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Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> 65-70 Full Size Interior Tech Forum -> Switching from buckets to Strato bench in 66 GP
Post Info TOPIC: Switching from buckets to Strato bench in 66 GP
4SPEED427


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Switching from buckets to Strato bench in 66 GP
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Tonight I pulled the buckets from my 66 GP as I plan to eventually install the Strato bench I got from Cheviac. I am sure glad he knew to include the 4 floor brackets for the seat tracks to attach to. I'm sure many of you know about this, but I have never installed a Strato before and doing it without these brackets would not have been pretty if I wanted to do a job that was good cosmetically and also safe as far as the anchor points.

I don't have pictures of what's involved but I'll try to get some eventually. It's a pretty simple install by the look of it if you have the right brackets. I hope to do a test fit in the next day or two.



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
Elroy


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cool ! Can't wait to see the buckets !!

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4SPEED427


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I wondered if you'd read this!

I'll get some pics another night if that's ok. It's bedtime in Manitoba!

Hittin' the showers right now.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
dualquadpete


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Carl, am I reading this right??? Your taking out the "BUCKETS" & installing "BENCH"??? That's a FIRST!!! usually it's the other way,"toss the bench & throw in a set of buckets" Nothing wrong with what you want, just wanted to "clairify" what I saw???

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Stephenzone


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what no pics!!! gonna be some serious consequences young fellow!!!

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sTevE

55 GMC, 70 Pontiac 2+2 rag
4SPEED427


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dualquadpete wrote:

Carl, am I reading this right??? Your taking out the "BUCKETS" & installing "BENCH"??? That's a FIRST!!! usually it's the other way,"toss the bench & throw in a set of buckets" Nothing wrong with what you want, just wanted to "clairify" what I saw???

 Yes, that is correct. I love those Strato benches. I had one in my GP I owned when I was 17. With the fold down armrest, I find it even more comfortable than the bucket. The seat back is identical to the bucket seat back also.

Plus I think a bench seat 4 speed 427 GP will be a bit different.



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
4SPEED427


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Stephenzone wrote:

what no pics!!! gonna be some serious consequences young fellow!!!

 I was wondering which one of you on here was going to get on my case.......nonoevileyeevileyebiggrinbiggrin



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
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Cheviac


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Note: you will find that the hole in the front mounting plates line up with an existing bolt hole in the floor. Makes it easy to line up and tack weld them in at the factory I suspect.



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4SPEED427


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Yes, I saw that Ken. As soon as I looked at that hole I figured that must have been what the hole was for and when I set the plate on my floor using it as a guide, the contours all made sense. Having you include those plates sure will save me a lot of "engineering"!

I think the gold will clash just a bit too much with the red though!

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
dualquadpete


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You could "claim" colour blindness" ??????

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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in    !!!!!!!! BLACKSTOCK Ont.
Pontiacanada


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Strato Bench has such a nice ring to it ... Straaaatoooo Bench!

Richardo Montalban should say it! (I know, slow day on the Island again)



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'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.

seventy2plus2


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On a 2 door, doesn't the Strato-Bench just use the same outer brackets as the buckets?  I figured the outer brackets were the same regardless of whether it was a strato-bucket, bench or strato-bench seat.   



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68sd396rag


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Carl Stevenson wrote:
dualquadpete wrote:

Carl, am I reading this right??? Your taking out the "BUCKETS" & installing "BENCH"??? That's a FIRST!!! usually it's the other way,"toss the bench & throw in a set of buckets" Nothing wrong with what you want, just wanted to "clairify" what I saw???

 Yes, that is correct. I love those Strato benches. I had one in my GP I owned when I was 17. With the fold down armrest, I find it even more comfortable than the bucket. The seat back is identical to the bucket seat back also.

Plus I think a bench seat 4 speed 427 GP will be a bit different.

 Strato bench seats are way cool-I have one all re-upholstered and ready to go into my 69 wagon( it is a power bench of course)-caused by option disease which I picked up from Carl many years ago.There is no known cure that I or any car doctor is aware of-nor have there been any further medical studies done to try to find a cure-thats fine with me!! Am happy without a cure!! LOL



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4SPEED427


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seventy2plus2 wrote:

On a 2 door, doesn't the Strato-Bench just use the same outer brackets as the buckets?  I figured the outer brackets were the same regardless of whether it was a strato-bucket, bench or strato-bench seat.   

