My ex-commercial Barth has been a great time, but as always I have to tinker with everything.

One weak area in this coach has been the front seats. They are reasonably comfortable, even without any tilt adjustments. They track fore and aft, but that is it. That, and the wheel tilt gives you the sum of the Barths driver comforts.

On long trips, I was feeling a bit like I was sitting on a bar stool, without the obvious benefits!

The other real weakness of this setup was the lack of a three point harness for both forward facing seats. As a paramedic, this gave me shivers.

The solution has become a simpler one, now that there are several auto manufacturers that offer certain models with front driver/passenger seats that have integral seatbelts. This means no cobbling up a inertia reel to fit the seats I currently have.

Well, after skulking about on ebay for a couple months, I have found that there are several seat possibilites. A lot of full-size Chevy and Ford trucks have these seats, both in cloth and in leather. I believe that 2000 and up chevies, and 2002 up Fords will have them. Also, 2000 and up Chrysler Sebring convertibles have them.

Some are manual, some are electric.

I found a pair of nice leather Sebring convertible seats on Ebay for just under $500, shipped. I will have to fabricate a mount from them using the factory pedestal, and hook up the electrics for the driver's seat. I will keep the group posted on this project.

Truck seats I have seen running for about 600 for cloth and 8oo and up for leather.

Wish me luck, I will post pics as I go.

Here is an example of what is out there..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIte...3701&item=2446605495

These have the added benefit of an integral arm rest too..

FWIW - J.C. Whitney offers several retractable lap/shoulder belts for $119.99, and $129.99 each, and non-retractable ones for $29.99. Page 12 of their catalog #681J-12

Also, JCW used to have an extensive variety of replacement seats for trucks, but I don't find them in their current catalog. Another question - viewing the Silverado seats on e-bay, I wonder where you anchor the shoulder belt. To withstand an impact, it seems to me they should be anchored rather high up on the door post.

In building Street rods I have found auto salvage yards are a good source. Nice thing is that you can, measure, sit in, look at how they mounted same, and I have found that the demand is not that great so prices are very fair. I bought two 97 Dodge intrepid seats in 1997 for 200.00 for the pair. In the summer time one can find a very nice selection at the larger car show swap meets such as Super Chevy, and Goodguy, and NSRA shows. Dale

Well, to answer Olroy's twofold question:

One, the beauty of this conversion is that the seats themselves are the total structural member. This means that since the seatbelt is integrated into the seat itself, I don't have to tap into the wall or floor of the motorhome.

I was not interested in simply switching out the seats, but wanted to improve comfort as well. The leather seats with the integrated seat belt allow me to kill two birds (comfort/safety) with one stone.

I agree Dale, that a swap meet *might* have yielded a cheaper pair, but there is a sellers market effect at swap meets too, when thousands of people are walking by a stand. Furthermore, these seats are commanding a premium in part because they are a relatively recent phenomena (integrated seat belts) only existing in probably the last 3 model years. I have seen cloth seats as you describe on ebay in that $200 range, but no leather and no integrated seat belt.

You did your homework and it is paying off. I am happy for you. Dale

Windsor... Sounds like you and I are on the same page. I've got 3 little ones who love to see this country of ours from the front seat and I'm scared to death of the huge piece of glass their sitting behind. If at all possible keep us posted with pictures.

Gary
1975 "Bessie the Barth"

Gary:

Depending on the age of your little ones, the solution that I have been using is to put a car seat complete with 5 point harness in the front seat, and secure it with the lap belt.

I am pressing the issue on the three point harness because my oldest is now 6 going on 7, and will soon be too old to sit in a child seat.

I will be posting pics of the build as soon as the seats come in, and the snow goes away...