Your best seat swap into your 60 series (1 Viewer)

[woytovich]

...Sits a wee bit higher than stock, but helps visibility.

There are PLENTY of cool seats out there but this is actually a major concern when swapping in "other" seats. I've done seats in my 60 (Scion xB worked well after a bunch of stuff was removed from the underside) and have tried a few different seats in my 40 (Subaru and some other junkyard seats). The biggest challenge has been to get them to sit low enough... I'm 6' tall and seem to not be able to get seats to sit low enough so that I am not looking through the top 20% of the windshield in the 40.


mark

 

[lcgeek]

Are the PT Cruiser seats direct bolt in and fit (height-wise) on the early FJ60's as well...or only on later model and FJ62's?

 

[jawjatek]

My only seat swap: Low-bolster BMW 325i seats, Torfab brackets. Huge improvement over stock, gonna add wet okole covers soon.

 

[woytovich]

Do you folks really like leather? I find it hot and sticky in the summer and cold in the winter... cloth is best as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Ironbark]

I don't know what year and model of 60 you have so this may or may not apply.

The thing in 60s is that you need a relatively low seat base height. Not as bad as the poor old Landcover series and defender enthusiasts need though!

I don't know what the rules are where you are but it may pay to ask someone local what the specific requirements are with regard to national and state legislation. In some places if you modify the seating in a vehicle without appropriate approvals you can void insurance coverage and become liable for costs of others in the event of an accident.

The best seats in terms of the balance of comfort and $ I've had in a cruiser were Recaros. If you buy new they are very expensive but it seems that they are a bit of a fashion item and that second hand they are pretty easy to pick up. If you spend time in other car forums you'll find people selling them and they often come up on online sales sites. It seems people buy them for specific cars and then refit the stock seats when they sell. There are various models available with different specifications. If you study up on them and then wait for a bargain then you'll do well. Best thing is that there are all sorts of bits and pieces readily available to adapt them to different vehicles and spare parts are easy to source.

In terms of all out long-distance comfort the Stratos suspension seat is very hard to beat. These, sometimes, come up second hand but even then they are a bit on the expensive side. They do take up more passenger leg room than stock seats. If I didn't have the need for fully functional rear seating I'd have these in my current cruiser. I had them for a few years and they are just amazing over long distances. They make the stock seats seem like deliberately constructed torture devices by comparison.

When I was younger I adapted some fantastic Volvo seats for a cruiser which I picked up from a wreck. They had a great range of adjustments and a high quality blue velour covering. They've stood up really well over time are still in that metallic blue G-wagon and going well. Again, a relatively low seat base so it was easy to organise an arrangement that was able to get appropriate approval.

For my current 60 I was lucky to pick up a complete set of front and rear seats out of a 1990 HJ61 Sahara model. These seats are really great for long distance and have a number of lumber, firmness and rake adjustments. I took them to an automotive reupholsterer who I knew did work on truck and bus seats and he replaced some foam and reupholstered all of them for me.

I'm just trying to get them into my truck, have struck a small snag with my underseat blower heater which won't let the frame sit down properly.

hope this helps

Ironbark

 

[DoubleNickels]

Don't forget 4runner seats,they have adjustments for the head rest tilt,side bolster,lumbar etc. You can get them from 2nd gen. 4runners and SR5 Toyota trucks.View attachment 940844

Are those bolt-in replacements, or do they take some... persuasion?

 

[woytovich]

Just scored a pair of 1991 Celica seats at the pick n pull... Look to be very low seat bottoms. Will be trying these in the 40.... They have nice side bolsters too! And $34 for the pair!

 

[red66toy]

Just scored a pair of 1991 Celica seats at the pick n pull... Look to be very low seat bottoms. Will be trying these in the 40.... They have nice side bolsters too! And $34 for the pair!View attachment 1099078

Those look awesome! Nice score.

 

[dbleon]

92 Lexus es300 leather heated full power..love um!

 

[Ridge Runner]

People never seem to believe me, but I swear by first generation Matrix seats. I've owned my Matrix 11 1/2 years now (since new), have driven hundreds of cars in the course of my jobs, and I've only sat in maybe one or two more comfortable seats over long distances (the current RX seats are the only ones which come to mind). At first, they don't seem that special, but the foam is just the right thickness and density to maintain comfort. It's one of those seats that you just don't notice. I've taken trips of 13+ hours and have never gotten tired or sore. As an added bonus, the passenger seat folds flat with a hard plastic tray on the back.

