Ok, I know that I have seen somewhere on here that somebody converted a 60/40 bench to bucket seats with a center console. My question is what console is used to be placed there? Is it possible to do with a 5 speed? I know that I want to go with bucket seats, the 60/40 gets on my nerves, I dunno why, it just does, and I would rather have a stationary center console.

 

Rockymtnranger just posted about a conversion, and there is a post in the tech sticky about it.
Follow rockys post and he has some good pictures about explorer console, and seat mods.
http://www.fordtrucks.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=359702
Dave

 

I just did the hole 60/40 to buckets and added a center console from an explorer a few months ago. I'm just wondering why in the heck i didn't do it much much sooner. I love having the center console.

 

what year did you pull the console from? I see you have a 96 ranger, so it's basically the same style as mine, just trying to get some ideas, may be a few months before I start on this project, just trying to formulate a few ideas i've had since i've lost my voice this weekend and have had all the time in the world to think, lol.

 

I put leather power seats and center console from Explorers in my 1999 Ranger. My seats came from a 2000 Explorer and the center console came from a 2001. Look at my gallery if you want pictures and go to this link for more details about the modification: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hreadid=195170

Best thing I ever did was change out the interior. It is so much more comfortable and I really like it. I sold my 60/40 seats for $120.00 as well!

 

fordtrucklover94, Mine is an automatic, but as I understand it, all you have to do is remove one of the cubby holes so the stick shift comes through. You put a vinyl boot around it and your done. Check around someone has done it, I just don't remember where.... Good luck.

martysrcboats.com

 

so johare, i noticed that yours had power seats and everything. My seats are manual, i guess my one question is, do I have to modify the existing tracks? I know I'll have to get up under the carpet to do the bracket, so i'll have to pull up the tracks, but I don't have to replace them, do i? Did you sell the seats without the female end of the seatbelt, and how did you sell it for the 120, place an ad or what? This will be a project I do this summer when I get back from college and get some money back. I assume I just go look through the junkyards and I can find my bucket seats that will work for cheap as well as the console and bracket. Making the manual work doesn't seem like it would be that hard, as rocky said, cutting that out would be nothing, just wondering if anyone has done this with a manual, would be nice to hear from anyone that has.

 

fordtrucklover94,
The seats on my Ranger were manual. The Explorer seats I bought (on E-bay for $325 including shipping) were power and they came with the tracks and brackets.I had to run wiring and had to drill out one hole on the Explorer bracket on each side to accomodate the bigger Ranger bracket bolt.

The seat belt ends (female) that were on the Explorer seats would not work with Ranger seat belts so I took the female seat bellt ends from the 60/40 Ranger seats and made a mounting bracket from angle iron to mount them to the Ranger floor pan.

I sold the 60/40 by advertising them on this site and another Ranger forum. I guy from California saw them on the other forum and bought them for $120.00 plus shipping (without seat belts). You might also try E-bay to sell your old seats.

The console came from a local junk yard and I paid $120.00. Direct bolt up except I had to drill two holes in the floor pan for lag screws and I had to remove the existing Ranger ashtray. The console also covered my passenger air bag switch. ( I could have relocated the switch but I never turn the passenger airbag off). I know I have read about some people doing a console with a manual transmission but I can't remember where. Sorry.

You might find this information helpful as you look for seats:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...2B%25252Bseats

Explorer seats from a similar year are your best bet as they match the Ranger very well. Check this E-bay link for current seats available: http://motors.search.ebay.com/explor...nknownQQsojsZ0

Hope this helps.
J Ohare

 

fordtrucklover94,
Not sure what color you want, but check these seats. They are in NC so you could even pick them up probably and save shipping. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...964258183&rd=1

E-bay usually has nice seats. You could also look for a center comnsole on E-bay. http://motors.search.ebay.com/explor...nknownQQsojsZ0

If these links do not work look under E-bay motors/car and truck parts/ and search for Explorer seats and explorer center console. There are many seats and console currently on E-bay reasonable.

 

I'm looking for tan seats, i noticed there weren't a lot on ebay last night. the console seems to run about $40-$60 shipped, so i might do it that way, i'll probably search the junkyards for seats, althought some around here want an arm and a leg for them, might look for some ads, thanks for the link to that old thread, that'll help in me seeing exactly what seats will work.

 

got another question for ya'll that have done this....about how long did it take to do, just trying to get a time frame for it.

 

It took me about 5 hours from removal of the ol seats to final installation of the new seats and console. I worked on it most of a day but took some breaks for other things so I would estimate 5 hours.

 

I have found some with the vents for the back seat, is there anyway to hook those vents up so that they are functioning? I have a sound system in the back and need to throw a fan back there to help keep my amp cool. I mean, I figure there is a way to do it, but would I be better off cutting it out and mounting a fan in place of the vents?

 

Mine came with a heat/ac vent fan and radio controls. The fan would be easy to hook up to blow some air onto your amp.

 

Mine came with the vents in the back also. You could probably route the vents from the truck heater/AC (under the dash) to the vents that run through the console to get air to the back. I didn't do that.