E46 Sport Seats in E34. Should I Waste My Time

[Tre0Tre34]

Sucks that I threw out my comforts

that does indeed suck. I assume you have tried the deive cable adjustment to no avail?

Let me know which side gearbox you need. My passenger comfort is just too nice to tear apart, but I do still have one side from my old driver... so if its the one you need...

[dgz32]

I picked up a mint E46 manual sport seat and attempted fitment tonight. The rear rail bolt holes do indeed line up perfectly. For the front hooks, I'm considering slotting the front E46 rails to fit.

Anyone see any issues with this idea? Other than maybe reinforcing the rail where it hooks in, seems like it would work and be safe.

Thoughts?

[E38740iMD]

I picked up a mint E46 manual sport seat and attempted fitment tonight. The rear rail bolt holes do indeed line up perfectly. For the front hooks, I'm considering slotting the front E46 rails to fit.

Anyone see any issues with this idea? Other than maybe reinforcing the rail where it hooks in, seems like it would work and be safe.

Thoughts?

In deed. That is a good Idea. Never thought about it. I don't see any safety issues if you slot the rail and push it back to lock while still lining up the back bolts. Post your progesterone and pics if you can on here

[Layne]

Post your progesterone

Please don't.

[LeoStraight6]

I picked up a mint E46 manual sport seat and attempted fitment tonight. The rear rail bolt holes do indeed line up perfectly. For the front hooks, I'm considering slotting the front E46 rails to fit.

Anyone see any issues with this idea? Other than maybe reinforcing the rail where it hooks in, seems like it would work and be safe.

Thoughts?

How did you go? Keen to hear how it went! Cheers

[marshallnoise]

After installing a set of 88 735iL seats in my car I am not 100% satisfied. Plus I had to swap the harness over for the power seats to function properly. And I am absolutely over the damn cable drive issue. Drives me bonkers.

So I am going to keep my eyes peeled for some nice tan manual e46 seats, slot the rail and move on with life.

[wmrcs]

Also eager to hear about slotting the E46 rails!

[dgz32]

How did you go? Keen to hear how it went! Cheers

Also eager to hear about slotting the E46 rails!

I've stalled on it due to a multitude of other things getting in my way. I did pick up some hardware to relocate the seatbelt anchors to the rear slide mounts, though. I may be able to work on it this weekend. I'll post up my results if I do.

[wmrcs]

I've stalled on it due to a multitude of other things getting in my way. I did pick up some hardware to relocate the seatbelt anchors to the rear slide mounts, though. I may be able to work on it this weekend. I'll post up my results if I do.

Nice, please do share! Good luck!

[dgz32]

Current progress with the E46 manual seats. Happy to report that the rails are the same distance apart (side-to-side) as the E34 seats—so nothing too terribly crazy for fitment. I transferred the plates (where the hooks go) on the front of the e34 seats to the E46 seats, using them as a template to cut slots in the E46 rails. The E34 rails are a little thicker than the E46 rails, so I'll need to shim the area under the hooks as there is slight movement there. Otherwise, the holes for the rear bolts are easy enough to do.

I also transferred the mechanical pre-tensioner from the E34 seats to the E46 seats. Well, currently I've done this to the driver seat—still need to do it to the pass seat.

Still some odds-and-ends to do with it, but they fit really well. I'm ultimately going to dye these seats something closer to the factory tan—though I'm kinda digging the black seat with the tan interior. I had two perfect passenger seats and a trashed driver, so I swapped the black back and bottom cushion over to the driver seat frame. I took a good number of pics, so if anyone needs to see anything or has any questions, let me know. Guess I could do a write-up, too, if there's enough interest...

[marshallnoise]

Duuuuud! This is epic. I say you just dump all your pics on this post. I am having a hard time finding manual seats in my area. About how much did you pay for the seats if you don't mind me asking?

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

[dgz32]

Keep an eye on Craig's List, which you're prob already doing. Also check for parts cars in your area—and parts yards, of course. I paid $200 for the tan set with a trashed driver but perfect passenger-side. Then I found a single black, also perfect, pass-side heated seat for $50 and built a good driver seat. It's not difficult at all to swap the seat bottoms between frames—and the backs simply unbolt and slide out. Not much to it.

[E38740iMD]

Glad some actually did it. ! Went to put the the seat in my car and then.....I just installed them in the e36. The e46 seat also matche's the interior of the e36 perfect!!!. In the e34 it will look a bit off. And my inTerior i's pretty fresh.

I got my pair or manual front sport seats for 67 bucks at the junk yard. 9.3 out of 10 condition too!

I got some e34 M5 seats finally to be installed soon I I may never do this.

[wmrcs]

Wow, hell yes! Way to blaze the trail here dgz32. I will begin my search for some E46 seats as well and see what I can do for my Touring.

[dgz32]

Had someone ask about the seat offset so I figured I'd post these pics for the benefit of anyone interested in doing this. Yes, the seats are offset a little bit. Honestly, I notice it because of the gap between door and seat—not from seating position.

Here is a pic of the seat with steering wheel. I took this photo sitting in the back seat with the camera lined up with the center of the driver headrest pointing forward. The blue line is the centerline of the seat. That centerline sits on the very edge of the steering wheel emblem (note that the wheel itself is turned just a bit to the right). That emblem on that wheel is about 1 5/8" wide. So—by my very precise calculations—the seat is offset approximately 3/4" to the right.



Here is a pic of the gap at the door...


And a pic of the seat by the console...


And a view of both seats by the center console...


The seats do not touch the center console unless pushed forward all the way. The seating position where it is pictured is where my wife has it. I sit much farther back. No rubbing.

We just got back from a 15hr road trip this past weekend. I didn't even notice the offset and the seating position didn't bother me at all. That said, I can see how it would bother some folks. I'm going to live with it for a while and see how it goes. I may look into having some brackets made to offset the seats back to center.

[Racerhoze]

Thanks for the follow up! Much appreciated. Now if I could just find a reasonable deal on some sport seats...

[marshallnoise]

I managed to score some e46 manual comfort seats for $90 at the junk yard. In great shape too. I will be doing this mod shortly after I reinstall freshly dyed black carpet. But I am pretty sure I am going to do this instead:
e34 to e36 Seat Brackets by Paul Abbott, on Flickr

I believe the offset would bug me. Once the brackets are made, you can just bolt them to the seats and then install the seats as you would any e34 car. I will post pics when I get to this part of the project.

Here is another idea that I don't think I will be doing. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...6#post22958216 About halfway down the post. I will be dying my carpet black though just the same.

[David9999999]

I believe the offset would bug me. Once the brackets are made, you can just bolt them to the seats and then install the seats as you would any e34 car. I will post pics when I get to this part of the project.

I'm looking into this and the offset would drive me nuts, too. Those brackets look great though. Who made them? I don't have access to laser cutting/machine shop but I'd love to buy a set.

[marshallnoise]

I did some googling to try to find where I ripped that pic off of and I know its a thread on here somewhere but I couldn't find it. I really don't plan on laser cutting the steel myself. I found some 1/8" thick 2" wide flat stock that should do the job just fine. 36" of the stuff was $7.44 at Home Depot. Aluminum is too flexy at that thickness.

When I get around to it, I will take some good pics and get some dimensions drawn out. I think I will just super impose each seat on some cardboard and draw it up that way.

[David9999999]

Found the thread.... https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...c-Memory-Seats

Maybe we could ask AndrewBird to make some more plates?