Put another way: I currently manage a junkyard, have access to hundreds of different seats, yet the Matrix seat is still my choice for my 60.

 

[Zack1978]

The BMW seats seem to be the winner......except that you must lose the rear heater. Unfortunately living on the east coast, I am not willing to sacrifice the rear heater. I wish there was a way to keep the rear heater and have nice BMW seats.

 

[Ironbark]

The BMW seats seem to be the winner......except that you must lose the rear heater. Unfortunately living on the east coast, I am not willing to sacrifice the rear heater. I wish there was a way to keep the rear heater and have nice BMW seats.

Depends how handy you are with plumbing. If you source a complete Sahara-style centrally mounted rear heater from a wreck, then you'll have your rear heater under your centre console. Then you can fit your BMW seats and retain a rear heater. You'll have to move some heating pipes, cut some new holes and plug the old holes. It's not too difficult a job, just requires a bit of plumbing skill and some patience.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Are those bolt-in replacements, or do they take some... persuasion?

in my experience with those seats, no, not a bolt in affair...I run those seats in my 55 right now- easier to mount them in there than the 62...HTH

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Just scored a pair of 1991 Celica seats at the pick n pull... Look to be very low seat bottoms. Will be trying these in the 40.... They have nice side bolsters too! And $34 for the pair!View attachment 1099078

those look like they're similar to the 4runner seats mounts...you should do a step by step for us...

 

[DoubleNickels]

People never seem to believe me, but I swear by first generation Matrix seats. I've owned my Matrix 11 1/2 years now (since new), have driven hundreds of cars in the course of my jobs, and I've only sat in maybe one or two more comfortable seats over long distances (the current RX seats are the only ones which come to mind). At first, they don't seem that special, but the foam is just the right thickness and density to maintain comfort. It's one of those seats that you just don't notice. I've taken trips of 13+ hours and have never gotten tired or sore. As an added bonus, the passenger seat folds flat with a hard plastic tray on the back.

Put another way: I currently manage a junkyard, have access to hundreds of different seats, yet the Matrix seat is still my choice for my 60.

Any pics of that setup? And how about the difficulty to install?

 

[Ridge Runner]

Alas, my '87 project is on the back burner right now, so I haven't gotten to swap them in, but it should be pretty straightforward. Just remove the base of the track on both seats and weld the Matrix seat track to the 60 base.

 

[alberta mac]

I kinda got lost with other jobs and have made full circle back to this issue !
In a few days I will be going to my local p and p and searching for some of the seats you all have mentioned.
With luck I will find a powered and heated seat that rocks for comfort for the long journey.
My G wagon is an 85 diesel and welding is not a prob for me make something work !
I'll post up some pics when I get things rolling !
Just found this >>>
The Best Vehicles for Drivers With Back Pain | Edmunds.com
Thanks
Mac

 

[Heckraiser]

92 Lexus es300 leather heated full power..love um!

Your interior looks amazing! Where did you get that carpet? Door panels look great as well

 

[dbleon]

Your interior looks amazing! Where did you get that carpet? Door panels look great as well

Thank you! It's all DIY... and it's not perfect All my raw upholstery materials came from a local upholstery supplier. The carpet itself is just heavy duty backed marine grade. I cut the template by the originals and massaged it all in.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I kinda got lost with other jobs and have made full circle back to this issue !
In a few days I will be going to my local p and p and searching for some of the seats you all have mentioned.
With luck I will find a powered and heated seat that rocks for comfort for the long journey.
My G wagon is an 85 diesel and welding is not a prob for me make something work !
I'll post up some pics when I get things rolling !
Just found this >>>
The Best Vehicles for Drivers With Back Pain | Edmunds.com
Thanks
Mac

Keep us posted. Glad you brought this back. I've got old Subaru seats in my 60, and they are nearly
done. Have you looked at Tacoma seats, or 4Runner?