'70 vs '71 front seats

[Randy Martin]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and have a question. I have '71 Z and would like to change the front hi back buckets to the low back head rest style like the '70 models. Does anyone know if the seats are interchangeable on mounting?

Thanks for your feedback,

Randy
Dallas, TX

 

[ddc456]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and have a question. I have '71 Z and would like to change the front hi back buckets to the low back head rest style like the '70 models. Does anyone know if the seats are interchangeable on mounting?

Thanks for your feedback,

Randy
Dallas, TX

Yes they are, not to tell a man his business, but if you have a 71 Z keep the original seat in it..

 

[flowjoe]

Yes they are, not to tell a man his business, but if you have a 71 Z keep the original seat in it..

FWIW I'd tend to agree but more to the point - '70 seats are very expensive due to the one year only application. I'd spend my money elsewhere but to each their own (of course)

 

[71RS/SS396]

They will bolt right in if you have the 70 seat tracks as well, the 71 tracks will not bolt to the 70 seats.

 

[Randy Martin]

'70 vs' 71 Seat

Thanks for the answer. Just toying with the idea - I just prefer the lower back with
backrest style. I'm just wondering if the brackets from a '70 would line up on the '71 s mounting holes - do you happen to know? And I wonder where would you find new or used complete '70 modes seats?

Randy Martin
'68 SS
'69 Z28
'71 Z28
'10 SS

 

[ggtsvnv]

To find them you would need to check the usual places, such as the swap meet section here at Nasty Z, or Epay, craigslist ect. You won't find new ones as they are not being repoped.

 

[5spd540]

The only issue is 70 seats are not cheap

 

[71RS/SS396]

Thanks for the answer. Just toying with the idea - I just prefer the lower back with
backrest style. I'm just wondering if the brackets from a '70 would line up on the '71 s mounting holes - do you happen to know? And I wonder where would you find new or used complete '70 modes seats?

Randy Martin
'68 SS
'69 Z28
'71 Z28
'10 SS

Yes the 70 seat tracks will bolt to the 71 floorpan. As others have stated they're hard to come by and will not be cheap. I'm about 90% sure the late production 69 seat frames are the same as the 70 seat frames. The seat backs and knobs are the same for 69 and 70, the only differences being the headrests, the tracks, the seat foam, and covers so I think you could build a set of 70 seats out of late 69 seats if you could find the 70 tracks and headrests. You can make the 69 tracks work if you don't mind modifying the 69 tracks, the 69 tacks will bolt to the bottom of the 70 seats but the bolt spacing where they bolt to the floorpan is closer together than the 71 floorpan so you can weld a tab on the front of the 69 tracks and drill a hole in the tab where in needs to be. Here's a pic of the 69 and 70 seat tracks side by side showing the spacing difference.

 

[al8apex]

as far as I know the 70 seat frames are different than 69's, the back is wider and "more square" than the 69's ...

again, a decent set of 70 seats & tracks will put you back at least $500 ...

 

[71RS/SS396]

as far as I know the 70 seat frames are different than 69's, the back is wider and "more square" than the 69's ...

again, a decent set of 70 seats & tracks will put you back at least $500 ...

I'm pretty sure that it's just the foam and the cover that is different, the plastic seat back is the same for 69&70. I have physically switched the headrests to see if they interchange and they do. One of these days I'm going to pull the covers off of the extra 69 & 70 seats I have and check for sure.