I bought replacement carpet on EvilBay the other day. From what I could tell last night, there are only 4 bolts on the front bench seat that attach it to the floor. Is that true for the back as well? Is removing the benches as simple as getting the nuts off under the car and dragging them out? Surely it can't be that simple...

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65 4 dr. Valiant 200

Yup, it’s that simple, as long as nuts under car are willing participants. Clean threads of bolts holding seat, keep penetrating oil on them for a few days and you may get lucky come disassembly day.

Kick panels will need to come off, as well as door sill plates, and rear bottom seat cushion has to come out.

Rear cushion is held in place by two clips that the wire seat frame slides into. Once front seat is out giving one some room to operate, push lower frame of seat back from under clip, and lift up. Each clip is located roughly 8â€￾ to 10â€￾ from end of cushion. Sometimes these resist one’s advances, so push down than back about 3/8â€￾ or so, than pull up, that should release the wire frame, and seat will come right out.

If you are lucky, you may find a build sheet under the back seat cushion, and you won’t need to do much floor repair other than painting.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

When I got it, the floor trim was off and I've got the kick panels off for the wiring work, so all I need to do is drag the seats out. I took the back backrest out to put a fitted sheet around it because the torn up upholstery was blowing seat stuffing everywhere when I drove it. So, should be pretty easy...I hope. I'll start blasting them this afternoon if I have the time and maybe they'll be willing by the time I get the carpet. If not I suppose just cut them off and put in new bolts?

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65 4 dr. Valiant 200

Remember to set the carpet out in the sun for a while before you install it to help it form fit better.

May not be that easy. Try to salvage the existing bolts, as they are specific to the seat rails. You probably can make a carriage bolt work, but factory bolts are easiest to work with.

Wire brush the threads of seat bolts to remove as much under coating, dirt, rust, road-kill remnants etc. as possible, and dose’em with penetrating oil.

Being from California is to your advantage, unlike New England undercarriage bolts that are so rusted they just twist off during the first quarter turn of a wrench. LOL

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Delaware, but supposedly the car was in GA and TN before I got it.

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65 4 dr. Valiant 200

I did the same job two weeks ago, bolts came off fairly easily.
When I installed the carpet I found it was easy to line it up with the previous carpet and cut slits to line up with the previous carpets holes. Slits were useful to allow some movement when adjusting the carpet and aren't visible at all especially since the seat belt covers them as does the carpet. I ended up adding more underlay as I went along to make it all even out. the carpet i got from ebay all care carpets or something? wasn't a perfect fit but pretty close.

Two bolts for the back-bottom seat and two bolts for the back rise. I find it easier than the front bench; not by much! 8 bolts total.

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'73 Scamp (the girlfriend): 225ci super/6 2BBL conversion (Almost done!)
'90 Subaru, wagon (the wife): H4-cyl 2.2L

1977 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 5cyl diesel(For sale!)

Even more reason to be careful with those bolts.

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'73 Scamp (the girlfriend): 225ci super/6 2BBL conversion (Almost done!)
'90 Subaru, wagon (the wife): H4-cyl 2.2L

1977 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 5cyl diesel(For sale!)

The front seat re-installation will be easier if you have a helper; the pointy bolts can easily damage the new carpet that you laboriously installed. Don't ask me how I know this.

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Never seen a Valiant I didn't like!

Tip for installing seat:

If possible remove rust & dirt from metal floor, and repaint to clean every thing up. You don’t want a all that mess getting on the new carpet, and glue won’t stick to rust.

Fit & form carpet to floor as best you can by starting in center of car working to outer edges. Warming carpet in sun to make it supple will make job much easer.

Spray contact cement will help to anchor carpet to foot well - fire wall, transmission & drive shaft hump, sides along door openings, and run-over under rear seat. No need to glue to floor as it will relax after a while and lay flat if vertical surfaces are glued.

Work from center outward, smoothing wrinkles as you go.

Once carpet is in place, and kick panels & door sills re installed, insert an awl or ice pick from under car through each bolt hole. Cut a small “Xâ€￾ slit at each bolt location, and mark with tape or chalk to make holes easy to see.

Take your time, and the job will look great.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Thanks for the info guys!

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65 4 dr. Valiant 200