New Seats! (PT-Cruiser) *Easy* (7 Viewers)

[Mildot]

I have been looking at alternatives to recovering my ripped front seats (Local places want 200+ a seat). While surfin mud for seat swaps I came across someone who had put in pt cruiser seats and said it was a bolt in swap. Not that I don't want to make brackets but I really like the motto "Work smarter not harder".

I went to work searching the local Craigslist type site as well as the local salvage yards for a set of 2000-2005ish seats from a PT-cruiser. Salvage yards were worthless but I found a guy you had "black" leather seats for sale $75 for the front set. Sweat Deal! but is a two hour drive. So I called my brother in law to have him go grab them and also called the guy with the seats again and asked if he would take $50 for the set. He agreed! I like to haggle!

Before Cleaning!


After Cleaning

Someone had left a break rotor on the seat for a while. I hope this will relax out!

If you didn't notice they are not black! This is a good thing as I was not key on them being black. I would call them a blue grey and in my opinion perfect!

Being the patient guy I am I had to install them right away !!!



Took me around 2 hours to get the first seat mounted. There are a couple of items I need to take care of for the mounting brackets but should be simple. More info to come!

 

[Mildot]

Here is a picture of the back of the seat.


I installed the passenger first as this is my daily driver and I was not sure how long it would take. This was the trial and mockup so I can document everything on the driver side so people can see how easy this was.

Let me know if you have specific questions but do so knowing I will be posting in the next couple of days the complete install process.

Also this picture really shows you how closely it matched the interior!

 

[LakeTahoeFJ62]

Looking good....

Looks like the PT cruiser actually has at least 1 decent quality now......

 

[Spook50]

I see what looks like a wiring harness underneath. Are they heated?

 

[907FJ60]

I have all ready started looking at my local scrap yard for * pt * cruiser seats. This has peaked my interest. Please keep us posted in how this works out. I like the fact it's a possible " bolt in " swap.

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[haryv]

While they do match, I would buy a pair of used seats for long term driving comfort. But then, how can you really know what is considered long term comfort before buying them?

Wait, never mind. I can ask in the pt cruiser forums and ask there.

 

[907FJ60]

For being 29 I've got a pretty bad back , previous damage to L4,5 and S1 vertebrae make it hard for me to sit in uncomfortable seats for long drives
So I was guessing a 20 year update to seats would be worth my time haha

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Biche]

They looks great. Is the color close to the grey interior? Looks like a good fit when looking at your center console!

 

[dbleon]

Good job.... but putting a Chrysler part into a Landcruiser is like blasphemy!!!

 

[907FJ60]

Good job.... but putting a Chrysler part into a Landcruiser is like blasphemy!!!

Not if it helps my butt and back feel better , it means i can sit in my 60 longer !!
And maybe wheel a little harder

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Mildot]

Drivers side install with details!

I want to start out by saying that this could likely be done with the existing seat sliders but mine were in rough shape so I opted not to. I would maybe be easier to go this route but from the pt-cruiser seats I have there would have been considerably more drilling involved more on this later.

Here is the bottom of the original seat.


To start the 4 metal press studs (Sure this is not there actual name) need to be drilled out.



Drilled out. I used a chisel to cut the excess off.


If you were to take the sliders off the pt cruiser seats I counted at least 4 on one side. Also of note these seemed like very hard steel to me it would be advisable to use some oil when drilling this unless you want to buy a new bit.

 

[Mildot]

The small bottom one is some kind of weld. After drilling the stud out I was able to smack this with a hammer to twist it and break the weld.


Needed to drill out the brackets to accept bolts.


Here is the new seat bottom. (Not heated but I have heard they are available)

Hard to read but the yellow connector is for the air bag. I just cut the wires and put some heat shrink on it. Bottom black connector is for the height adjustment. I had planned to wire this up at a later date for the but I think it will not be needed but I might still wire this up.

 

[907FJ60]

So essentially my stock sliders work perfect , so I would drill rivets out of LC seats and take sliders and attach to the PT seats and rivet accordingly
And then say abracadabra and it should work all perfect

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Mildot]

One side installed one side not. the front mount is using a captured nut. The back mount is a bolt through a slot that existed in the slider before.

(Front mount is at the bottom of the picture)

I fed the bolt in from the inside of the slide just to be easier to install the nut.


All four brackets installed.


I actually plan to put a couple of tack welds on the bracket as well but I do not have a welder available at the moment.

I did take measurements but I did not document them all but I figured that I would have to splay the brackets out just slightly to meet up with the mounting locations inside the truck.

 

[Mildot]

So essentially my stock sliders work perfect , so I would drill rivets out of LC seats and take sliders and attach to the PT seats and rivet accordingly
And then say abracadabra and it should work all perfect

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

The difference in width if I recall correctly is that the original seats have the sliders at 15 1/8" the PT cruiser seats were more like 14 1/4" so I am not sure if you could use the same mounting locations on the PT cruiser seat but there is room to move the sliders.

 

[Mildot]

Just sat the seats in the mounts need some adjustment.



Seats are all mounted. This is slid all the way back still good leg room. And a nice place to put a map or a magazine!

 

[Mildot]

View from the back the front door is closed. Fits like a glove!


Here is the center console from the back. The passenger arm rest needs to be up for the console to open all the way.


Front leg room is the same. I think that I gained around 1" of height note this could be because my seat was is sad shape. I could see the sag and the springs on one side so the 1" would likely be less vs a new OEM seat.


I am 6' 2" and the seat is still fine...actually greatly improved from the old sad OEM seats. Ohh and the lever under the driver side arm rest is a lumbar adjustment. I took a quick drive around the block and even with my dead rear leaf springs the ride was much improved.

 

[Mildot]

Here is the view looking in from the front.


For you Biche! Plastic on the left is part of the PT cruiser seats and matched the leather.

I think if the plastic on the console was not faded it would be so close no one would tell. As it is now I am super pleased with how close it matches.

And for kicks here is the view out the front window from my eye line.

 

[Biche]

Thanks for the pics, I must admit they look pretty good, and for 50$, it's a nice upgrade!

 

[907FJ60]

Yes after I fix the T-stat housing I just broke
I'm gonna look for heated seats , that would be so wry very nice on these cold ak winters i have every year

Chris-Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD