Floor Molded Seat Support

[392Hemi]

I don't know what else to really call this but the floor molding that supports the seat is not gonna be needed for me. Do most of you guys just cut these out? Just seems weird to me that it is molded into the floor like they used it for structural support.

[jweb]

That part is spot welded to the floor. Pretty easy to remove with a spot weld cutter, I have seen a lot of people take them out to use bucket seats.

Try to remove carefully if you can, someone else may be able to use it.

[392Hemi]

Originally Posted by jweb

That part is spot welded to the floor. Pretty easy to remove with a spot weld cutter, I have seen a lot of people take them out to use bucket seats.

Try to remove carefully if you can, someone else may be able to use it.

Hmmm I'll have to look for the welds cause I didn't see any. Looked like it was pressed into the floor metal or something. I guess my plans of attacking with a sawzall went out the window LOL You look like the guy to talk to, I'm trying to figure out wheels. What size are your running? Wheels and tires.

[jweb]

It's definitely spot welded, I took one out of another cab with a hammer and chisel but I wouldn't recommend that on a cab you are keeping

My wheels are Coys 20x9 with 255/40 tires, I think they were 4 3/4 backspace but it's been 10 years since I bought them. They rubbed on the bed sides with a '72 Nova rearend, so I had to add 1/2" wheel spacers.

[whitedog76]

There's been some discussion on weather or not the seat support/tub is structrural or not.

I have the tendency to believe that it is.

If you put bucket seats or another type of bucket seat in. I would at the very least, put some extra support in where it bolts down.

[dwcsr]

It is definitely structural support but you can use a piece or 1x3x .109 rectangle tube run across under where the front spot welds are. Just drill through the spot and then rosette weld the 1x3 to the floor. If you don't after a while the floor will start to oil can and weaken.

[392Hemi]

Thanks for the replies guys. Maybe I can just trim it so it's half the height that it is so its not as much in the way. Just seems like such a weird thing to be structural but the way it's in the cab sure makes sense for it to be

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by 392Hemi

Thanks for the replies guys. Maybe I can just trim it so it's half the height that it is so its not as much in the way. Just seems like such a weird thing to be structural but the way it's in the cab sure makes sense for it to be

You can cut that whole thing out for a flat floor but you just need to brace the underside of the floor with the 1x3 tube. If you go thicker than 1" it hits the frame rail

[iowaboynca]

you may want to keep the back part as that connects both sides of the cab. I've seen a lot of guess say that's the one piece to keep.

[HUSSEY]

I cut mine out but left the back part. The spot welds can be kind of hard to see. I first cut it then used a chisel to break the spot welds.

See post 38 here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=664837&page=2

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by iowaboynca

you may want to keep the back part as that connects both sides of the cab. I've seen a lot of guess say that's the one piece to keep.

The piece that runs across the back is what adds most of the strength rather than the actual support under the seat.

If you put in buckets or a seat that bolts to the floor do something to back up the metal on the bottom side to spread the pull of the seat bolts out further. You don't want to chance having the seat bolts pull out of the floor if something happens. Same with the seat belt

Prime reason for carefully cutting the seat support out with a spot weld cutter and saving it is that there are guys looking for them to put back in trucks that they have been hacked out of in the past. That said when I took mine out I took the torch and cut it just above the bend at the bottom and then took the chisel and cut the remains out. That was in the early 80's when we didn't worry about saving pieces to use again though.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The piece that runs across the back is what adds most of the strength rather than the actual support under the seat.

If you put in buckets or a seat that bolts to the floor do something to back up the metal on the bottom side to spread the pull of the seat bolts out further. You don't want to chance having the seat bolts pull out of the floor if something happens. Same with the seat belt

Prime reason for carefully cutting the seat support out with a spot weld cutter and saving it is that there are guys looking for them to put back in trucks that they have been hacked out of in the past. That said when I took mine out I took the torch and cut it just above the bend at the bottom and then took the chisel and cut the remains out. That was in the early 80's when we didn't worry about saving pieces to use again though.

I should have mentioned that, yes leave the back cross rail there it is the floor stiffener for the cab mounts, If its taken out it will in short order start cracking the floor panel in that area.

[392Hemi]

Good info everyone, thanks for the input. Still trying to decide what to do. I would like to do bucket seats so I may have to find a way to keep the seat support but make it look better.

[392Hemi]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

You can cut that whole thing out for a flat floor but you just need to brace the underside of the floor with the 1x3 tube. If you go thicker than 1" it hits the frame rail

Not sure I understand this, I'll have to check out the underside of the truck and see if I get it.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by 392Hemi

Not sure I understand this, I'll have to check out the underside of the truck and see if I get it.

the arrows point to the 1x3 tube placement. Its just under where the seat rise would be.