Seat mods for a more comfortable ride?

-

toolmanmike

Moderator
Staff member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
83,029
Reaction score
92,398
Location
Office
I was driving my Swinger last night and was noticing how uncomfortable the factory bench seat really is. It is like setting on a park bench. Not much cushion and the ergonomics is all wrong for me. The original seat cover has some stitching loose so eventually I will need to replace it. At that time I will have it rebuilt with new foam. Other than new seat foam, what has others done to modify the way your seat sets?
How about if you jacked up the front for more rearward tilt or a spacer under the stops for less seat back tilt. Ready, set, Go!
 
I just replaced mine with a more modern bucket seat, not sure how much you can really do to make the bench better. My problem with the bench is I always felt like every time I went around a corner I had to brace myself against the floor with my feet to keep from sliding around on the bench. Way happier now
 
Most mounting studs have room for spacers.

A properly adjusted seat belt will keep your tush from sliding.
 
........noticing how uncomfortable the factory bench seat really is...…….
Lol, here's what one family did...…
upload_2018-7-27_9-43-23.png


I remember that slide around seating in my '68 RR when ya' didn't "have to" wear a seat belt. I pulled the bench out and replaced with buckets.

You should be able to find round nylon spacers at a decent hardware store in different thickness. I found them cheaper than the plastic re-pops.
 
I just replaced mine with a more modern bucket seat, not sure how much you can really do to make the bench better. My problem with the bench is I always felt like every time I went around a corner I had to brace myself against the floor with my feet to keep from sliding around on the bench. Way happier now
I would like to replace the bench in my 67 Barracuda with buckets. What seats did you use? Did you have to fab up new seat mounts?
 
I like the adjustable bases in my 66 (buckets) and a spacer on the hinge stops for the back positioning. I have driven that car 250+ miles without getting out for a stretch.
 
You should be able to find round nylon spacers at a decent hardware store in different thickness. I found them cheaper than the plastic re-pops.

Ace Hardware has nylon and aluminum both up to 1" in our local store.
 
454A94D9-8F8B-41E7-BA1D-8800CA73A7A5.png
I installed BMW COnvertible seats 2005 has built it shoulder belt. All power Even the headrest is power.
 
Last edited:
I would like to replace the bench in my 67 Barracuda with buckets. What seats did you use? Did you have to fab up new seat mounts?
I had to drill new holes. Got seats complete with tracks. $75 dollars a seat and redid upholstery. You can also use Sebring seats.
 
View attachment 1715203896 I installed BMW COnvertible seats 2005 has built it shoulder belt. All power Even the headrest is power.

I just picked up a pair of the same seats from a 2004 E46. How did you mount them to the floor? Did you drill new holes for the BMW sliders, or did you fab brackets to adapt the BMW sliders to the stock mounting locations, or?
 
I prefer cloth seats over vinyl.
Many times i put a1” block under the front for more comfort.
 
I had to drill new holes. Got seats complete with tracks. $75 dollars a seat and redid upholstery. You can also use Sebring seats.

I just picked up a pair of the same seats from a 2004 E46. How did you mount them to the floor? Did you drill new holes for the BMW sliders, or did you fab brackets to adapt the BMW sliders to the stock mounting locations, or?

I used Recaro Sport seats out of a 91 BMW 3 series, and since the floors are completely flat in the 91 I built frames with 1x1 steel to match the flat mounted BMW tracks to the completely NOT flat Dart floor.
I recovered them in the two tone.
These are all manual 11 way adjustable with tilt built in, and both lay back flat in case you want to take a nap while you wait for your Wife to get done shopping.:D

DSCF0007.JPG


DSCF0005.JPG
 
I just picked up a pair of the same seats from a 2004 E46. How did you mount them to the floor? Did you drill new holes for the BMW sliders, or did you fab brackets to adapt the BMW sliders to the stock mounting locations, or?

I did some e46 seats a while back. I used the factory holes on the outside (from the bench) and drilled new inner holes. I needed to drill into the rail at rear outside of the Bmw seats because the spacing wasn't perfect but very close. No easy task getting through that seat rail metal BTW.

I wired in power and they are a world of difference vs the bench. A couple caveats, as you probably know the footprint is super wide so you have to use the factory floor humps which makes the seat tilt back a bit. A narrower seat could mount inboard of those humps.

If I were to do it again with e46 seats I would find some from a coupe that can fold forward, its kind of annoying powering them forward to get someone in the back... but people don't ride back there super often anyway.

I don't have any good finished photos but you can see how they look in this quick clip:



IMG_8104.jpg
 
Great mods and ideas guys. Keep em' coming!
 
I did some e46 seats a while back. I used the factory holes on the outside (from the bench) and drilled new inner holes. I needed to drill into the rail at rear outside of the Bmw seats because the spacing wasn't perfect but very close. No easy task getting through that seat rail metal BTW.

If I were to do it again with e46 seats I would find some from a coupe that can fold forward, its kind of annoying powering them forward to get someone in the back... but people don't ride back there super often anyway.
View attachment 1715203907

Awesome, thanks for the info - your car looks great. I got a pair from a coupe/convertible, so they'll fold forward to let my 4-legged back seat passenger in, and they have built-in shoulder/lap belts.

seats-jpg.jpg
 
If I were to do it again with e46 seats I would find some from a coupe that can fold forward, its kind of annoying powering them forward to get someone in the back... but people don't ride back there super often anyway.

The manual controlled ones I have slide forward at the same time they tilt forward.
I was able to put a new toilet still in the box in the back seat with the seat forward, so WAY more room to get in the back over the original tilt back bench.
They return to their original position when you tilt them back again.
 
I would like to replace the bench in my 67 Barracuda with buckets. What seats did you use? Did you have to fab up new seat mounts?

I used seats from a 2005 Scion TC. As for mounting, I did it the hard way. I cut the factory humps out of the floor and welded in flat metal, so I had a flat mounting surface to start with. Had to modify the tracks a little bit at the front. If I had it to do over, I would build a framework out of 1" square tubing to adapt the Scion tracks to the factory floor. Actually thinking of making a framework under them now, just to raise them up a bit.

seats.jpg
 
I took out the regular bench seat and put in a 1973 Dart bench seat with the center fold down arm rest. When I had it recovered they used foam more like a bucket seat so I get the best of both worlds. Much better I think and is still stock. Only draw back is they are getting hard to find and not cheap at all. Aftermarket buckets would save a lot of money for sure. I almost went the bucket seat route but I found a seat close so no shipping. Yea, the bench seat in a freaking park bench, LOL :)
 
I took out the regular bench seat and put in a 1973 Dart bench seat with the center fold down arm rest. When I had it recovered they used foam more like a bucket seat so I get the best of both worlds. Much better I think and is still stock. Only draw back is they are getting hard to find and not cheap at all. Aftermarket buckets would save a lot of money for sure. I almost went the bucket seat route but I found a seat close so no shipping. Yea, the bench seat in a freaking park bench, LOL :)
Great idea. Pics? I saw that the newer seats have the armrest and still looks stock.
 
My son is getting married and moving to Florida this week so I can't even get close to my car right now, this place is a mess. But as soon as I can I will take some pictures and post them on this thread. It maybe a few weeks but I will get them up as soon as I can.
 
-
Back
Top