Just checking: Anyone know any reason I can't switch out front seats of a 1986 wagon with those of a 1989 wagon? They look the same to me. And can I expect the swap to be a quick-and-easy DIY job -- or is it tricky?

 

It's easy. 2 nuts and 2 bolts and 1 wire.

 

2x0 seats aren't interchangable with 7x0/9x0, otherwise, within the two groups, should be fully interchangable.

I swapped a much newer set of 960 seats into my 740, I had to swap the seatbelt bits (one big bolt on each side) and the side plate trim (snaps on), and I had to swap the connectors for the electric seat heaters and add power for the 960 seat motors, otherwise, was a trivial bolt-in-operation.

 

OP here. The swap is between one 240 and another 240 -- and so I'm assuming there's no change in design (location of bolts, screws, etc.) from 1986 to 1989. The only difference is that the 1989 seats are heated but the 1986 seats aren't. That's wouldn't pose a technical issue -- leaving the heater wiring unconnected -- would it? (I don't care about having heated seats, as I live in coastal SoCal.)

 

yeah, zero problems. the odds of the heaters still working are about 50-50 anyways. the only connector you need to connect will be the one for the drivers seat belt switch that disables the chime...