new seats minor problem

[choptop]

I got new seats for Big Red, but the bolt holes dont line up. Does anyone have an idea on how to bolt them into blind holes? I cant reach the bottom of the bolts to put nuts on, so I am looking for a way to bolt them in with like a spring-wing nut or what ever. I have seen threadlets that go in and once tightened it compacts the backside like a rivet and stays, but dont remember where I saw them. Anyone have any ideas?
I really dont want to drop the tank.
Before


After- still not completely sure about them, but they do give me alot more leg room, and easier access to the back seat of the cab.

I have to work some wrinkles out of the sides, but otherwise they seem ok for $300

[Irish_Alley]

were you find them at?

[69byrd]

Those seats look really good.

[choptop]

were you find them at?

Found them on Craigslist. The guy was about 70 miles north of me. I couldnt even get the stocker recovered for that price, so I went for it.

Those seats look really good.

Thanks

[VileZambonie]

Blind holes? There should be welded nuts.

[choptop]

Blind holes? There should be welded nuts.

I didnt explain this very well did I? Sorry.What I meant to say was I have to drill new holes in the floor for the seat mounts, and they are way off. The metal is too thin to tap, so Im looking for some type of thread insert for the new holes.

[eventhorizon66]

I'd drop the tanks weld some nuts to the floorpan.  It won't be any fun when the seats come loose during hard braking or a collision.

[Irish_Alley]

or you could make up some brackets to connect the front two bolts together then another to connect the back two bolts while welding nuts to them so you wouldn't have to drop the tanks and it would be even stronger than just nuts since it will be spreading the load out over 1'.5 instead of 1".

[Captkaos]

Can you put some flat bar across the front and back, tie them together front to back and then bolt the seat to it?

I would be fearful of the threadsert pulling out in a wreck.

[choptop]

Can you put some flat bar across the front and back, tie them together front to back and then bolt the seat to it?

I would be fearful of the threadsert pulling out in a wreck.

I think Ill see if I can cut the frame off of an old seat ( I have plenty) and try to see about welding it to the frame of the new seat like. I was thinking about the threadsert pulling out. You guys got me looking at it in a different light. Thanks all.

[78 Chevyrado]

If you just can't reach the holes to put a nut on, maybe one of the kids can.  My dad put buckets in the old 77 c10  and where the bolts had to go over the tanks where he couldn't reach, he had me put the nuts on since I was 4 or 5 at the time and had small hands that fit in there nicely.  Just a thought.