What options are available (practical) and what kind of a hassle is it to replace the seats in a Brat with other Subaru seats? Are Legacy seats an option?

Can't really help but I am curious too because I'm looking for some different seats for my two ea81 wagons. I looked into swapping in seats out of an 88 GL-10. The passenger side was quite easy, but the drivers side with the height adjustable mechanism would have been a huge ordeal.

 

If I find something that works I'll post back.

I put the seats out of a 87 3dr in my brat. The (4) mounting holes on the 87 seats are about 1" wider and longer than the Brat seat rails. What I did was cut some 1/8 x 2 1/2" flat iron and bolted that across the 3dr seats and drilled holes for the brat rails to bolt too. Worked great.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4787&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

This has got me inspired!

 

I've add a pic.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4787&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

That is from your Brat? I like the 5 spd shifting console.

That is from your Brat? I like the 5 spd shifting console.

Yup That also came out of my 3dr doner car.

I've adapted Legacy Seats on my Brat. Those seats does not have the height adjustment, well they wouldnt fit in the car so i got the ones without. You'll have to unbolt the rail from the legacy seats and put the original Brat's rail into the legacy seats. The rails will me a bit wider so the wholes will not lign up on the car, then you'll have to drill a hole big enought to bolt it in.

 

Good luck, if you need more info on this PM me

 

Neo

Remove the rails/tracks from an EA81 seat and mount that in the car. Put your new seat on the rail and tack weld it in place (you'll probably need to weld braces or a wider rail to the original set first). Then mount your new seats on top of that and tack weld in place. Remove the entire seat/rails and final weld everything in place and add re-inforcements as needed.

So it is doable. Good, and good thing I bought a welded at Christmas time.Now, off to a neighborhood J/Y.

Remove the rails/tracks from an EA81 seat and mount that in the car. Put your new seat on the rail and tack weld it in place (you'll probably need to weld braces or a wider rail to the original set first). Then mount your new seats on top of that and tack weld in place. Remove the entire seat/rails and final weld everything in place and add re-inforcements as needed.

Thats a lot more work than you need to do. Some people don't like welding inside a car or have a welding machine. Here is a simple diagram of what I did.

on the "Helpful Diagrams" link off the 80's Subarus section (off the homepage) there is a diagram of the brackets to put in Legacy seats....

on the "Helpful Diagrams" link off the 80's Subarus section (off the homepage) there is a diagram of the brackets to put in Legacy seats....

 

Thanks, I'll look at it.

Sounds like you just want an excuse to try out your welder!

 

Let me know if I can help out with anything. I also really want to see the finished product because the foam in my drivers seat is trashed and if Legacy seats are a viable option, I might put a set in.

on the "Helpful Diagrams" link off the 80's Subarus section (off the homepage) there is a diagram of the brackets to put in Legacy seats....

I think my design may be stronger than the one in "Helpful Diagrams" But both would work, without welding.

I've got 84 Mazda RX7 seats in mine, the work great for me :]

 

and I agree with the comment about craven's console, I like the way that looks, ea81 with an ea82 center console. So I copied, hehe, since I converted my auto to a 5 speed and used a tranny from an ea82 I already had all the interior parts, I even modified the aread between the dash and console so I could put the stereo there

you inspired me craven :]

I've got 84 Mazda RX7 seats in mine, the work great for me :]

 

and I agree with the comment about craven's console, I like the way that looks, ea81 with an ea82 center console. So I copied, hehe, since I converted my auto to a 5 speed and used a tranny from an ea82 I already had all the interior parts, I even modified the aread between the dash and console so I could put the stereo there

you inspired me craven :]

I've got a radio pod out of a Mazda pickup, that I cut down to fit the space between the console and dash. That is not in that pic.

I've got a radio pod out of a Mazda pickup, that I cut down to fit the space between the console and dash. That is not in that pic.

 

I used the top portion of the ea82 console, and a ea81 console with the center cut out, and combined them to form a new one that works with all of my other ea81 console pieces.....

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=657

I looked at legacy seats a few weeks back at work. They are wider railed seats, so you'd have to make the adaptor everyone is talkin about. I think you could get away with usin 1/8 inch flat bar steel. measure everything up, and just have a machine shop cut and drill it. then bolt her up

I looked at legacy seats a few weeks back at work. They are wider railed seats, so you'd have to make the adaptor everyone is talkin about. I think you could get away with usin 1/8 inch flat bar steel. measure everything up, and just have a machine shop cut and drill it. then bolt her up

 

Torxxx, you got a handle on any good seat deals through your work? I see the local j/y has a set or two (condition?) for $150. I'd be willing to drive up there this week if you could find a good deal.

I looked at legacy seats a few weeks back at work. They are wider railed seats, so you'd have to make the adaptor everyone is talkin about. I think you could get away with usin 1/8 inch flat bar steel. measure everything up, and just have a machine shop cut and drill it. then bolt her up

I don't know about a machine shop. I did mine with a hacksaw amd a hand drill. Your not building a Swiss Watch.