Seat fold forward?

[justinburnett]

I have a 1973 gmc. Is the bench seat supposed to fold forward? It looks like it should, but I can't figure out how. Sometime in it's past someone screwed a gun rack to the back wall behind the seat, but there's no way to get to it very well without folding the seat forward because it hits the 4wd selector before it slides forward very far.

[79'84'chevy]

there should be a lever on the back of the seat at the end or there is a lever on the bottom of the seat that moves it forward.

[sierra4x4]

My 74 Sierra Grande's Seat doesn't fold forward. So yours likely doesn't either. I don't think any of the 73-74 seats fold.

[justinburnett]

There's only the lever to slide it forward and back. Checked, and nothing on the back.

That kinda sucks. I still can't figure out why someone would store firearms back there when they would be so hard to reach. Oh well. I need a new seat anyway. Mine's pretty saggy on the driver's side. Maybe I'll luck out and find a newer folding one. Anything up till 1987 fit?

[babyJay]

Originally Posted by justinburnett

I still can't figure out why someone would store firearms back there when they would be so hard to reach....

You're not supposed to be able to reach them driving down the road... Unless you live in Indianapolis....

[justinburnett]

Originally Posted by babyJay

You're not supposed to be able to reach them driving down the road... Unless you live in Indianapolis....

I just meant that to get them you have to slide the seat all the way forward, get up on the seat, reach down and pull them up and out. Just seems kind of inconvenient.

Either way probably wouldn't be easy while driving, but if it folded forward at least you wouldn't have to be crawling all over trying to pull them out.

Besides, long guns are a PITA to shoot out of a moving vehicle when you're driving.

[BowTieMan]

Originally Posted by justinburnett

Besides, long guns are a PITA to shoot out of a moving vehicle when you're driving.

Do I wanna ask how you know this? Haha

[79'84'chevy]

my bad. my 79 does.

[78 Chevyrado]

Don't know if the 73-74 folded up or not, but on some other years, only the higher end trucks seats folded up and the base models seats didn't.

[Jonboy]

Hard to say. My '74 has a folding seat, and it looks to be the original seat.

[jchav62]

The original seat on my '73 didn't fold. I think there is a way to get it fold, but I just put a newer seat in (1983). The original seat seems to sit up too high.

[burger]

My '73 has fixed seats that do not fold forward.

[Greenlee]

I have been told that on non-folding suburban and crew cab rear seats, there is bolt that can be removed and moved to a different hole and it will fold. Not sure if that applies to the 73-74 seats. I'm not even 100% sure if it's true that you can convert the non-folding seats to folding seats. If anyone can confirm, please speak up.

[jchav62]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

I have been told that on non-folding suburban and crew cab rear seats, there is bolt that can be removed and moved to a different hole and it will fold. Not sure if that applies to the 73-74 seats. I'm not even 100% sure if it's true that you can convert the non-folding seats to folding seats. If anyone can confirm, please speak up.

I've heard the same thing about the seventies seats...

[RandyP]

My '74 bench folds, no idea if it's original seat or not though. I'm scared to take the seat cover off and look.

[tucsonjwt]

My 1973 C20 did not fold forward - real PITA - no useful access behind the seat. Mr. Seymore might have the definitive answer on this, though I think he started building squares later in the 70s.

[justinburnett]

I'll have to rip my cover off and check it out. That'd be great.

As for the shooting, we had this left-handed drive-by type target practice with 30-30s one day. Made sure we were safe about it, dead end logging road, no one in front of you, trying to hit a big poster of Osama Bin Laden... It was fun, but I don't think anyone ever hit him while driving. I'd tell you the secret to doing it right, but I never figured out how to do anything but hold the rifle so it didn't hurt as much when you fired.

[notrailerqueens]

i sympathize with you i have the same issue with my 86. really is a pita cause apart from some stereotypical wear and tear to the drivers seat corner its in great shape hate to replace it would rather recover it but your right sucks with little to no access back there. im def gonna have to check out what hubscrub said hopefully ill get lucky and the fix will be that simple

[79gmcc15]

Can you make a non folding seat into a folding one? Maybe take the hardware off of a j/r one and replace them on yours?
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[justinburnett]

I pulled some bolts out but then the back just flopped around all the time and I hated it, so I went and found a folding seat. LOVE IT!!!! I can grab my shotgun or jumper cables whenever I need them. Seat's a little more "comfy" (squishy) than my old one, I prefer a firmer seat, but it's worth the trade. Cost me $100 for the seat AND the entire interior trim (yes, WITH a good dash), and outside drip rails since mine didn't have them. Figured I made out pretty well on the deal.

[lilpoindexter]

My '78's OG seat did not fold forward.

[Adams74Chevy]

My '74 Custom Deluxe (read cheap model) has a folding seat and my father bought it in '75 from the original owner and my father never replaced the seat so I'm 99.9% its the original. My '73 "Silverado" (in quotes since more and more it seems to be a frankenstein style hodge podge from POers ) is also a folder but it might not be the original seat who knows.

[HOTFUN]

It was optional as it is listed as an option on one of my 73's build sheet sticker and my 74 doesnt have it. Just like the drip rails in late 73-74 it was an option.