Fixing the gangster lean

[lordxenu]

So the seats in my spider have the gangster lean going on, and I think that's why my seat adjustment is wearing out...the seats aren't pulling directly against the tooth that holds it upright. It's actually pulling back and to the right, which causes it to strip the tooth out.

So I guess I need to figure this out, I don't think the seat is cracked, but I'll have to take it apart to find out.

How do you reinforce these things? If I do this I'll take them both out and do them at the same time so I have solid seat backings, but do I need a welder? Or can I use a drill + nuts and bolts to reinforce these guys?

I don't really have easy access to a welder, so that'd make it a lot more difficult. It also doesn't help that I'm broke as a joke, so any DIY fixes I can do are appreciated

If THAT fails...what kind of seats can I swap into this car and have them at about the same ride height as the stock seats?

I hear Honda seats fit pretty well, but it seems like I read somewhere they jack you upwards in the car a bit. Any tips are appreciated

[mdrburchette]

The early seats were made a lot better. It might be better to use an early model frame and swap your padding and cover over to one. I've got one if you're willing to drive up to Winston-Salem, NC.

[lordxenu]

The early seats were made a lot better. It might be better to use an early model frame and swap your padding and cover over to one. I've got one if you're willing to drive up to Winston-Salem, NC.

Do all the newer seat adjustment mechanisms bolt up to the older frames?

I may do this eventually, but I'd have to plan a day for a trip (school and work eat up all my time :p)

With that said if I can quick fix the frame for a while I'd be fine until then.

[manoa matt]

The problem is in the seat mechanisms themselves, not so much the thickness of the seat pan/back metal, as commonly thought.

The early seats up to 78 have the adjustment knob on the outboard side of the seat near the door. There is also a corresponding mechanism on the inboard side of the seat near the center console. Internal to the seat back is a square rod that links the two mechanisms together so they act as one to support the seat and tilt it forward and back at the same time.

The later seats only have a tilt mechanism on the outboard side near the door. The mechanism on the inboard side of the seat is a simple hinge and the two are not linked together.

Therefore on the later seats, the outboard mechanism "holds" that side of the seat in the desired position, however the simple hinge mechanism on the inboard side allows that side to lean.

Even if you "twist" the back into position it will eventually re-develop the lean do to the lack of support on the inboard side.

The mechanisms are not interchangeable between the seat pans/backs for early to late or vice versa.

[lordxenu]

I actually thought of something that someone mentioned on the forum in an older post that made sense; what if I just swap the driver's side backing to the passenger?

Would it bolt up properly? Or do the two sides have different bolt patterns on the seat?

Also what sort of alternative seats (aside from finding spider seat frames) would fit in these cars well? I've heard that Honda seats fit pretty well, does anyone else have any experience with that?

I appreciate the answers guys

[azruss]

i have switched ps and ds seats. only issue is the tilt adjust is now inboard. not a big deal.

[manoa matt]

Yes, if you switch the whole seat the mechanism will be on the other side. If you remove the two bolts on each side of the mechanism you can swap the seat backs and have a reverse gangster lean. (upstanding citizen lean??)

[gchocevar]

I tried looking at all kind of seats for my 79 Spider. Both the driver and the passanger had the lean. Some in business told me the only seat that would not raise you up in a Fiat spider would be a Corvette seat. I gave up at that point and decided to rebuild mine. The sheet metal in the back inside were both cracked. I checked the forum and there were suggestions on weld mods.

I bought some sheet metal stock and l cut my own patterns but had t take it to a weld shop. For $20 he welded the pieces in. I can send you pictures of the welds if you give me your email.

Greg

[lordxenu]

I tried looking at all kind of seats for my 79 Spider. Both the driver and the passanger had the lean. Some in business told me the only seat that would not raise you up in a Fiat spider would be a Corvette seat. I gave up at that point and decided to rebuild mine. The sheet metal in the back inside were both cracked. I checked the forum and there were suggestions on weld mods.

I bought some sheet metal stock and l cut my own patterns but had t take it to a weld shop. For $20 he welded the pieces in. I can send you pictures of the welds if you give me your email.

Greg

Nice, pm with email sent

[FiatMac]

Yes, if you switch the whole seat the mechanism will be on the other side. If you remove the two bolts on each side of the mechanism you can swap the seat backs and have a reverse gangster lean. (upstanding citizen lean??)

I thought about trying two install a passenger side seat back on the drivers side of my '82 Spider but found that the mounting points on the seat bottom and back are not the same side to side. They are "mirror image" and will not interchange.