Seat latches for buckets out of a 4 door
Bought a couple of buckets out of a 4 door Valiant a while back and have been working on cleaning them up and getting them functional. Tracks were pretty sticky, and one was missing a roller guide, but I think I am past those hurdles.
The problem that caught me off guard is the latch. Because the factory locks the hinges so the seat wont fold forward, I expected that I would be able to rob the latches off a bench seat in a 2 door (shouldn't be any problem to find one of those), but when I did I found that the bench seat hinge is completely different. Started thinking I was going to have to buy a set of $400 A-Body buckets to get the latches for my $17 seats :-) .
Looks like I might have found the latches I need for my buckets. Looked at latch at a show in Sandpoint a week or so ago and then found a similar latch on a '73 extended cab truck with a split bench seat. If you look at the pictures, the parts are the same length from hole to hook, and they have the necessary notches and such to make them function. The only thing missing is an arm that would stick out of trim covering the hinge to allow you to release it since the truck used a button up at the top of the seat. I don't think it will be an issue as I think it wont take anything more than a straight rod welded to the side of the latch.
So, if you have a set, or find a set, of buckets out of a 4 door, this should help you make them functional.
I will post more as I make progress.
Sorry about the first picture, didn't realize it was fuzzy until it was too late to take another one.
Bought a couple of buckets out of a 4 door Valiant a while back and have been working on cleaning them up and getting them functional. Tracks were pretty sticky, and one was missing a roller guide, but I think I am past those hurdles.
The problem that caught me off guard is the latch. Because the factory locks the hinges so the seat wont fold forward, I expected that I would be able to rob the latches off a bench seat in a 2 door (shouldn't be any problem to find one of those), but when I did I found that the bench seat hinge is completely different. Started thinking I was going to have to buy a set of $400 A-Body buckets to get the latches for my $17 seats :-) .
Looks like I might have found the latches I need for my buckets. Looked at latch at a show in Sandpoint a week or so ago and then found a similar latch on a '73 extended cab truck with a split bench seat. If you look at the pictures, the parts are the same length from hole to hook, and they have the necessary notches and such to make them function. The only thing missing is an arm that would stick out of trim covering the hinge to allow you to release it since the truck used a button up at the top of the seat. I don't think it will be an issue as I think it wont take anything more than a straight rod welded to the side of the latch.
So, if you have a set, or find a set, of buckets out of a 4 door, this should help you make them functional.
I will post more as I make progress.
Sorry about the first picture, didn't realize it was fuzzy until it was too late to take another one.
