1st question....

What year did it become law that bucket seats had to have a locking mechanism?

2nd question....

Why would a bench seat with an arm rest, be bolted together so that the seat would not bucket open?.... Was this something done to prevent damage in transport?

I thought my bench seat in my car was out of a 4 door car because it would not bucket open. Today at a upholstery shop while looking to get some repair prices, we found that the seat was bolted together. And I was told it was something the factory did prior to shipping and that it should of been removed at the dealership. Is it possible that this was overlooked and has been this way for 42 years?

2 bolts held an angled piece of steel to the bottom of the seat with 1 bolt running threw the top of the seat.(done with no damage to the seat) When the seat was opened there were 2 additional front seat belt (that looked like they have never been used) tucked in the fold of the seat. Now I have a total of 5 front seat belts Has anybody heard of this before? My wife thinks the latch law went in effect in 67 and that maybe it was a recall and this was Oldsmobile fix. has anyone heard of anything like this before?

With the bolts out, the seat operates like it should, so I can't think of a reason for the bolts to be there in the first place.

 

Here's a picture of the bracket.

 

That sure looks like some kind of shipping bracket to me, pretty rough?
Those are the coolest type things to find.
I don't see why they would do that unless they used the same seat in four doors and just bolted them in place like that?
Maybe they got the wrong seat in the car originally?
Some four door has a folding front seat with back latches somewhere.

I'm not familiar with those car/seats or any latching mechanism year mandate.
Does your owner's manual show anything about a seat back latch?
Was there supposed to be one and they didn't put it on?

Your car is a '68 right? I'm new to big Olds.
Five belt buckle ends would be for three passengers and the outer two passenger shoulder belts.
There should be three belts with male ends attached to the floor in the center, each outer end of the seat on the floor/retractors and the shoulder belt harnesses attached to the roof on each side.
Shoulder belts were mandatory on all cars except convertibles sold/delivered after January first 1968, a few early ones didn't have them, I had a '68 GTO like that, but since there are five belts there should be shoulder harnesses.
If there are five male belt ends on the seat something's wrong or it was a very large Munchkin family car.

The seats should bucket?/fold forward, I don't think they would ever permanently bolt them in place like that?
Back in the day I had a '64 Chebby 2 door I put a 4 door seat in and it was a real squeeze to get in the back, my friends learned to just 'gator roll over the seat back.
How did girth challenged people get in and out of your back seat before?

 

'64,5 & 6 Chebby's did not have locks...I think '67 was the first year and '68 had them for sure...Muskrat has a dent in her forehead because the '64 SS did not have locks ...should have kept her in the trunk where it was safe

 

An Oldsmobile family like yours, and she has a "dent in her forehead" from a chebby?
I'm sure it must have been in someone other than "Dad's" car, right?

Or was this before you saw the light...lol

And hey Muskrat, just for the record, I didn't notice no dent.

Duane

 

Very interesting.
I'm not sure when the seat locks were first *mandatory*, but '67 was the first that Olds used them, on bucket seats, at least.
Re the brackets, one other explanation possible is that a previous owner added them, for whatever reason. Not that it makes much sense, but still a possibility. But coming from the factory that way doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.

 

Bluevista, 5 belt ends theory make sense. I didnt take into account for the shoulder harness.(which I have) You nailed that one. I guess now my only question is why were they bolted together. And I agree little mysteries like this are really cool to find.

 

Because it's a four door seat. The four door seats were designed just like the two door seats (after all, why have two designs?) and just bolted together so the seatback did not hinge forward.

 

Wow, I deduced partially correctly.
That bracket is pretty substantial and why fasten it that well for a temporary thing, makes sense.
The thing that gets me is that why didn't the the trim guy already know that?

If it's original there really may be a four door with the seat for that one? It'll be tough finding that guy to swap seats, his VIN will be a digit earlier or later if you hire a private eye to find the car.
Tomorrow a new member will join and will be asking why his four door Delmont seats folds forward.

Are there supposed to be seat back releases then?

 

What, on this four door seat? No, that's what the brackets are for.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I meant are there releases on two door seats.

 

So Joe since I have taken the bolts out, do I now have a seat for a two door? LOL. The only concern now at this point is purely a safety issue. But when your driving a 3000lb+ car with drum brakes, how safe can you be?