Move Avanti seats

[davepink53]

Hi friends.

Has anyone here moved the front seats on a '63 Avanti back. We need to get about an extra 2" leg room. Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Dave Pink.

[1963r2]

Dave,

You should be able to move it back.

I think you would need to bolt a strip of metal or similar to the bottom of the seat and drill some offset holes to reattach the runners.

A man of your abilities it should be a piece of cake.

pb

[Avanti83]

The issue will be how the front of the seat base bolts to the rise in the floor and the lack of a substantial mounting point behind the back seat mount. So moving the base is not just re-drilling mounts.

The front mount on the seat mount is pretty sturdy because it bends just in front of the slider. To lengthen it would put a longer bending moment on it and perhaps cause failure. The rear could be moved by drilling the hole further back but it would take reinforcing the area.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is totally possible but it will be more difficult than just a couple of holes.

If I were to do it, I'd probably make a new mount from 3/16-1/4" strap and cut the mounting flanges of the original mount and reattach the slider part back the amount you wish to move the seat. That way you are using the original mounting points and maintaining whatever strength they are designed to have.

I'm not about to weaken the seat mounts to get the seat back as the originals don't look all that substantial to me. If I get hit, I want the best chance to stay where I'm setting.

Possible but it will take some modification.

Bob

[davepink53]

Thanks for your comments. We will pull one of the seats on the weekend and take a closer look. My '71 Avanti2 came with the seats moved back from new, so the Production Order says.

Dave..

[mfg]

I'm a fairly tall person and found I needed more legroom in My '63 Avanti, so years ago I moved the driver's seat back about 2" by cutting and welding in metal just after the bend at the front, and then re-drilling the rear holes in the floor (moving them back) and reinforcing that area. This made the car much more comfortable to drive.

[Gunslinger]

I always found Avantis to have plenty of front leg room but the length of the steering column and the large diameter of the steering wheel that causes problems. If you have thick thighs (like me), it makes it tough getting and out, plus the steering jutting into your abdomen.

I solved my problem first with a smaller diameter steering wheel, and after I got tired of the uncomfortable factory seats I replaced them with Recaros from later Avanti that are so much more comfortable and supportive but also have more rear travel.

[SBCA96]

I used 1997 Camaro convertible seats....

Install info here ... also how I fixed my broken mounts...

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?479-82-02-Camaro-front-seats-in-an-Avanti-How-to

Tom

[mfg]

I really like the look of those '97 Camaro seats in your '63 Avanti!

[SBCA96]

Thanks, with all the upgrades I have done to the car, the seats made the best results, the

car was really NOT comfortable to drive more than around town. With the Camaro seats

I can drive 55 miles and not feel bad at all. The lack of a lumbar support is murder. The

next nice upgrade was the TKO 5 speed, as my Avanti had the 3 speed manual and not

synchomesh. The large brakes eliminated the leaking stock cylinders and the wheels I

like how they ride/handle. I wish I could drive it right now, but the throw out bearing went

south and I hurt my neck working on my wifes car. Pulling a trans right now could be bad.

Tom

Edited April 20, 2014 by SBCA96