Chevy & GMC Vans

i've never paid attention to this but the van's that have second row captain's chairs vs. a bench...how are they mounted to the floor...do they bolt in like the fronts or is there extra "cups" for the quick release mechanism on each seat?

i hope that made sense...hahaha..

The ones in my 95 are bolted

I can't speak for all of them, but the 2nd row buckets that I just bought today, are bolted down similar to the front seats. I think I recall someone on here saying they are also made with the quick release latches as well. I personally haven't seen seen that configuration, so I don't know.

bolted. 99

Bolted. On mounts similar to the fronts. 1991

I have seen this conversation before. AFAIK, they are all bolted. It would be great to come up with a quick release for them. I thought I trying to do it with a could of rear seats, a little cutting, welding and some new pockets in the floor, but have never actually got around to it. Too many other things to do I guess.

quick release on seats, sometimes on conversion van seats, but base is bolted to floor still, in the way

the second row was already out of my astro, when I got it, the seats were laying in the back, but its, been over a year and I cant remember what the floor looks like... been burried in astro and rv parts, for most of that time... I hope to empty it out and actually start working on it some time this year....

so the vans that have the bolted chairs in them do they also have the quick release in the floor under the carpet......just curious....

Doubtful,I guess you'll have to pull up your carpet and see.

blk lt awd wrote:so the vans that have the bolted chairs in them do they also have the quick release in the floor under the carpet......just curious....

they do not. if the studs are coming up out of the floor there will be no 'quick release' .. not that i have found in my 93, 94 or 99

the stock passenger vans that have 2nd row bucket seats . they are bolted through the floor . they have no quick release . the conversion vans have a special seat base with a plate bolted to the floor with a quick release for removal . so if if you want quick release 2nd row seats your gonna have to buy a conversion van or find one in the junk yards & pull the bases out & put them in your van .

heres a shot of the bases in my van .

I was considering converting my van to the second row captains and fabbing up a quick release and removal method like some of the caravans have. IIRC they use the standard bench seat lock points but have a couple of bars that go between the seats. So in other words shrinking down the bench set base and putting captains chairs on it.

astrozam wrote:Doubtful,I guess you'll have to pull up your carpet and see.

i've got a bench in mine so the cups are there as the bench locks into them......

the reason i was asking was because i'm going to be converting the rear two benches into buckets, even though i have the reclining benches, it's still not custom.....now i've thought about using the base for the benches and fabricating a console to go inbetween the buckets......but thought i'd check how the factory ones were put in....also when bolted it would give me a "breeze way" between the middle seats allowing easier access to the rear i'm assuming....plus a little bit more leg room....

however upon removing the middle bench and taking a seat in the rear most one......i kinda like the leg room.....now debating if i should just eliminate the middle ones altogether and turn it into a four seater....maybe use those seats out of the high end lexus' that have the motorized foot rests for the rear most seats.....

however upon removing the middle bench and taking a seat in the rear most one......i kinda like the leg room.....now debating if i should just eliminate the middle ones altogether and turn it into a four seater....

That is sorta what I'm going for as well. However, I need the extra room in the back, so I plan to put my rear captains chairs in the middle, but just a little further back to give some more foot room. In between the front a rear chairs, I will be building consoles with drink holders and such. It the bottom of each the consoles, there will be a down firing 10" sub.

I have previously owned 2 Astro's

A 91 with the second row buckets
A 95 with Second row Bench.

The buckets are so far superior for comfort, long rides, access, leg room etc.

In my search for another Astro, 2 bench rears are not even considerable. Being able to walk from the passenger front seat, all the way to the back, to reach over the rear bench, to say, a cooler, and back to the front.... Priceless. It just isnt the same with 2 benches.

Also, when we had our Black Lab, she curled up right in the middle of all 4 buckets, but with the benches, she could never figure out where to go. Seems small, but really became a big deal on those long drives with 2 kids + dog! (Rear bench removed for camping gear!)


I did not really lend anything to mounting captains, but to me, it seems expensive to buy the seats to mount, the actual welding some bolts in does not seem to big of a deal.