Rear seat interchange

Discussion on body issues/mods, appearance, interior/trim, and detailing (i.e. how to keep your car looking showroom new, or a reasonable facsimile thereof...).
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elc32955
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Rear seat interchange

Post by elc32955 »

OK folks, quick question for the more knowledgeable here. I've got a chance to get a decent G8 GT leather back seat set for my 2015 at a good price. HOWEVER.... I know that Garner Ames had mentioned in a previous post that the G8 back seats were NOT a turnkey plug & play upgrade for the 2014-2017 cars. I sent Garner a PM and he never responded. So.... anyone have an idea what is NOT plug & play about the seat set? I was under the impression that the body tubs were not modified for the 2014 & up cars in this section and that this should be a bolt-on mod.

Naturally I don't want to spend $$$ getting a seat set if it won't work, I had a GXP seat set in my 2011 and it was bolt on with no issues... just swap & go. So what say you fellow owners? Anyone done the mod? It's attractive given the comparatively high prices and low availability for the SS seats, I want leather & the trunk pass-thru working. Don't give beans about one red thread verses plain in the seat stitching...

Thanks
Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
s/c'd cav
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by s/c'd cav »

i want to say its the trim along the C pillar that comes up from the floor has a viod with the G8 rear seat , its been a while since ive seen that post though

im not sure if the folding arm rest is a bolt in or if you have to mod something
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elc32955
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by elc32955 »

Yeah, the post was devoid of information on exactly WHAT was not compatible. If it's C-pillar trim then just buying 2 sacrificial pieces and fitting to match works. But I'd really like to know for sure!

Of course if I get the seat set and it doesn't work out there's plenty of folks with a 2011-2013 that would like to do the conversion.... so it wouldn't be a total waste.

Thanks
Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
s/c'd cav
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by s/c'd cav »

yeah alot of people would want them , if they dont work 100% for you

only issue is shipping at that point
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elc32955
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by elc32955 »

I heard from Garner today. He relayed to me that the G8 seat backs fit fine as a bolt-up, no problem there. The issue he had was that the attachments for the seat bottom that fit into the holes in the rear seat deck appear to be a little shorter. Garner could not get them to latch down when he was working with this mod. So... that tells me either use the existing seat and change the seat trim, or find a method to lengthen or extend the attachment point on the seat to where it will capture in the holes. I'm guessing a good upholstery shop could swap the seat trim from the G8 seat to the Caprice seat (using the Caprice frame makes it a non-issue).

I'll let you know more later this week. As a temporary I can run a hybrid seat while figuring out any issues that crop up.

Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
CrashTestDummy
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Depending on the dimensions of each seat bottom, the rear seat covers should be relatively-easy to swap out. You'll want hog's ring pliers, a package of hog's rings and probably an uhpolstery stretcher. My wife and I did the seat covers on our 86 SVO, and while I would never again do those front seats, even knowing some of the tricks of the trade now, I'd do the rear seats.

If the dimensions are off, though, you'll definitely need an upholsterer to adjust that.

The C-pillar trim on our'12 was missing, so adding those made a real difference in how the back seats looked back there. Before adding them, the back seats definitely looked like they were some cheap swap. I didn't notice the gap before swapping out the rear seats, as it was one of the first updates we did. The trim definitely 'finished' the back seat area up. IIRC, those pieces are NLA from GM for the 'early models', so if you need them for your 'late model' Caprice, grab them NOW, if they are still listed.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
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elc32955
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by elc32955 »

I definitely hear you there! I ordered and received all the pieces while I was doing the initial clean-up to replace all the trim sections that had holes drilled in them from the old cage install (bottoms of the B-pillars, trim pieces around both of the back door windows, etc...), feel that I was lucky to get that stuff. The parts guy with Dickey was surprised those were still in the system and available.

I did pick up the back seat set today, it's not in too awful bad shape. It'll definitely need some cleanup, plus I've got about a 1 1/2 inch long hole in the left side lower back seat cushion like something was set on there that poked through it - I'd guess while the car sat in the yard... the wreck is only like a month old. The yard wasn't a U-pull, so they would not let me back to the car itself. So, I've got to go get two nuts for seatback retention (since I went from 4 to 6 nuts with the fold-down GT center). Ace Hardware trip tomorrow methinks. It looks like the fitment on the backs will be fine, I've not tried to engage the rear seat bottom yet since I've got two nuts that still have to be added, one on each side. Torques me that they wouldn't provide any of the nuts that HAD to be laying in the body tub after they pulled the seat set, nor would they send someone out to get them when I asked politely (would have given them a few extra bucks). But, all yards are not customer service created equal - they probably just wanted me out of their office. The other good news is that the center console latch striker was on the body tub when I pulled my cloth seat, so didn't have to worry about installing that piece.

