I'm installing some bucket seats in my 71 duster. I was wondering if anyone else on this site has ever done the exchange and could give me some hints. The bucket seats I bought are the kind you always see for sale in summit and JC Whitney catalogs for bout 200 dollars...the ones with a 4 point harness and all that jazz. If I attempted to install the new seats where the bench seat's bolt pattern was I would be about 2 inches off center of the sterring wheel. I didnt want to make a big deal out of this so i thought i would ask some experts for a little help. Thanks again!

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Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

How much money ya got? I could've gone through a whole mess of work trying to get the '88 Mazda MX6 front buckets (oh so comfortable) installed in my Toyota Land Cruiser, but instaed I just took the rig to a fabricator near my folks' place and had him do me up a set of custom brackets. Cost me $400 to have them done, but since I only paid 17 bucks for the pair of seats (in great shape too) and he had to go to all the time and effort to design the things from scratch, I definately got my money's worth on the deal. That's the route I recommend going if you really want buckets.

I had wanted buckets in the worst way whenever I would drive a car with a front bench, but a couple years back, the ex fiance "convinced" me to appreciate the bench seat.......at about 80 MPH She ain't with me no more, but you can bet I'm keeping the bench in my Duster...

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

I second the bench arguement

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1962 Valiant V-200
170 C.I. Super Six, HEI, Dutra Duals

If you could find a suitable width "buddy" seat, you could have the best of both worlds - buckets and "bench"

The buckets were never a problem, but the Dakota's console could be. 80 mph?

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

LOL! wow...anyways though, since I already bout the seats...well...I was just wondering if I should drill more holes into my floorpan, or try to fabricate a metal plate to use the existing holes and just drill holes where the factory buckets would have gone. I need to get my duster on the road so I can have some fun stories too! Besides, my nova still has duel benches! You guys are the best!

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Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Take a look under your carpet, my 74 Duster has factory buckets, but it has holes for a bench also. The holes for where the bench would be have plugs in them, so look for the "stock" bucket locations and see if you have plastic plugs there. If you are going with aftermarket seats, they might not line up with the factory holes. Also, if you do end up drilling new holes, don't forget to reinforce the floor around the holes or they could pull through. Not a good thing, either use some large washers or some scrap steel and drill through that too, and tack weld to to floor. Even if you have to have someone else do the tack welds for you, it shouldn't cost much and will be well worth the safety factor. It might not seem like it's important, but if you are ever in an accident or if you are a "large" person, youll be glad you did. Just imagine stepping on the gas and having the bolts pull through the floor, now you are sitting in the back seat trying to control your car.

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There are 3 things that will live forever, cockroaches, Keith Richards, and Slant Six Dusters !!!

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/slantasaurus/

take a look around

You could do something like I did with my bench seat.....

I didn't have enough leg room with it all the way back, so I used angle iron. Seat attaches to angle iron to move it slightly back, angle iron attaches to origninal location.

This might make it easier if the bolt patterns are different, plus you can put the seat where you want.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes