FOR SALE Parting Out 1983 New Yorker 5th Ave 44,000 Miles

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BudW

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JW, Some of these came with power passenger side front seats. If so and if your R/F seat is manual, you might also get the R/F seat track, as well.
It is a lot easier than making a L/F seat track be transformed into a R/F seat track.
If you already have a power R/F seat track, then disregard this note.
BudW
 

Justwondering

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Bud ... I don't have power right side front seat.
Should I be asking Steven to pull the power rails on the driver side as well as the controls on the seat?

This is obviously more complicated than my simple mind thought it would be.
LOL

JW
 

Mikes5thAve

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I don't know if driver side rails fit passenger side. You need power passenger side rails. I wanted to do that but never bothered. Never found stuff able to get apart in junk yards and never move the seat much anyway.
 

BudW

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The R/F inner seat track is 2-3 inches shorter (up/down) than both Left sides or Right outer side are. There will be a lot of fabrication needed to convert a L/F seat track to a R/F seat track. Possible, but a lot of work. You would be better to find a power R/F seat track (40/40 with or without buddy seat or 60/40 front seats (like what you currently have in your Fifth Ave)).
Not sure what is different about it, but the Left and Right seat switches are different on a '87 M-body.

It is not hard to upgrade to power seat(s) on an M-body. In most cases, the wiring harness pigtail is already under the carpet.
Remove the seat from car (or at least unbolt it from underneath the car), pull up and can do changeover with seat inside of car (but is easier with seat outside of car - but also a bear to man-handle solo). There are four captured nuts to remove, one or two of which might be behind the exhaust heat shield. The nut size is 1/2 inch (I think) and you will need a deep socket.
Seat Nut.png

There might be one or more seat spacers present (or not). If so, make note of this before reassembly. If used, they are held in place with the lock rings/clips - which sometimes are missing or fall apart. Nothing wrong with using some masking tape to hold it in place before inserting the seat.
Seat spacer.JPG

With seat on its side (or upside down), unbolt the existing seat track from seat frame (four fasteners).
The switch bracket has two parts, inside and outside part. The two nuts are 3/8 inch (I think). You will need to cut a hole into the seat for the switch to stick through - so test fit a few times (as much is allowable) before cutting. It is SO MUCH easier to install the seat switch before the seat track.
The seat switch electrical connector (which is similar to those used for door lock/window switches) are flimsy - so use a wide flat blade screwdriver when removing the electrical connector - as well as take your time. It is much easier to install the electrical connector than to remove it - but even then, take your time. Install the electrical connector before bolting the seat track to the seat frame.

It is also good to get out a wiring diagram and test the power seat operation before installing - which can be done with a few jumper wires.
Jumper Wires.jpg


Below is a PDF file from my '87 (Front Wheel Drive) FSM - which is similar, but with a few differences.
img001.jpg


BudW
 

Justwondering

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what vehicle should i be looking for so I can more easily add passenger side front seat power controls.
JW
 

Mikes5thAve

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For the track just 5th avenue. If you could get power pass seat in other Ms it's very rare. The switches could well be on other vehicles tho.
 

Mikes5thAve

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And to follow up on Bud's post there is a nut under the heat shield but there's a tab conveniently cut into it that you can bend back for access to the nut without removing the shield.
 

Justwondering

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My thought was:
No one looks at the embossed info on the seat buttons. You just reach your hand down there and muck with them.
So if they are the reverse of the driver side, I'm okay with that.
The rails would be a different issue though, since it sounds like they are not symetrical (left to right) and there is a true front and back.
I couldn't just put it in back to front and expect it to work.

Which leaves me wondering if I could use a different vehicle's power track and put on the passenger side. Maybe something from a 1990's / 2000 vehicle.
Realizing I would need to address the electrical wiring harness conversion from 1987 to younger vehicle.

JW
 

BudW

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Any FMJ vehicle with power (non-bench) seats. The R/F seat on my '86 Fifth Ave is power and I have seen a lot of M-body power R/F seats at the local pull-a-part (but not recently). The only thing I can think that might be different is sometimes the electrical plug-in (which is under the carpet) might be different over the years.

I don't see too many F-bodies with power seats, but M & J's should be fairly common (I think).

I wish the seats on my '86 would recline . . .
BudW
 
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