One other funny thing GM did, the cable assembly is there intact for the "I'm locked in my trunk by a bad guy!" emergency trunk release, but the handle is not installed to the cable. On my 2011 when I did this mod I found that the handle was there. Guess Holden got really creative when engineering the de-contenting.

After I get the seatbacks properly secured I'll try to engage the hold-downs on the bottom and see what happens. I can't imagine they changed dimensions on the frame, maybe Garner was just having a bad day with that one particular set. I'm a big boy so I can probably give it the persuasion it needs to engage :) Then, onto the upholstery shop to see about that hole in the seat cushion. *** UPDATE - my seat bottom latched down on the first try, this is a 100% plug & play mod for the 2014-2017. Garner could have had a bad bottom that wouldn't latch. Anyway, non-interchange rumor for the 2014-2017 MY cars debunked!

The last takeaway here says this will be a good mod and will save a bunch of money for 2014-2017 MY cars on a leather conversion with fold-down center armrest & trunk access, as long as you're not a purist that has to have that little red thread sewed into the seat & the velour swatches (read - OEM SS rear seat). The G8 GT perforated seat fabric matches what's used in the SS seats to boot! Prices on car-part.com on those rear seats are probably tied to Bitcoin or such, I saw one yard out in CA that was trying to get $1,500 out of just a single SS rear seat set. Incredible.

Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
CrashTestDummy
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by CrashTestDummy »

elc32955 wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:38 pm I definitely hear you there! I ordered and received all the pieces while I was doing the initial clean-up to replace all the trim sections that had holes drilled in them from the old cage install (bottoms of the B-pillars, trim pieces around both of the back door windows, etc...), feel that I was lucky to get that stuff. The parts guy with Dickey was surprised those were still in the system and available.

<SNIP>

After I get the seatbacks properly secured I'll try to engage the hold-downs on the bottom and see what happens. I can't imagine they changed dimensions on the frame, maybe Garner was just having a bad day with that one particular set. I'm a big boy so I can probably give it the persuasion it needs to engage :) Then, onto the upholstery shop to see about that hole in the seat cushion. *** UPDATE - my seat bottom latched down on the first try, this is a 100% plug & play mod for the 2014-2017. Garner could have had a bad bottom that wouldn't latch. Anyway, non-interchange rumor for the 2014-2017 MY cars debunked!

<SNIP>


Eric
Heh, I did the same thing, then.... drilled holes in the driver's side lower B-pilar panels to mount a holster. :shock:

I had 'fun' with the seat bottoms on our '12. You have to visually-verify the clips are right over the holes in the floor pan as they don't just drop into place. Once centered over the holes, they pop right into place.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
And some others
Do YOU have my SPID?
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elc32955
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by elc32955 »

Holy Shimama Batman! My upholstery shop wanted in excess of $400 to fix the hole in the seat.

For a breakdown, ordering the perforated leather to replace the panel was about $180, then 3 hours labor at $75 per hour to de-install the skin, remove the bad leather panel, sew in the new panel, and reinstall the repaired skin. I can get a new OEM skin for $199 on Ebay for that particular side or just keep watching the salvage yards to outright buy another seat section. Worst comes to worst I could pop the skin off, get a piece of black backer fabric, have a sewn repair done to the leather, then re-install it all. As long as it's stitched well it should be good for the life of the car, all due to some clumsy Gomer that put something thru the seatback..... sigh....
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
JRWolff
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Re: Rear seat interchange

Post by JRWolff »

Think I would look for a different upholstery shop. I had the entire cover removed from my G8 seat bottom and the area that is velcro'd (4 spots i believe for child seats to attach the the brackets that are behind the seat cushion) sewn shut. Cover was then reinstalled on the cushion. All this work for less than $100. And the entire bottom is much larger than the third section that you need repaired.

Too bad you are so far away or i'd give you the contact info to the shop i use.
Twin 2012 9C1's
1991 R2500 Banks Turbo Diesel Suburban
1990 V2500 Banks Turbo Diesel Suburban
1991 GMC Syclone
1986 Buick Grand National
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