modern seats into lincoln

This area is for those who need help modernizing their Lincoln for purposes other than strict restoration. Such questions can be about adding an electric fuel pump, adding fuel injection, boosting horsepower or gas mileage, or tightening or lowering the suspension. Body customizing and chopping can also be here (although this practice is not encouraged by the LCOC).

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ravnlinc
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modern seats into lincoln

Post by ravnlinc »

]I was asked how I put modern seats into my sedan as someone was looking to add shoulder belts to their car. I had my Lincoln for 20 years now and considered myself lucky to not be in an accident either from in front or behind. As I now am married with kids and a lot more to lose, even a minor accident would be painful and expensive in these cars with no head rests and shoulder belts. The padded steering wheel button was not very comforting feature for 1967. As I didn't want to bolt in the original option of factory non-retracting shoulder belts, I looked to cars that had integral shoulder belts that did not compromise the backseat passenger experience. I saw some Ford trucks had them but on the internet the main focus was on the Chrysler Sebring convertible seats. I looked online and all of them looked like junkyard trash. Eventually, I looking at Craigslist I came upon somebody selling a complete black leather interior to a 2000's BMW M3 as he changed to a red interior. I bought the front seats for $400 and took them home.
front seats from the BMW
front seats from the BMW
I then parked the car in the garage and got to work removing the bench seat. It is held by 4 bolts (two on each side and the power seat system is bolted to the floor under the drivers seat. After unplugging the power it all slides out with help from your wife. I started profile measuring the floor pan to adapt to the flat seat rails of the BMW. There I found that the rear heater vents that start on the transmission hump and poke out under the bench to toast the toesies of the rear passengers was in the way. After upbolting the accelerator pedal from the floor and the door sills, the front half of the carpet can be removed exposing the heater ducting and the floor.
front bench removed exposing the heater ducts
front bench removed exposing the heater ducts
Unbolting the heater ducts from the floor, I cut them back to clear where I have to put the seat rail adapters. As it never gets cold enough in Houston to need the heater for backseat passengers I never have, I didn't worry about it. I couldn't just remove the heater duct because it is about 1 inch thick and would make the rest of the carpet floppy.

I made mock seat rail adapters out of wood and did numerous trial fits until I was happy with where everything sits. I got some plate and angle iron and fabed up copies of the wood adapters in metal.
seat adapter parts lined up to test fit before welding
seat adapter parts lined up to test fit before welding
After welding, grinding smooth, blasting, and painting later, the 4 unique brackets were complete. Little known fact is that while the bench is bolted down in 4 places on the outer sides of the car, there was a bucket seat option and there are another set of bolt holes near the driveshaft tunnel. I used those bolt holes, as well as additional holes in the most forward positions of the rail adapter, for a total of 6 tie down points per seat. Since the seats also form the seat belt function, they match the BMW bolting to the adapter as well.

Holes were drilled in the floor, carpet laid back down, door sills and throttle re-attached, adapters placed and bolted down with grade 8 fine thread bolts with reinforcement plates on the floor underside and with the seats bolted to the adapters and power spliced from the stock power seat plug, the transformation was complete.
finished seat placement
finished seat placement
I bought an aftermarket center consoles my dreams for a black leather stock center console is never going to happen. I do sit about an inch higher than stock but I am much more comfortable and secure, have 12 way power seats including power head rests, tensioned seat belts with inertial locks. I did not try to tax the electrical system to power the seat warmers and I don't have the impact sensor for the airbags or the explosive pre-tensioners, but I am still much farther ahead than I was before.

Let me know if you have any questions or pictures of the work. I didn't save to many of the progress but can talk through most things.

Joe
67 triple black sedan
Houston, Texas
Mike
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by Mike »

Full size GMs from the late 90s to mid 2000s also had seat mounted belts and are easier to come by then BMW ones.
1963 Continental
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TonyC
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by TonyC »

Sounds all good, and I'll admit that thought had briefly crossed my mind in the past...only to be discarded by one critical matter. The upholstery patterning would clash with the rear seats, which—I'm sorry—is just outright ghetto, no matter what seats from what cars you choose. Now, if you knew an upholsterer who would be willing to venture into undiscovered country and try to match the new seats' upholstery patterns with the old seats, or vice-versa, then maybe it could work. But even if you find such a shop, you'd probably end up paying far more than you ever counted on.

Besides, the only thing that would prompt me to replace Frankenstein's seats would be to have a recliner option. I've even retrofitted '69 head rests onto his seatbacks, and they serve the purpose well and look so good that people don't even think that head rests were not available yet in '66.

Also, where shoulder belts are concerned, I too had the idea for many years, only to discard the idea when I was involved in my own crash. I plowed into a parked car at a minimum of 35 mph because I lost all braking with no warning, and I didn't even hit the steering wheel. The guy riding with me, who was a good 6'4", didn't reach the windshield. The lap belts combined with the interior space prevented all that from happening. I'd say, unless you anticipate a head-on highway crash, retrofitting shoulder belts isn't really necessary. However, there should be a way to do it.

---Tony
Last edited by TonyC on Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"

1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Wixomhead
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by Wixomhead »

I put Mark VII LSC seats into my Mark III. Followed the same process except I'm no welder /fabricator so I just drilled new holes and used spacers in the rear frame-to-body bolt holes to make the seat frame level with the floor. I have yet to source/install Mark VII seat switches to control these seats - power recline! - but all in good time.

I also had a ton of fun building a custom center console - from under dash all the way back to the rear seat - out of 1/4" plywood. I'm still tinkering around with it but painted black truck bed coating I am really happy with it so far.
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by Buckeye Steve »

Ali Seraj is trying to build bucket seats with 3 point seat belts in them and with a console. As he progresses, I 'll keep you posted

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TonyC
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by TonyC »

Actually, it occurred to me that this is by no means an original idea. Dax Shepard did just that with a '67 he had, showcased in a relatively obscure movie from several years ago called "Hit And Run." Here is the link to the backstory of that car: https://www.streetmusclemag.com/feature ... t-and-run/

---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"

1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Re: modern seats into lincoln

Post by Solid »

I have found the perfect chairs to use for this. These are obviously car seats bolted onto office chair bases so it shouldn't be too hard. https://www.newegg.com/blue-neo-chair-a ... klink=true
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