Front Bench seat?

[tucson_sailors]

Was wondering if in all the "rest of the world" variants of the FJ60/62 if there was ever a front bench seat. Did a search on this forum....there are a helluva lot of posts that contain "bench" and "seat" but nothing with a combination of the two in the order I'm looking for.

Pretty sure its a "no", but have to try. I replaced my original seats with those out of a Rodeo years ago, and was thinking a front bench with a bump in for the shift levers would be more comfortable.

TIA,

Glenn in Marana

 

[Seth S]

Was wondering if in all the "rest of the world" variants of the FJ60/62 if there was ever a front bench seat. Did a search on this forum....there are a helluva lot of posts that contain "bench" and "seat" but nothing with a combination of the two in the order I'm looking for.

Pretty sure its a "no", but have to try. I replaced my original seats with those out of a Rodeo years ago, and was thinking a front bench with a bump in for the shift levers would be more comfortable.

TIA,

Glenn in Marana

I feel like this has come up before and I feel like there was a thread where someone either found one or installed one. I don't know if 60's ever came with bench seats but some other models might. You could always put a 62 rear bench seat up front with some home made bracket.....that way you'd still have head rests.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I’ve seen an early 80’s FJ60 with a 60/40 split bench. I tried to buy it but the seller was
wanting to sell the whole cadaver as a unit. It also had the rubber floor mats without carpet.
They were made but really rare. I like the bench seat idea. Good luck.

 

[Ian Crawford]

There was this one: Bench seat in fj62 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/bench-seat-in-fj62.38420/

Looks like they may have been an option in 70-Series?

 

[georgebj60]

I had an '81 BJ60 with vinyl bench seats, vinyl floor and the protector bar at the back tailgate. The door panels were also vinyl and didn't go over the steel at the top of the door. I think these things are specific to 1981 trucks, and maybe only in Canada.

 

[bcsteel]

The above information from @georgebj60 is correct. I also had an 81. Had a 3b and 4spd. The bench was vinyl as was the rest of the interior in the truck. Still had a rotten frame

 

[tucson_sailors]

All right! Now I'm a unicorn hunter. They exist, but are really darn rare. Which means that *somewhere* there may be one that exists that can be measured and at least allow for possible other models/makes being shoehorned into place based on a custom frame, etc. Thanks for the confirmation and helpful advice!

Glenn

 

[Samppahj]

Does it have to be a full bench or would the double passenger seat be an option? In Finland every 6 series has the wider passenger seat and they are registered for 6 persons. Highroof versions have also a singel passenger seat.

You can see the front seats in the first post of my build. Builds - HJ60 Snow white - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/hj60-snow-white.978827/

 

[CruiserTrash]

Yeah, I’m gonna follow this one. I’m getting ideas. Dangerous ideas.

 

[tucson_sailors]

Does it have to be a full bench or would the double passenger seat be an option? In Finland every 6 series has the wider passenger seat and they are registered for 6 persons. Highroof versions have also a singel passenger seat.

You can see the front seats in the first post of my build. Builds - HJ60 Snow white - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/hj60-snow-white.978827/

Wow. Just wow. Amazing restoration thread. Good work and I will be following that to see when all the pretty, pretty pictures are up there.

Those wider seats would probably do the trick, I'll be interested in how the frames are put together to allow for the heater to be under them but yet be wider than the stock seats (if the frame is any different). Would probably want to swap the passenger/driver seat to allow for the wider more comfortable seat to be the drivers. I've seen a large number of folks in the past swap the seat bases since the passenger side generally has less wear, so its doable, if some minor fitting and fabricating of seat rails is included.

Will now be looking at that option, I suspect Canada may be the closest place that had those options anywhere near me.

Glenn in Marana

 

[PBcuiser]

I saw a pic of someone who had swapped a tundra or T100 bench in, cant find it now but def was interesting....

 

[Knowbuddy]

I love the 3 person front seats.

 

[Ian Crawford]

I love the 3 person front seats.

Me too! In high school, my uncle gave me his 1984 Cadillac Sedan Deville, black on red leather. If there were 3+ in the car 3 would be upfront.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Greatest Hits Live was stuck in the cassette deck and it had Cadillac Ranch on it. Glory days!

 

[81Red60]

I have the 60/40 split front seats in my 1981 fj60. Do you need some photos or measurements?

 

[brownbear]

I had one that I sourced once. I eneded up giving it away. Did not realize they were so rare. It looked just like the picture above. It was vinyl.

 

[tucson_sailors]

I have the 60/40 split front seats in my 1981 fj60. Do you need some photos or measurements?

View attachment 2969134

View attachment 2969135

Would like to see a couple of pics of the frame mount detail at the floor level in front and back on the wider seat. Distance between frame rails on the wider would also be helpful. I'm seeing the notch out on the cushion for the shift levers, if I do a swap the way I would like, would have to puzzle out with a upholstery shop how to swap that bump in to the other side. Could also see shortening the levers, or a slight bend to change angles a bit. Very interested in how the frame supports the extra width, but clears the heater under the passenger seat.

Thinking that the placement of the e-brake might cause a problem in simply swapping the 60/40 to the driver advantage, will have to think about that. Don't want to give up the e-brake.

Nice pics of the seats, and I've never seen the full vinyl option including the floor, so good to see whats out there. I'm in Southern AZ so vinyl seats would be very warm in the summer, but a floor I could hose out would be something that would be handy occasionally.

Glenn

 

[Samppahj]

I mounted the e-brake lever today and thought about you saying to put the wider seat for the driver. It sure does in the way of brake lever. The floor is flat there so maybe the cutout for break lever could be moved towards the passenger seat.

 

[brownbear]

When I had my OEM bench seat it was not a good middle seat like a pick up. The parking brake lever is still there. I would think only smaller people could sit there. The is also the fact that there is no shoulder harness, which to me is not ideal in the front. I put shoulder harness seat belts in the back too.

 

[PBcuiser]

found the pic of what I think is a t100 bench someone put in....

truck is for sale rn in turlock 1987 FJ60 LandCruiser Wagon - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle... - https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/turlock-1987-fj60-landcruiser-wagon/7461652016.html

 

[81Red60]

@tucson_sailors Here a few pics of each frame mount going from front passenger side-front middle -rear passenger - rear middle. Total distance between left and right mounts is 23 inches.