3rd Gen Seats in a 2nd Gen?
 

Does anyone know if the seats out of a 3rd gen will fit in a 2nd gen? I have a chance to get a complete set of front seats and center console out of an 05, I think it would look great in my 96?

Consider the seatbelt locations.
I saw a complete set of SRT (3rd gen)seats that looked nice, but the seatbelts are not integrated into the seats like on the second gens. They are in the doors or B-pillars like your average vehicle. This made them a definite no go.

seatbelts shouldn't matter since he's running a reg. cab truck, I've considered the same swap on my 97' flatbed truck since it has the old cheap seats in it from the ST or SL package???? Dusty

His 96 wouldn't have the seatbelts in the seats would they? Isn't that a later 2nd gen thing.

Go on a 3 hour ride in a 3rd gen. IMHO the seats are hard and flat and really uncomfortable after about an hour on the road, even in leather. My buddy even admitted the seats in my '01 are better than in his '03, and he never admits to nothing!

I don't have the seatbelts running through the seats. I'm not really looking for a set of 3rd gen seats, mine are just so worn out right now that anything would be better. I was only really concerned with the mounting, are the holes anywhere close from one body style to the next? If not, is it as simple as drilling some new holes in the cab floor and mounting them, I wonder if I could adapt the frames from the 2nd gen to the bottom of the 3rd gen seats.

Adapting the seat to the frame would probably be the easiest. I put a set of Acura RSX seats in my ranger, all I needed was a couple bolts, and some flat bar. But the ranger has the seatbelts mounted to the body. If the seat belts are mounted to the seat, might want to engineer it a bit more. Sure would suck getting into an accident, and the seat comes loose!

I second the bad opinion about 3rd gen seats. Maybe it'd be worthwhile to look into some upholstery stuff like catskins for your seats.

Just my 2c

AlpineRAM

I thought the katzkin seat covers were pretty pricey? Not to mention that the padding in my seats is falling apart too. I didn't think you could even get a set of leather katzskin covers for under $400.

IIRC there are some aftermarket companies that do sell the foam part and some covers that you can assemble yourself- I think it was in a 4 wheeler or the like.
About just drilling holes in the cab floor etc- that's some bad idea- in case of an accident the seat would tear lose if it hasn't got the proper support. You would need to weld a good support structure for the seat to the lower side of the floorboard.

AlpineRAM