1972 Seat back hardware

[Jerome P.]

The seat back hardware (bracket, bolts, washers) that attach's to the rear of each seat cushion frame; has what finish? This hardware is part of the assembly that allows the seat back to lock and unlock when the bottom at the top of the seat back is depressed. It is visible when the seat back is moved forward to allow access to the rear storage area.

Again, what is the finish and color of the bracket, bolts, and washers?

Your help and comments will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Jerry

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Jerry,

They're all black.
The bracket is painted, the rest are (I think) black phosphate.
The only part not black is the sort-of-U-shaped piece that fits in the bracket.
The sliding part in the seatback always appears like "gun bluing" to me.

[Jerome P.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Thanks Pat.

I have attached two pictures ( I hope)

The first one (not installed) is from my car cleaned and ready for painting.
The second one (installed) is from another '72.

From what you are saying everything is black and I assume a flat black. I do not have pictures of the bolts and washers (two per bracket for mounting) from my car, but after cleaning them up they do not appear to be phosphate and should also be painted a flat black.

The clamp that holds the blue steel slide is, I assume, also a flat black. However, the revet in the center of this clamp appears to a natural steel finish and should not receive paint.

Your follow-up comments as well as anyone else's well be appreciated.


Jerry

[Harmon C.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

I think the color is closer to a gloss black on the bracket. The slide is like spring steel blue in color.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Lyle's got it. The black bracket is at least a semi-gloss.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

...I do not have pictures of the bolts and washers (two per bracket for mounting) from my car, but after cleaning them up they do not appear to be phosphate and should also be painted a flat black...

In my experience, few fasteners, particularly those for automotive applications, are supplied with painted coatings. It is easier to batch plate and phosphate fasteners than it is to paint them; the only way you would specify painted fasteners would be if they were required for the application. My experience is fasteners for these old Corvettes were either natural, zinc plated, black oxide or phosphated.

Painted fasteners are likely to suffer marring and damage to the coating during installation, resulting in an unprofessional, third-world appearance and compromised corrosion protection. You will find fasteners are painted only with complete assemblies, and then those painted fasteners are likely to have had another coating for corrosion protection during pre-installation handling.

I believe the fasteners in this case would be a dark gray phosphate, but I can't find a specific reference in my records.

[Jerome P.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Thanks guys.

Joe Lucia, What are your thoughts on the bolts and washers?

Jerry

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

I'm not Joe, but I can assure you that the 72s in my garage, and the 71, are a dark (?black) phosphate.

Patrick

[Jerome P.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Thanks Pat.

[Steven G.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Having checked my corvettes, 71 + 72 reveal black paint on bracket and bolts only, 70 shows no indication of having black paint on bracket or bolts, no black on any u shaped brackets or seat back slide on all 3 years. This is an oberservation only of these cars today. Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Thanks guys.

Joe Lucia, What are your thoughts on the bolts and washers?

Jerry

Jerry----


Definitely black phosphate. Also, these were special bolts and the washer was a captive type. The bolts were never available from GM in SERVICE. So, how are they "special"? I don't know.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Jerome
I Recently Did The Seat Covers On My 72 W/orig. Seat Covers, The Brackets Appeared To Be Dipped Black Semi Gloss W/ Blk. Phos. Bolts And Washers.

[Harmon C.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

The two bolts that hold down the backet attached to the slide are special or should I say hard to find as the only place they are used on a shark Corvette that I know of is in this location. Mosted seats are sold as an assembly at swap meets so their are few loose bolts to find.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

The two bolts that hold down the backet attached to the slide are special or should I say hard to find as the only place they are used on a shark Corvette that I know of is in this location. Mosted seats are sold as an assembly at swap meets so their are few loose bolts to find.

Lyle-----


I don't doubt that they're hard to find now and it's very likely, based on the part number, that they were used only for this application. The thing I don't understand is why a special screw was needed for this application. It looks to me like it's a standard hex head with captured washer. This sort of screw was used for many other applications. It's also a standard thread size and there was nothing unusual about a phosphate-finished screw. So, the only thing that I could see as being "special" about it is, perhaps, some sort of "oddball" and highly specific length. If so, there should be many other similar vintage screws to be found which only need to have their length "adjusted". No one will ever know of the "adjustment".

Of course, there might be some other "special" feature(s) which this screw had of which I am unaware.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1972 Seat back hardware

Lyle-----


I don't doubt that they're hard to find now and it's very likely, based on the part number, that they were used only for this application. The thing I don't understand is why a special screw was needed for this application. It looks to me like it's a standard hex head with captured washer. This sort of screw was used for many other applications. It's also a standard thread size and there was nothing unusual about a phosphate-finished screw. So, the only thing that I could see as being "special" about it is, perhaps, some sort of "oddball" and highly specific length. If so, there should be many other similar vintage screws to be found which only need to have their length "adjusted". No one will ever know of the "adjustment".

Of course, there might be some other "special" feature(s) which this screw had of which I am unaware.

I think it's a combination of the tip configuration and the length that makes this bolt unique.

Patrick