car, you will break a wrench like or did, or worse, shear off the nut which is welded to the car, and you will have a big problem to deal with.

 

[58Custom]

Putting them back in, keeping the rails oriented properly and in place, is a real pain.
Do ya'll have any tricks to make reinstallation easier?

 

[SAMidget]

Down here in sunny Johannesburg

Did this last year when replacing carpets and 2 weeks ago when changing my seats from vinyl to leather. As advised there are the back screws and the front nuts. When undoing fold seats forward then slide seats forward and unscrew from the inside the back 2 screws. Then go underneath and undo the bolts for the front 2. It is not necessary to jack up the car although it can be a bit uncormfortable.
When putting the seats back do the drivers seat first. Make sure you can see the holes through the carpet and also the rail is in place. Holding the seat with the rail in place place the front stud of the fixed rail in the hole and put the nut on just enough so the seat can be manipulated. Next is the front stud of the loose rail. After that you are home and dry. Repeat for passenger seat.

PS. New leather seats, smells like a new car.

 

[JPSmit]

I greased the rails before reassembly and it held the rails in place as I set it down. Also - because I was using new carpet, after I poked the holes I put smaller bolts in loose to locate - made it much easier to line everything up then pull the bolt at the last minute

 

[tweety]

for reinstallation, grease up the rails well, then wrap the two rail pieces together with a quick loop of blue painters tape. It holds the rails in place while you shimmy them into position. It simply rips when you move the seats for the first time.

Sure there will be bits of blue tape under the seats but that's far from the end of the world.

 

[HAN8L1965]

If you haven't done it take the bottom of the seat out, it makes it so much easier. I spent an hour the first time not knowing the bottom came out. Now I can remove the rails in about 10 minutes and my hands aren't bleeding.

Mark

 

[jlaird]

Hehe, neat story Mark.

 

[TheMidget69]

hi all. thanks for the much needed tips. I will start the install once I get the seats all recovered.