Finally Gen 3 Seats!

[SHO n'prove]

I got some 97' seats to put in my 93' about a week ago and put them in yesterday. Ride feel is Greatly improved. The side bolsters on the gen 2 seats were nice (they really hold you in the seat for turns), but the gen 3's have a lot more cushion. Before, I could feel every bump, rattle, and engine lilt under my a$$. Now it's smooth sailing. thumbs_u A few notes for anyone doing this:

1. The passenger side gen 3 seat is not powered, so you won't have the same level of adjustability.

2. The added cushion in the passenger seat put your head close to the ceiling in the fully ***** position. If you are anywhere near 6 foot tall, you will have to recline a bit.

3. Both seats shorten leg room in the front and in the rear. It's not a problem, but it might take a getting used to, especially if your passengers are over 6 foot.

4. You will need to cut and splice the power harness from a powered gen 2 seat to the harness on the floor of your gen 2. Both the original harnesses for the gen 2 floor and the gen 3 seat are male - and we all know that males are sexually incompatable with each other. boink

5. Remember to remove the power cable from the battery before you cut the harness on the floor... or else.

6. The passenger side bolted up beautifully. The driver side lined up with 3 bolts beautifully. The rail hole closest to the trunk release is now too high for the original bolt. I went to home depot and got a longer 5/16 hex bolt (2in)and a washer. It lined up ok, BUT I got a little torque happy and lost half the bolt in the thread.

If anyone knows a better way to secure this last bolt, PLEASE let me know. In the meantime, I'm gonna have my mechanic take a look at it. I'll post some pics as soon as I get a camera.

 

[Jeff'sSHO]

I put in a pair of 96 in my 95. I did not have a problem with any bolts they all lined up perfect, at least for the front seats. for the rear seat the bottom cusion is a direct fit. but because the 96 has a fold down seat. the brackets don't match. I am fabricating 2 new brackets to bolt the rear seat in. i did have to splice on new connectors and also replaced the seatbelts form the old seats. here is the bad news the color doesn't match at all. I was a little upset with this because I ordered them from a salvage yard over the internet they said they were the tan interior and the car only had 25k on it and the seats were imaculate, which they are, except they don't even come close to matching the mocha interior color in the gen II . I removed the seats from the car and I am in the process of redying the leather (not spray painting) actually redying. using 320 grit wet sandpaper I sanded down down the old leather and removed all the old dye. then i custom matched the new leather dye to the mocha interior (this is profesional dye not the stuff you buy at napa or autozone). the seats are almost done. if anyone is interested I have some pics. It should only be another week or so before I get them back in the car and will have pics of them installed.

 

[thebigjimsho]

SHO n'prove:
2. The added cushion in the passenger seat put your head close to the ceiling in the fully ***** position. If you are anywhere near 6 foot tall, you will have to recline a bit.

I guess you'll have to drive without thinkin' of Britney Spears, then. boink

 

[SHO92]

The tan is the Gen 3 is much darker than the Gen 2, so it isn't just the set of seats that you got.

 

[Jeff'sSHO]

the tan in the gen 3 is more of a brown tan. the interior of the gen 2 is a mocha color which apears almost grey when the two are placed next to each other. it is a drastic contrast. I found a local car lot with a 98 sho (just a comment this 98 had a power pasenger seat so they are out there) to compare colors and there is still a drastic change. so it's not just the seats. although I don't know all the color options that were available in the gen 3, the 2 I have compared a 96 and 98 are not even close to the same color as the gen 2 mocha. I also repainted the plastic parts. I imagine the black interior would be a better color match. just becareful if you are going this route. although redying the leather is always an option. this stuff is permanant, won't come off, like the original dye you can still condition your leather, and it works so good you wouldn't even know I had changed the color if I didn't tell you. and no I'm not trying to sell the stuff just letting people know there options.

 

[SHO n'prove]

I stand corrected about the seats, Jeff. By the way, the seats I installed are classified as gray, but they just about match my mocha interior. You really have to look to tell they don't belong.

 

[V6&V8SHO]

Gen 3 Interior in a Gen 2 Pictures Please!!!!! With the Gen 3 rear seat too!!!

 

[nothingtoseehere]

YES, pictures!

 

[Dave Ladely]

Sanding off the old color? Off leather? UGH!
Since the color is just a type of paint, get a good paint remover. Thats what I did. Then I used a good leather dye and conditioner. Leather can breathe now that no paint is clogging the pores.

 

[Jeff'sSHO]

I only sanded the seats to remove the old dye not any paint. this was to remove as much of the old leather dye as possible before applying the new dye this also cleans and opens up the surface of the leather to accept the new dye. leather pre 1990 used a laquer based dye which in that case you would use a laquer thinner to remove some of the dye but anything after 1990 auto manufactures are required by the goverment to use a water base leather dye and paint remover would not help. I don't have the seats in the car right now I only removed the old rear seat and put the 3rd gen in to take measurements (and to make sure it would fit) for the new brackets. I should have the whole thing done by next week. I will definitly post some pics. I anyone is wondering i used leatherique products, their dye allows the leather to breath, not like the spray paint dye you buy at napa or autozone which seals the pores in the leather and turns your leather into cardboard.

<small>[ January 18, 2003, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: Jeff'sSHO ]</small>

 

[khiser0001]

I am considering doing this to my two front seats and wanted to know how the crack sealer works? I have seen how to's that show filling in the folds and sanding it back down then applying the dye. I am wondering..does the crack filler come loose or does it not show that it has been done?

Also does anyone that has done this have pictures of the before and after?

What about the pictures of the Gen 3 in the Gen 2?

Thanks,
Kevin