Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Well,its time to bite the bullet and go after the electrical problems. How do I remove the front seat on a 1949 deluxe sedan?

To remove just the front cushion lift from the front somewhere toward the middle and pull it up out of the frame and then slide forward to release from the rear and lift it out. If there is electrical in the seat frame back for a cigar lighter or courtesy lights the seat back cushion will be held by some screws thru tabs at the bottom and some clips at the top. Remove the screws and then pull bottom out slightly and lift it up and outward to lift the back off the clips. The top upholstery padding will need to be compressed slightly for the clips to be cleared. That will leave just the frame in the car if all you need is to access any wiring for the underseat heater or on the seat back for cigar lighter or courtesy lights.

To remove the entire seat and frame to have a more or less level floor to lay on for under dash work you will need to go under the car and remove 4 nuts and washers on each side holding the seat tracks to the floor. The threaded studs may be rusty so a dose or two of PB Blaster or similar a day or so before the work will help. Follow the instructions on removing the seat cushion because there will also be a spring in the middle between the seat frame and a tab on the trans hump that will need to come off. That spring comes off easier if the seat is all the way forward in the tracks. Other than weight, you can leave the back cushion attached. If there is electrical in the seat the inline connections for power from the body loom are under the carpet on the drivers Left rear corner either right under the seat corner or possibly between the seat frame and center post.

Once everything is disconnected and fasteners are free the entire seat can be lifted out. It can be removed alone but having a helper will make getting it out much easier. Aside from the weight, it will be bulky and the track studs will try and catch on the carpet plus the whole assy is top heavy and you will fight it wanting to tip backwards. Pay attention to the locations and amounts of any cardboard or wooden shims that may be between the seat tracks and floor.

I remove/put back mine by myself. Helps to take out the passenger side. Just lift, rock, and push til it's over the edge. The threshold covers, aka kick plates have to be removed to get all the carpet out. Maybe wires under so don't just cut carpet on floor, lift it first.

In a similar vein, my grandfather would have his front seat springs adjusted for a firmer feel/ride. He hated sinking into the seat. I know what he meant. What is the procedure to tighten the springs?

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Depends. On some of the more upscale models the seats were specially constructed so coil springs were in individual pockets. On those it was a relatively simple process with a minimal amount of bother to release a spring and substitute ones having different strength coils. On the other models with the springs all fastened together as a unit it was a more involved procedure usually handled by a body or upholstery shop. The article starting on the second page of this service counselorpackardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SC/SC-VOL23NO8.pdf might shed some light on what is involved.

After the use of thinner seats constructed with Z springs became common it was not such a simple procedure because the length of a single Z spring is the entire seat support for several inches and the amount of overall support is calculated on wire thickness, number of lengths, and distance apart. If additional padding would not solve the sag issue about all you can do to change the feel or fix sag is replace the entire Z length with new ones having the same original characteristics but not fatigued or else change to lengths having thicker wire and hope you don't turn a soft seat into one more related to a slab of concrete.

I was thinking more of a sheet of plywood as opposed to concrete.


Thanks for the tip/link.

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On my 53 the front seat is way too soft. I basically sink ALL the way in regardless of driver or passenger side. I know it's not supposed to be like this since my other cars and even the spare seat that I installed into the rear of the car, are not like this. The rear seat has a very normal feel.

It was supposedly owned by two sisters for the longest time so I wonder if they adjusted it to be softer. Either way I need to correct that.

I know a guy with a 54 Pacific nearby; the seat cushion from that would probably drop in. Otherwise I will need to get some new springs.

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The seats on the hardtops are different than sedans. The front lower seat cushion cannot be lifted out like the sedans. It is part of the frame. You could disassemble the seat and use the foam, sure, but at that point you might as well just use new foam.