I've been fed up with the lack of progress this year, so I felt that if I sorted out the seat mounts, I could then sort out carpets and actually start feeling like I've actually got somewhere and have something to show for it. The trouble with an old kit car built by someone else means that any changes usually need a complete re-think or rework, which is why things have taken a while - it's not simply a matter of bolting stuff back together. Anyway, I digress. The buckets I have acquired are flat-bottomed and although I can bolt runners to the bottom of them, there's then no clearance for them to clear the carpet. And so began the simple but rather fiddly job of creating something.
The solution was easy - a long bit of 2"x 2" box section steel. Once I'd measured the runners, out came the hacksaw and 2 blades later I had 4 bits ready to be drilled. How I coped before I got myself a pillar drill I'll never know - it's potentially the most useful power tool I have in the garage. My initial plan was to weld captive nuts inside so I could simply bolt the runners in but there's no clearance to get a spanner in to tighten up the bolts. In fact you can't actually move the bolt head through 360 degrees once it's home, so I went back to more conventional methods.
I then realised that the runners themselves needed clearance on the seat base due to the adjusters, which meant I needed spacers and longer bolts. I popped to the local bolt shop (yes we have one!!) and grabbed 8 bolts and 8 spacers for the grand total of £1.30. I like to support my local business, even if it does mean taking a 5-mile detour to avoid the traffic from the local Agricultural Show (and there was a lot!).
I've now drilled the other side of the 2x2 to accept bolts to go through the floor. Next job, measuring, drilling, fitting, and sitting. Maybe then I can take advantage of this good weather and make some carpets...
Flat bottomed seat - no good for clearance
Runners - also flat (ish)
Length of 2x2 to give appropriate clearance
Longer bolts and spacers from the helpful local bolt shop
And happily bolted to the seat