I have a set of 1987 blue GL-10 seats (with height adjuster) that I want to put into my gen 2 brat (an 82). What all is involved with the swap. I hear its easier than legacy seats, but is still not a direct bolt in. Which holes match and which dont? How much scrap steel should I have laying around? Just enough to make like 2 2 inch adapters? more?? Less?

Since you have height adjustment it become more of a challenge since they mount to the seat rails completely then the non adjustable seats.

legacy seats are easier than the ea82 height adjusts....

 

click on the 'home' link in the gray bar above, then go to 'Subarus of the 80s', then 'helpful diagrams'.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/diagrams/diagrams.html

 

there is a diagram of some brackets I made to fit the height adjust seats into my wagon without doing any welding...

 

or go directly there....

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/80s/diagrams/ea82-height-adj-seat-brackets.jpg

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12335&highlight=hatch+xt6+seats

i still love them, should be about the same as your seats. everybody thinks im extra short till i get out of the car.

Ok, I think I understand the height adjustable seat diagram, looks as if the extra width is gained from the center console side then huh?

 

- Mike

I did have to trim the plastic trim at the door as well.

I started tearing stuff apart today... but ran into a problem... I cant get the screws that hold the EA82 rails to the GL-10 donor seats off... my brat is rusty but the screws came out EASY on them.... the blue seats are decent shape but the screws arent budging.... ummmm I already broke an expensive Tamiya screwdriver trying to get em loose, my electric drill isnt torquey enough....

 

Dremel time???

 

any other ideas to get those pesky mothers off there?

Flo...get a hold of Jerry (bratsarus1). He's a whiz at installing "unauthorized" seats. He put a set of XT seats in my Brat and it's like they were made for it. He actually separated the seat rail halves of the XT seats and mounted the original seat rails from the old seats in the Brat (without the seat attached of course) and then tack welded the XT half rail to the old rails, removed the combination, welded the rails together properly and added some re-enforcement cross pieces. Perfect arrangement and stronger than the original.

He's way up in Yakima though isnt he? I can install them myself now that I understand how to make the adapters, I just need to get those pesky screws off the GL-10 seats...

 

I thought about maybe hacking away with them with a dremel til I can get a 6 pointed socket over them and then use a cheater pipe to break it loose... a screwdriver probably just wont cut it unless someone here has an idea.

unless someone here has an idea.

Impact screwdriver? The kind you hit with a hammer. You can rent them pretty cheaply. Otherwise the dremel is a good idea. I use mine more than I ever thought I would. Good luck and when ever you get pics of the Legacy seats send 'em over. Dustindflowers@yahoo.com

Vise grips. Grab the head and turn. Works almost every time.

 

GD

I second the impact screwdriver, those work great, and I've seen ;em for like $20 bucks. Good tool to have around.

Ok, Flow I'll send em your way once I get someone with a digicam out here.

 

Rick, how can I get vise grips in there, the screw is down inside the rail so I cant just clamp it on sideways... maybe I could have it go head in, I'll TRY it, but I dont have alot of confidence in it... though... since I am scrapping the EA82 rails I guess I could cut the crap outta them to give the vise grips some room

Absolutly amazing what a search will yield on this forum!!!!!

 

I'm going to be putting standard GL EA82 seats into Vicky's Brat. Will I need a brack for this operation as well??? I put GL10 seats into the car I pulled the future Brat seats out of and they were a direct bolt in, seems to me I will need the same braket wether higth adjustable or not. Thanks for any words of wisdom before I tear into this thing. Tim

Try a cold steel chisel and a BFH.

Funny... I have the seats in, the passenger one is done but the drivers one is only in with 2 bolts still

 

To remove the old stuff: Impact screwdriver all the way. It made it SO easy!

 

To fit them in... what I found easiest is to use the stock brat rails on the GL-10 seats. You need to weld on the tab that pivots on the height adjuster. Pretty easy though. Then after that what I did on mine is bolt down 2 of the holes in 1 rail. Then use steel scrap to make tabs to bolt to the floor, then weld do the seat bracket where the bolts used to go through. Much easier to weld it nice and square (for me anyway) with the seat in the car where you want it. I did have to trim back the door sill molding though

i think i put a socket over the little courtesy screwdriver that came in the car's toolkit. whoda thought that THAT screwdriver would actually prove worth keeping?

okay, I've got a start on it. I'm using the EA81 rails and making a steel bar go from side to side and then I'll bolt the seat to that. If I remember I'll snap some pics. Tim