Random Question: Rear Split Seats

[Forerunner]

i was recently at Overland Expo East and saw one of the 60’s that FJ Company restored. It has a split rear seat instead of a bench. And I really like that design aspect.

How hard are those to find on a scale of one to kryptonite? and though not in the correct section- does anyone have a set for sale?

 

[Tapage]

Those where for us only on the GX 60 series .. guess a fairly easy source should be japan .. but a fair share of mods to the floor must be done to make them work.

 

[NookShneer]

Find a set from a HJ61. They all came with rear split seats in order to fold forward and allow access to the high rooflined optional third row.

Canada is likely the best bet. Bodies rust out but interiors tend to hold up.

They do not “bolt up” on the floor mounts and will require some drilling and welding/bolt work.

 

[saucebox]

Is yours brown? I have a set in brown in good shape, but buried in storage after we sold our house.

@NookShneer is right though—definitely not a direct fit. I don't recall any welding necessary, but I only ever "kind-of" test fit them with bolts before selling all my 60 projects.

 

[NookShneer]

Is yours brown? I have a set in brown in good shape, but buried in storage after we sold our house.

@NookShneer is right though—definitely not a direct fit. I don't recall any welding necessary, but I only ever "kind-of" test fit them with bolts before selling all my 60 projects.

Welding would only be for a captured nut on the bottom.

I drilled and then used bolts/nuts on the bottom. Holding a wrench on one side and tightening the other really sucks though as a one person job. I’ll go back and weld them at some point.

 

[saucebox]

I recall that now—actually I think that was going to be my plan too. Weld a capture nut to a scab plate of sorts to shore up the body sheet metal.

 

[Skniper]

Correct, the floorboard will need to be drilled to bolt down the seat footings. Pretty sure the footing locations are molded into the floor board. The split seat backs use the same latches above that the bench seat uses.

The trick (at least it was for me) is finding the proper hoops the bottom of the seats latch/lock onto. The small hoop on the floor for the bench seat does not work, and each split seat has its own floor hoop, so you need two.

@NookShneer what did you use for the floor hoop latches? Have a pic?

 

[sved]

The latches up on the side are actually different .The bench seat latches are less wide.They stick out aprox. 5mm less to the center.
I installed M10 captive nuts in the floorboard to save me from having 3m long arms ........

You can see the extra plate on the left side on the latch.

 

[hj 60]

Under the body toyota used a bigger plate that holds the nut, maybe try to replicate:

 

[cruisermatt]

Why is going from three rear seatbelts to two rear seatbelts a desirable upgrade?

 

[NookShneer]

[QUOTE="Skniper, post: 12010438, member:

@NookShneer what did you use for the floor hoop latches? Have a pic?[/QUOTE]

I used the hoops that are stock to the HJ61 seen in @sved’s photos.

@cruisermatt they have a middle belt provision.

Family of three here and I have toyed with the idea of making one of the sides into a fridge platform or other storage. That would use the same mounting points to make it interchangeable.

 

[HoJo 61]

To be precise, only the high roof versions had split rear seats.

 

[LCnAZ]

@NookShneer is right about bolting in the back HJ61 seats. I bought our set in early 1991 from SOR when wifey became pregnant with first kiddo. The easiest solution was to let the Toyota dealership body shop install the rears. Quick, easy, affordable.

Why is going from three rear seatbelts to two rear seatbelts a desirable upgrade?

That's not the only feature that changes. There are plenty that many of us regard as pluses to a split back. The flexibility to have only one deployed is likely the biggest plus. Besides, your munchkins better be pretty small to fit three across comfortably in the OEM bench. If you have two child seats at any time, maybe a dog will fit in the middle.

Although I sold my HJ61 front seats to @CenTex62 and have two BMW seats standing by for install when my 62 returns from paint this weekend, I will keep the split rear seats and have them re-covered to match the BMWs. I do have to work out a solution to secure the back seats to the front when they are tumbled forward. Each HJ61 front seat has an eye in the floor bracket in which a male hook with retention strap secures each tumbled forward split seat. Easy mod.

 

[ProwlerDriver]

I have split seats and I will say I do miss my fold flat rear bench. I liked being able to sleep in the back if need be. I’m still up in the air about converting back. They do look nice though. Installing them was pretty easy, as others said just drilling the floorboards was max that was involved. Here’s a pic of mine, I have headrests now

 

[LCnAZ]

@NookShneer is right about bolting in the back HJ61 seats. I bought our set in early 1991 from SOR when wifey became pregnant with first kiddo. The easiest solution was to let the Toyota dealership body shop install the rears. Quick, easy, affordable.



That's not the only feature that changes. There are plenty that many of us regard as pluses to a split back. The flexibility to have only one deployed is likely the biggest plus. Besides, your munchkins better be pretty small to fit three across comfortably in the OEM bench. If you have two child seats at any time, maybe a dog will fit in the middle.

Although I sold my HJ61 front seats to @CenTex62 and have two BMW seats standing by for install when my 62 returns from paint this weekend, I will keep the split rear seats and have them re-covered to match the BMWs. I do have to work out a solution to secure the back seats to the front when they are tumbled forward. Each HJ61 front seat has an eye in the floor bracket in which a male hook with retention strap secures each tumbled forward split seat. Easy mod.

That said, I still have the OEM seat package in storage and could swap back to the bench seat some day. Like @ProwlerDriver, I can see utility to the full flat rear area.

 

[Forerunner]

Is yours brown? I have a set in brown in good shape, but buried in storage after we sold our house.

@NookShneer is right though—definitely not a direct fit. I don't recall any welding necessary, but I only ever "kind-of" test fit them with bolts before selling all my 60 projects.

My interior is blue/grey... I will need to do a significant refresh in the future... so it may change.

I have split seats and I will say I do miss my fold flat rear bench. I liked being able to sleep in the back if need be. I’m still up in the air about converting back. They do look nice though. Installing them was pretty easy, as others said just drilling the floorboards was max that was involved. Here’s a pic of mine, I have headrests now

View attachment 1831484

very clean install!

 

[Feistl]

I assume you are in the USA?

Shame as I have a full set of HJ61 Sahara Turbo seats including the rear row and the quick release floor mounting brackets left over (I converted to 4 bucket seats). As I've got mine apart I can get some detailed pics of the floor mounting points if anyone needs them.

Cheers

 

[cruiserdenmark]

I have split seats and I will say I do miss my fold flat rear bench. I liked being able to sleep in the back if need be. I’m still up in the air about converting back. They do look nice though. Installing them was pretty easy, as others said just drilling the floorboards was max that was involved. Here’s a pic of mine, I have headrests now

View attachment 1831484

Hmmm.. I am about to install split seats instead of my bench, but I also like to sleep in the car. Is the difference in length really that large?
Perhaps you can measure it when the seats are folded up? Then I will measure mine with the bench seat folded.

 

[LCnAZ]

Hmmm.. I am about to install split seats instead of my bench, but I also like to sleep in the car. Is the difference in length really that large?
Perhaps you can measure it when the seats are folded up? Then I will measure mine with the bench seat folded.

It's a major difference because once the seats are folded up, the well under them drops. The only flat area you have left is the cargo area. If you know you are not going to have back seat passengers on an adventure, you could fabricate a structure to "fill" the well and provide another 2.5' or so of length for such trips.

 

[cruiserdenmark]

Ah, ok. Thanks. So it is not the length but the flatness? I guess I could make a board with some folding support structure to fill the gap then.
Thanks.