Gen 3 seats in a Gen 2?

[Team Dave]

Sorry if this has been covered, but searching for this was pretty tough with the keywords being so short. I'll supply you guys with both a long and a short version, depending on how much you care. LOL

Long version:
I have a red/gray 93 MTX, and am in need of some new seats. I would love some clean stockies, but they are hard to find, and cleaning junkyard seats is a royal PITA. I have a stock rear seat I've been trying to clean up (out of a silver 92 at the local PnP), but it is pretty saturated with dirt and oil. I only grabbed it because it had no rips in it, and I had cleaned up some j/y seats before and did a pretty good job.

After some test cleaning, I've really started thinking I bit off more than I could chew on this one. The last ones I cleaned up were from a Sable, and I did a damn good job. Unfortunately the driver's seat had a tiny wear spot that turned into a gaping rip after a few weeks of DD use. It's pretty rare to find Gen3 seats in bad conditon, so I always wondered how they might look/fit in a Gen2. I know it's possible for the fronts, but is the back seat at all swapable? What if I pulled the leather off the Gen3 seat foam and onto my Gen2 seat foam? They look like they are roughly the same dimensions. Also, aren't all Tauruses until 05 based on the same chassis? I don't know if the floor pans are much if any different for the back seat to not work as is.

Short Version:
Will Gen3 seats work in a Gen2? What modifications would be needed?

 

[bubba]

It has, but I still just don't like the way the gen 3 feels on my back side. I don't feel loved by them like the gen 2's do. IMHO

 

[SHOspazz92]

The side bolters (Or lack of) in the Gen III's suck.

-Sam

 

[jthod]

Gen 1 FTW.

that is all

 

[Team Dave]

I'm just weighing my options for right now. I would love to have some clean stock Gen2 seats, but finding a set is a chore, and finding a clean set is even tougher. Gen3 seats might be just as tough to find, but at least a majority of their interiors are still in good shape. I'm not too concerned with the bolster issue. My Sable seats don't even have bolsters.

 

[cobrakidd03]

Have you thought about seats from a thunderbird supercoupe? those also may be hard to find but its another option for you.

 

[95 slo-ho]

so the gen 3 front and rear seats will bolt right in? im ready to get rid of this leather

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Pm Mysho1. He had tan leather seats in his or his fathers Gen II.

 

[SHO92]

Wow, no one really answered the question...

Gen 3 fronts will bolt right in, but the electrical connections are backwards. Press the switch forward, and the seat moves backwards. The connector on the seat will need to have the wires switched around.

The rear bottom will clip right in. The back will need some custom brackets made.

Contact OhioSHODude. I'm pretty sure he has Gen 3 seats in his Gen 1.

 

[bad_4dr_sho]

I just installed Gen3 seats this past weekend. Wow it was easy. They bolt right in, yea you have to cut the plugs and swap them around. And you have to use the seat belt buckle from the gen 2 seats, which bolt right up to the gen 3 seats. But other then that it was easy and well worth it.

 

[Team Dave]

Thanks guys, that *really* broadens my seat search.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

FYI the SLO seats are not the same as SHO seats on a Gen III. But I'm sure you knew that.

 

[ohioshodude]

i ran into some odd problems with the gen III seats. my front passanger seat fits all the mounting holes but the drivers seat did not. i'm wondering if the seats i got had a bent mounting bracket. also the rear seat back fits fine you'll have to build them up in the back as the rear of the seat sits lower. if you want the upper part you will have to custom mount it. i actually installed mine so that i can have a passthru. work nice but sawzall is required along with custom mounts and carpeting..

few shots


my 91 is a collection of sho parts. 91 with 99 seats and a 93 rear deck.

 

[elarm1]

Tight!!! I wanna see the whole car!^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[RonPorter]

I would vote for Gen 1 seats before the Gen 3 seats....

Anyway, an upholstery shop can redo your seats for a reasonable cost.

If you have leather, just get a matching vinyl to keep costs down.

After 2.5 years of ownership and two track events, I was underwhelmed with the seats in my '99.

 

[ohioshodude]

my 91 has so much crap done to it and still sitting waiting to be finished. lets see off the top of my head..

digital dash
gen II RKE module
gen III seats
sable door panels
2008 audiophile radio with kicker amp and JL 8" sub in 92 sho box custom mounted in the trunk
plus chrome trim
gen II black mirrors
gen II center console
gen III sunroof module and custom dash mounted switches for roof
lincoln LSE gunmetal rims with 255/45/17's
i'm sure there is more.... but its a project! there's also a FPS S/C in a box and a 3.2l waiting to go in.

some day.. ugh.. lol i miss that thing!

 

[SHOracer14]

my 91 has so much crap done to it and still sitting waiting to be finished. lets see off the top of my head..

digital dash
gen II RKE module
gen III seats
sable door panels
2008 audiophile radio with kicker amp and JL 8" sub in 92 sho box custom mounted in the trunk
plus chrome trim
gen II black mirrors
gen II center console
gen III sunroof module and custom dash mounted switches for roof
lincoln LSE gunmetal rims with 255/45/17's
i'm sure there is more.... but its a project! there's also a FPS S/C in a box and a 3.2l waiting to go in.

some day.. ugh.. lol i miss that thing!

And a cowl hood! I've been anxiously awaiting the completion of this beast.

 

[yamahaSHO]

My first search yielded this: http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=38856&highlight=seat+swap

Gen 1 FTW.

that is all

Aftermarket FTMFW!

That is all.

 

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

i ran into some odd problems with the gen III seats. my front passanger seat fits all the mounting holes but the drivers seat did not. i'm wondering if the seats i got had a bent mounting bracket. also the rear seat back fits fine you'll have to build them up in the back as the rear of the seat sits lower. if you want the upper part you will have to custom mount it. i actually installed mine so that i can have a passthru. work nice but sawzall is required along with custom mounts and carpeting..

few shots


my 91 is a collection of sho parts. 91 with 99 seats and a 93 rear deck.

IMHO it just doesn't look right.

 

[Team Dave]

Ahhh, "seat swap". That's what I get for using "gen" and "3" as search terms. Het, at least this thread has pics! haha