I've got a question for those of you who've installed a Gathers rear interior from an EG into your USDM hatch. I've got ALL of the brackets, t-brace, etc that is needed to mount the JDM rear folding seats in my EG hatch. I need to know how the outboard mounts for the rear seat backs are mounted to the car. I know the center part of the seats slide onto the center mount...that won't be a problem as I'll be welding that in place.

I need to know about the outboard mounts that bolt to the sheetmetal of the car. Is the sheet metal strong enough for me to just drill those holes out and tap them for the seat mounts? Or do I need to put a locking bolt and washer underneath the sheetmetal so it doesn't tear out? If I need to put bolts underneath there, how do I get under there? Do I just need to jack the rear end up and reach in through the wheel well? I'm hoping I don't have to drop the gas tank. :/

Any help will be appreciated.

fm

 

your helping me out posting it up becase i need to know where to spot weld and such pm thats why we can both figuer this **** out

 

Since no one has posted this yet, try looking in the thread below. I think it has the answers you're looking for.

FAQ: How to Install JDM EG Rear Interior - Pic Intensive

 

Yes, I saw that thread awhile ago. It has some great info, but it doesn't answer my question. I wanted to know how strong the sheet metal that you bolt the seat backs to is. I think that if you just drill and tap the sheet metal and bolt in the seat backs, they might hold for awhile, but eventually they'll tear out. Especially if someone actually sits in them. I want to do this right, so I've decided to spot weld nuts on the underside of the car where those holes are going to be drilled. I just wanted to know if it was necessary to do this step, as I suspect it will require that I drop the gas tank. But just to be sure, that's what I'm going to do.

BTW, the t-brace went in perfectly...I can now use the trunk box. I'll be putting in the side panels as soon as I swap the blue seatbelts for the grey ones I got with the interior. The seats will go in last.

Oh, and the speakers went in today as well, but the installation was not the same as the one outlined in the above link. These Gathers speakers required complete removal of the USDM speaker mount (his shows him reusing it). I think there must be different styles of speakers as mine have extra mounts that his don't seem to have. That slowed me down a little until I realized all I needed to do was remove the USDM mounting bracket.

fm