Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)



Is it possible to relocate the seat track and move the drivers seat further to
the rear in a 65 fastback?

I'm looking at one with a 4 speed but even with the seat all the way back my
left leg barely fits between the steering wheel and door. It's very
uncomfortable.

Jerry
67 convertible



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Mail From: speegle (email redacted)

(email redacted) wrote:
>
> Is it possible to relocate the seat track and move the drivers seat further to
> the rear in a 65 fastback?
>
> I'm looking at one with a 4 speed but even with the seat all the way back my
> left leg barely fits between the steering wheel and door. It's very
> uncomfortable.
>

In Ford's Technical Service Bullitens there is a fix for this problem.
Lucky for you I scanned the Bulliten last week for someone else..

I'll sent two files to you directly.

Jeff Speegle
MCA ANHJ

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Mail From: David Kunz (email redacted)

> Is it possible to relocate the seat track and move the drivers seat further to
> the rear in a 65 fastback?
>
> I'm looking at one with a 4 speed but even with the seat all the way back my
> left leg barely fits between the steering wheel and door. It's very
> uncomfortable.

>From the seat work I've done recently on my '68, I don't think you will
have much luck relocating the seat tracks in an early Mustang.

First, it's not really possible to move the track on the seat, as the
seat frame only has so much surface area at the bottom to bolt the
tracks to.

As far as bolting the tracks farther back on the floor, this may be
possible but impracticle. To get to the nuts which attach the seat to
the floor, you need access from beneath. Under the factory mounting
points are larger holes in the floor pan to get a deep socket up into.
If you moved the seat mounting points you would also need to cut new
access holes too. Then there are things like the strength of the floor
at certain points, relation to seatbelt mounting points, etc.

I have a 4-speed '65 and am long legged as well. Here's what I did to
make using the clutch possible: The biggest obstruction was the inside
door handle, which is positioned right where my knee needs to be. I
simply removed the handle and rotated it 90 degrees to move it out of
the way. Works like a charm, and most people don't notice that it's out
of position at first glance. You can always move it back temporarily if
you are entering a show where points would be deducted for this.

Dave Kunz
(email redacted)
'65 coupe
'68 fastback (Bullitt replica)
'89 Merkur XR4Ti (hey, it's a Ford)

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

Jerry-

there really isn't any room on the seat riser to drill holes further back, as
I'm sure you've seen. I did get an extra 1" travl on mine however, by
mounting the tracks onto the seat further FORWARD.

to take off the track, remove seat from car, then remove the funny-head
phillips head screws that hold the track to the seat bottom. Look carefully,
you'll see that each side of the seat bottom has an extra hole that was
covered by the track, about 1" back from one of the the track-mounting holes
(the front one i think). mount the track in this hole, then drill another
hole in the seat bottom for the other mounting screw.

This will buy you another inch of travel, which doesn't seem like much but it
does help. I wouldnt want to go anyfarther, though dur to the lack of support
at the back of the seat bottom - you'd be putting a lot of stress on the
tracks.

Tom C
'65 k fastback
'82 GT

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Mail From: speegle (email redacted)

(email redacted) wrote:
>
> Jerry-
>
> there really isn't any room on the seat riser to drill holes further back, as
> I'm sure you've seen. ........

Ford method (as mentioned beforwe in the Technical Service Bulletins)
includes drilling two new front holes and installing a rear bracket. I
was able to do it without drilling the front holes in my modified
FiberFab Mustang ET


Jeff Speegle
MCA ANHJ

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mustang Research Letter
geocities.com/MotorCity/6473/
UPDATE COMING SOON
Mustang & Shelby research, documentation, and help.
Where sharing with one .. means sharing with all.

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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Paul Gerlach (email redacted)

On Sun, 7 Mar 1999, speegle wrote:

> Ford method (as mentioned beforwe in the Technical Service Bulletins)
> includes drilling two new front holes and installing a rear bracket. I
> was able to do it without drilling the front holes in my modified
> FiberFab Mustang ET

I have the opposite problem. My wife is 4'10", and until recently was
able to drive her '65 by moving the seat all the way forward. All of a
sudden it barely wants to move forward at all. The strange thing is
that examining the seat tracks seem to show a little metal turn up that
is *supposed* to limit forward seat movement. I examined the passenger
seat, and it looks like the same thing, but on that seat the top track
just barely misses catching on the turned up metal.

Could it be that she's had this car for 10 years with improperly operating
seats? What can I do to let her drive it again!?

P

--
Paul M Gerlach (email redacted)
ADG, MBD (503) 627-2140
Tektronix, Inc. MS 39-515 (2ndFloor-D3)
Beaverton, OR



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This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Paul Gerlach (email redacted)

On Wed, 10 Mar 1999, Paul Gerlach wrote:

> > [discussion of moving the seat farther back]
> I have the opposite problem. My wife is 4'10", and until recently was
> able to drive her '65 by moving the seat all the way forward. All of a
> sudden it barely wants to move forward at all. The strange thing is
> that examining the seat tracks seem to show a little metal turn up that
> is *supposed* to limit forward seat movement. I examined the passenger
> seat, and it looks like the same thing, but on that seat the top track
> just barely misses catching on the turned up metal.
>
> Could it be that she's had this car for 10 years with improperly operating
> seats? What can I do to let her drive it again!?

In the spirit of the list, even though I think I've solved my own problem...
After another "inverted" inspection, I see now that I was wrong. There
is a little rubber bumper on a threaded post screwed into the top track
hanging down. On one track of the drivers side, I can see threads as the
bumper hangs low and catches on the lower track - keeping it from sliding
forward. On the passenger side I see that the bumper is screwed all the
way in. Hopefully I can get it screwed in without removing the seats.

Next this weekend is new fuel filters and a bottle of dry gas, and hopefully
a little luck to get rid of a stumbling problem. (Or else I'll have
to go down the road of carb rebuild, draining/replacing fuel tanks/lines,
cleaning out fuel pump, etc., all messy jobs that I don't like!)

Sorry for the stream of consciousness.

P

--
Paul M Gerlach (email redacted)
ADG, MBD (503) 627-2140
Tektronix, Inc. MS 39-515 (2ndFloor-D3)
Beaverton, OR



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