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  1. #1

    Default Any factory seats that fit 80-82 Thunderbird and Cougar

    I haven't been on the forum for quite some time... 2 years. My 80 Thunderbird project was on the back burner but I'm now finally back to working on/modifying it.

    My question is if anyone knows of other mercury/ford seats that will physically bolt right in to the 80-82 floor pan?
    I currently have a set of Procar Scat aftermarket seats with modified LTD LX mounts. They are ok but I'd rather have factory. I would have kept the split seats but I installed the optional center console. I want to track down a set of factory buckets (major plus if they are dark red vinyl).

  2. #2

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    So far in my research it looks like the 78-83 Fairmont seats are the same.
    From the photos I'm looking at, it just seems to be a different set of foam and upholstery covers. Wish I had a set to compare the bolt pattern for the mounts to see if they would be a direct bolt in.

    The 79-80 Granada might also be the same.
    Last edited by BBCFORD; 12-23-2018 at 04:01 PM.

  3. #3
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    I have '91 Mustang sport buckets in my Fairmont. Direct bolt-in.

    Mike

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Have Procar Scat drivers seat in the Mustang. Using the Mustangs oe track assy.
    Sit lower than on stock low backs.
    Going to add height to the frame rails to match pass seat height next year.
    Other wise, is much better than stock seat. HD vinyl, good support, comfort, adj.

    Reusing tracks with different seats is easiest, because they match the pan bolt pattern and contours.
    Other bucket seats may fit by changing out their entire tracks and using the intended car's seat track assys.
    Found seats can vary in final height ,model to model, swapping same seat track to each.
    Had an Escort GT bucket seat in the Ranger. Removed entire Escort track assy, used the Ranger tracks.
    This year, found a Ranger bucket. Escort seat was much lower to sit in using the same Ranger tracks.
    I know the Escort or the Ranger seat will fit in the Mustang if i use the entire Mustang seat track assy.
    A seat track assy is the 'translator' to swap seats from different car to car. The car's track assys stay with the car.

  5. #5

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    Well, almost any of the seats will bolt up to the (modified) rails you have.

    It sounds like you're looking for something that as the same rails/floor pan as the '80-'82 TBird and XR-7's, correct? I was looking through my notes and can't find any details on the seat rails from my 2 cars I had. One had the factory Recaros and the other the split bench. I don't think any of the other cars used the same rails, as far as I can remember.

    The split bench cars should have the same seat rails as what you would need, and the Ford seats will bolt to them.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  6. #6

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    What did you have to modify on the LTD rails? I don't see why they wouldn't have been the very same as Thunderbird mounts. From what I've heard, the front seat floorpan area should be the same on all Fox cars. I bolted '89 Mustang seats right into my Zeph (factory bucket seat car). They do sit lower, but I'm okay with that.

    That said, the '82-87 Continental used the same wheelbase and everything as the boxy birds.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  7. #7
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    The '82-'87 Continental seats would probably fit since those cars had the window/mirror control panel between the front seats, but the seat backs don't fold forward for rear seat access. They're not really "bucket seats", either, and that era Continentals are pretty scarce.

  8. #8
    FEP Power Member gmatt's Avatar
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    I installed Mustang LX seats into my '86 LTD wagon using the LTD tracks, which are different than the Mustang tracks. Direct swap though, didn't have to modify anything.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    From what I've heard, the front seat floorpan area should be the same on all Fox cars.
    Negative, Ghostrider.

    The 83-88 TBirds/Cougars and Mk7's most definitely did NOT have the same floor pan as the rest of the Fox-chassied cars. The mounts on the floorpan where the seat rails bolt to the floor are wider.

    I tried to dig through my old hand-written notes from over a decade ago on the work I did on the white '80 XR-7 I had. I don't think I got around to putting crossbraces on any SFCs that I might've made for it, so no notes on any difference on the mounting width.
    The only thing I can offer is a couple pics of the stock, manual seat tracks that were in the Recaro-equipped car.



    I recall the seat mounting studs on the floor to be closer to the ~11" width of the Mustangs/Fairmonts/etc vs the ~14" width of the 83-88 TBirds/Cougars.

    The OP hasn't mentioned what was modified on the Fairmont mounts to bolt them to the floorpan.
    Last edited by Chuck W; 12-26-2018 at 09:30 AM.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck W View Post
    The 83-88 TBirds/Cougars and Mk7's most definitely did NOT have the same floor pan as the rest of the Fox-chassied cars. The mounts on the floorpan where the seat rails bolt to the floor are wider.
    Makes sense. They were certainly the oddballs of the bunch.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  11. #11

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    Thanks for all the input. Lots of information there. I originally had a bench seat but that was swapped out for a set of separate seats with the fold down arm rests and driver side electrical adjuster. Eventually I got a center console out of an 84 LTD LX, since Ford utilized the very same console that was an option in the 80-82 Thunderbird and Cougar Xr-7. This change lead me to a set of Procar seats that are maroon in color. Only they are a few shades lighter than the back seat and rest of the interior. I thought I would like them but $800 later I just don't like how they feel. I hoped that the 1984 Ltd lx mounts were going to work as a direct swap but that wasn't the case. The bolt holes were not the same so I had to weld on some flat stock to the frames, especially the back bolts, very different locations then the LX. My biggest gripe is how close I have to sit, way to close to the steering wheel, when th ed seats are slid back. I'm sure I could re-fabricate the mounts but I'd rather get an oem style look.

  12. #12

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    Why didn't you keep the sliders stock and then swap the seats?

    I buy mustang seats and swap them on tbird/cougar tracks all the time.

