1976 interior questions

[lilkiduno]

I have been searching and have come up empty handed. But can I convert my 1976 door panels to the 1981-91 style door panels? I want to convert to power windows so the window cranks shouldn't be an issue. This isn't something I have plans to to in the immediate future I am still in my research phase. 

Is there any way to convert from a bolted down bench to a removable suburban 3rd row bench? I was thinking about perhaps finding an suburban with a 3rd row and cutting out the floor section, would that then weld into the floor of the k5 blazer? I understand there could be a lot of fabrication involved but I hardly have anyone in the back seat and with it being removable it would give me the option to utilize more of the bed section.

I know this one has probably been asked a million times but gauges are pretty much plug and play as long as you get the correct printed circuit board correct?

Is there any source for passenger seat hardware? The arm that locks the seat down has a bolt that likes to wobble itself loose. I have thought about applying some blue loctite to the bolt but it appears to be the incorrect bolt. Is this something I will have to scourer the savage yards.

I am sure I will have more questions along the way as well.
Thank You in Advance

[bake74]

     Ok bear with me, this might be a little long.   
     #1:  Door question:  73-76 doors are the same, 77-91 doors are the same.  For a write up on this subject that Capt. did see here.  A quote from the same thread from CaptKoas "Complete door assemblies removing from the hinges will swap to any year truck regardless of year.  So you can put 1973 doors on a 1991 truck and vice versa, 1977 on a 1973 and vice versa.  Suburban FRONT doors and Blazer doors from 1976-1991 will swap to pickups (there is no difference) in their entirety also".  It seems like it would be easier to swap out doors.
     #2:  Suburban 3rd row seat in back of blazer:  The seat from the suburban should fit as far as width goes, so why not just fabricate the same mounting that the suburban has in the blazer.  You might have to reinforce the floor but easier than cutting out a section and putting into the blazer. 
     Here is a thread from 67-72chevytrucks that someone did exactly what you want to do.  It is installed in a 81 -87 blazer it looks like.
     #3:  Gauge swaps:  Clusters and the plastic faces are different between several years.  I do not know if there is a specific write up on all the differences and what will work with what.  You can go to the interior & equipment section and do a search and pull up several threads you can read through.  If you were to list the exact year that you want to pull the gauge cluster out of and put it in ( I assume it is a 76 that you mentioned with the door question) that would enable someone to tell you exactly what you need to do to make it work.
     #4:  Seat hardware question:  You can e-mail Capt. at the store (button just to the right of the forum button on top of the page) and he will tell you if he has a kit.  Or if you do a search on the old internet you will find all kinds of places that sell seat belt kits for our trucks, you will have to call them and ask if they sell the bolt only. 
     What makes you say it is not the right size of bolt ?  If you need a bolt only go and buy a thread pitch gauge, they are cheap at any auto parts/tool stores and then you can find out what size and thread count of bolt you need and buy one.
     Hope this helps, good luck and let us know if you need any more help.

[Captkaos]

1) you cannot add power windows to a 1976 door easily.  There is an indention in the door to allow the mounting of the lower points of the power assembly.  1977 was the first year for power windows.  To use the 1977-up panels on the 1976 doors IF you get the power setup working they would bolt on.  To do it on a manual window setup, you have to swap to 1977 up regulators as they are longer than the 73-76 versions.

2)The Blazer rear seat and Suburban third seat are the same the mount is different.  Blazers latch at the back only and tilt forward, Suburbans latch both front and back.  To get it to go in a Blazer you need the floor mounts and the seat.

3)Clusters are grouped as follows 73-75, Amps with mechanical Oil, 76-77: Volts with mechanical Oil, 78-88 and 89-91.  The 78-up can be swapped with just some pin verification.  76-77 needs the mechanical tube for oil pressure and Pins verified, 73-75 in anything other than a 73-75 required rewiring of the truck

4)Are you talking about the bolt that bolts to the floor?  I don't have it but any bolt store should have it, but if it is working loose is it stripped?

[lilkiduno]

Sorry about the delay in reply.

1: thank you, new doors are going to be a must. Is it better to attempt to get a door from the salvage yard or get a new door shell?

My seats are all bolted down.

3. Gauges are not that important ATM so I don't have a curtain cluster in mind.

4. This is the bolt I am talking about. It the bolt the hold the spring arm that's in charge of the passenger seat to the floor and then you turn the arm and it the springs up for people to get in the back.

Ps sorry if it doesn't make sense to you.... Kinda intoxicated atm

[lilkiduno]

Sorry about the delay in reply.

1: thank you, new doors are going to be a must. Is it better to attempt to get a door from the salvage yard or get a new door shell?

My seats are all bolted down.

[bake74]

     The doors would be easier to pick up complete from a wrecking yard or a pull it style yard, that way you can get the harness that goes with it.
     The bolt, I havenot a clue on, but I can see where it needs to be the right one since it rotates with the arm.