 Yes, the outer tracks bolted to the seat look the same, as far as design. I was convinced I would only need the floor brackets if I was converting from bench to Strato bench but when I put the tape measure on, the spacing was about 2" different, side to side. I would not have guessed that.



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
4SPEED427


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68sd396rag wrote:

 Strato bench seats are way cool-I have one all re-upholstered and ready to go into my 69 wagon( it is a power bench of course)-caused by option disease which I picked up from Carl many years ago.There is no known cure that I or any car doctor is aware of-nor have there been any further medical studies done to try to find a cure-thats fine with me!! Am happy without a cure!! LOL

 When I retire I'm going to make my fortune when I start up Option Anonymous to help those addicted to options!



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
68sd396rag


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Carl Stevenson wrote:
68sd396rag wrote:

 Strato bench seats are way cool-I have one all re-upholstered and ready to go into my 69 wagon( it is a power bench of course)-caused by option disease which I picked up from Carl many years ago.There is no known cure that I or any car doctor is aware of-nor have there been any further medical studies done to try to find a cure-thats fine with me!! Am happy without a cure!! LOL

 When I retire I'm going to make my fortune when I start up Option Anonymous to help those addicted to options!

 SIGN ME UP!!-CERTAINLY BETTER THAN BEING ADDICTED TO SUBSTANCE OR ALCOHOL !!  LOL



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beaumontguru


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Agreed,   I think the strato bench will be way more comfortable than the buckets

I find the 60s GM buckets to be the most UNcomfortable things on earth.  Benches are some much better.

The strato-buckets that started in 1966 are an improvement.  the early 60's ones are crap,  i would never want to sit in those things.

Plus the strato-bench gives you a center armrest which is nice and you can hold a 3rd person if nessesary.

 

Oh,  i too suffer from this Optionitis you speak of.



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Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
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4SPEED427


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I find it rather amazing that something as simple as a visually appealing, comfortable split bench seat with a folding armrest can cure many of the smyptoms of this disease called Optionitis.

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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
beaumontguru


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power windows and power seat in my station wagon helps with this toobiggrin



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Beaumontguru

MY BEAUMONT HAS 4 STUDDED TIRES AND 2 BLOCKHEATERS......AND LOTS OF OIL UNDERNEATH.  The other one has a longer roof.
68sd396rag


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ya my 68 wagon was a stripped car-and it now has almost 40-50 options-it is all Carls fault too!!disbelief



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Stephenzone


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camera broken?

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sTevE

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Elroy


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TMI make a bolstered up seat package for the old buckets with no back support, check out their website sometime !

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4SPEED427


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Stephenzone wrote:

camera broken?

 You know how it takes longer to lift your foot off the brake pedal when the guy behind you honks when the light turns green??? These pictures could have been here sooner....biggrin

But now I will go get them from my Photobucket and post them in spite of the nagging!



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
4SPEED427


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So when you remove the buckets, you have 2 holes in the floor for each corner at each outer seat track. Ignore the seat brackets higher up in the picture, they are just sitting there loose and that is NOT where they will be installed.

Driver's side

Passenger side

 

You use one of the two holes in the floor to align the bracket. Ken said there was no bolt in the hole now but it's likely on the assembly line the bolt was installed in that hole to line the bracket up for welding, then removed. Why they needed to remove it, I have no idea. In the pictures, the bracket is sitting where it belongs but I don't have the bolt in the alignment hole.

Driver's side

 

Passenger side

 

 

It moves the attaching points for the seat track in about 1" on each side.



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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles 

1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
68sd396rag


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What? no power bench? are you serious?Hey you are the guy who gave me option disease-did you secretly find the cure or are you getting lazy? what the ? Do you have the power set-up? wow I have just fallen over-dumbfounded to say the least!! talk to me-tell me I am not seeing this!! Is there a therapist out there or what? Ok now I am seriously laughing-after all these years-you -of all people are skipping the opportunity to put a power bench seat in? do it!! do it!!



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