    I also used to bolt on two door tempo and escort seats when I was a kid.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  13. #13

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    I actually kept the drivers seat electric mount apparatus and I think I might still have the passenger side sliders as well. Problem is when I separated from my EX I unknowingly left some of my car parts behind. I originally thought about just reusing the oem sliders but for some reason I didn't go that route. I'm figuring I would just use the power mount on my future drivers seat and either find my old sliders or buy a used set. Tomorrow I'll post the difference in the floorplan holes and the original pattern of the Procar LTD mounts.

  14. #14

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    Never got around to the seats yesterday. I have to wait till Wednesday until I'm able to.
    In the meanwhile I'm getting some info on a set of seats belonging to another member out of an 82 Futura. I think they are essentially the same. The same frame and plastic trim, just different padding and covers.

  15. #15

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    My notes are that Mustang/Capri have a rear bolt spacing in the floorpan of 10.70" and the F/Z/Thunderbird/Cougar cars have a spacing of 13.92". I know that the early F/Z/T/C cars also use smaller bolts than a Mustang. They may all use smaller bolts. I'm not sure.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Hidley View Post
    My notes are that Mustang/Capri have a rear bolt spacing in the floorpan of 10.70" and the F/Z/Thunderbird/Cougar cars have a spacing of 13.92". I know that the early F/Z/T/C cars also use smaller bolts than a Mustang. They may all use smaller bolts. I'm not sure.
    Actually on the TB/Coug (At least 83-88 ) they use an M8 and an M12, instead of the M10 found in the Mustangs.

    Also, remembering on my '80 Z7, the rear bolt spacing on the F/Z is the same as the M/C (Used KB Mustang SFC X-bars on the set I made), and they used M10 studs.



    Still, the OP could help out by measuring the rear seat bolt spacing on his car. (The guy who has both of my old '80 Cougar XR7's is in Japan for work, and the cars are tucked away in storage)
    Last edited by Chuck W; 02-05-2019 at 10:14 PM.
    83 TC "Clone"
    85 Marquis LTS
    86 LTD Wagon

  17. #17

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    I'm putting manual seats back in my car. I have a power seat track for driver's side and a manual passenger side I would let you have cheap when I get around to it.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  18. #18
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck W View Post
    Actually on the TB/Coug (At least 83-88 ) they use an M8 and an M12, instead of the M10 found in the Mustangs.

    Also, remembering on my '80 Z7, the rear bolt spacing on the F/Z is the same as the M/C (Used KB Mustang SFC X-bars on the set I made), and they used M10 studs.



    Still, the OP could help out by measuring the rear seat bolt spacing on his car. (The guy who has both of my old '80 Cougar XR7's is in Japan for work, and the cars are tucked away in storage)
    And currently the seats sitting in the '80 Z7 are from an early '90s (Fox) Mustang GT, but they briefly had a set of 2003 GT leather seats in them. They might swap back.

  19. #19

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    anyone try the procar seats? I was thinking about the sportsman pro xl

  20. #20

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    I'm willing to bet the boxy bird/cats have more in common with F/Zs and M/Cs than their later namesakes.

    Do SN95s use the same floor bolt pattern as Foxes? They are more common in junkyards now (especially with that horrible 3.8 ), and it would be nice to have an easy power seat swap for cheap. LMR's seat tracks say they are for '79 to 98, so I would guess yes!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  21. #21
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    I grabbed a driver seat out of a late SN95 a few weeks back - I think it was a '00 or '01. I haven't actually bolted it in place yet, but I just went and measured the rails and the mounting locations on my '82 Zephyr. Everything matches up.
    '89 GT convertible - not a four-eye
    '82 Zephyr Z7 - future track car

  22. #22

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    Well, I know the floor pans of the mark7 and the cougar birds use the same seat mounts, and they are wider then the mustang.

    I have never had an 80-82 car, but the 83-86 body style was carried over with an almost identical interior from 83-84 before being updated in 1985. Soni would guess they share a lot more then most other cars.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  23. #23

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    I haven't checked in for a few days but I did pick up a set of bucket seats off Patrick (from his 82 zephyr) a few weeks ago. I slight oblonged the mounting holes on my "stored away" old 6-way power drivers seat mount from my Thunderbird. I found a set of 80-82 Thunderbird passenger side mounts online and had them shipped for about $85. Mounting the Zephyr seats did actually require me to modify the floor hole pattern in the Tbird sliders. I had to oblong the holes on the passenger side and weld an extension tab on the front of one of them. The Fairmont seats are really close but not quite the same dimensions. However, they really look amazing in the Thunderbird. The drivers seat is beyond comfortable with the electric tracks. I'll have to eventually get a few pictures up.

    So I'm good on seats now. I'm going to put my procar 1000 seats on CL soon as I get some pictures. As far as procar seats go I think they have their place but they sat at a terrible angle for me and were ultra stiff. I never sat in them enough to break them in. I'm guessing if you want procar seats they are a decent way to go but I would highly suggest reusing the original floor tracks and modify them to adapt to the aftermarket seats.
    Last edited by BBCFORD; 02-28-2019 at 09:18 PM.

  24. #24

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    It would be really nice if some of the people here who have cars which are not Mustangs, but are Fox chassis cars, could measure the bolt spacing and bolt size for the rear mounting of their front seats and post them here.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  25. #25
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    '82 Zephyr. Same mounting pattern as SN95 Mustang. Rear mounts are studs, 3/8"-16. (10mm-1.5 also seems to match up nicely, but I don't imagine an '82 Ford had metric seat fasteners.)

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