BJ8 Seat Thickness

[Micahde]

I am 6', 230lbs and I have the hardest time getting my legs on opposite sides of the steering wheel. I think my newly stuffed seats are too thick. Does anyone know the proper thickness of the seats on a 65 BJ8?

 

[Blue964]

I don't think it's a peculiarity of BJ8s, all the later seats are similar. I had the same problem with my BT7 tri-carb I bought a few years back.
I'm only 5'8'' but have a proportionally long body and just found myself too high with my head protruding above the screen-top, not good!
I had purchased the car from Bill Rawles and he simply suggested that his trim guy take some of the stuffing OUT of the seats. Still looks good and I now sit IN the car and not on it!! Worth a try.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I think it was Norman Nock that recommended boring some holes in the seat bottom foams (he had a certain pattern). I've found that the seat foam compresses over time; I've replaced my BJ8's foams a couple times over 140K miles.

 

[roscoe]

If you take a 2.5 to 3 " hole saw to the seat bottom foam, which you can do without removing the upholstry and do not cut all the way through, you can pull out several cylinder shaped pieces. For me, the result was a softer and somewhat lower seat. I did it because the seat was simply too firm but sitting an inch or two lower was fine with me even though I'm only about 5'7" ( and getting shorter).

 

[John Turney]

The original foams had holes molded in them, so cutting holes is appropriate.

 

[Micahde]

I don't think it's a peculiarity of BJ8s, all the later seats are similar. I had the same problem with my BT7 tri-carb I bought a few years back.
I'm only 5'8'' but have a proportionally long body and just found myself too high with my head protruding above the screen-top, not good!
I had purchased the car from Bill Rawles and he simply suggested that his trim guy take some of the stuffing OUT of the seats. Still looks good and I now sit IN the car and not on it!! Worth a try.

will do. Thank you.
yes, the wind screen is at my nose.

 

[bob hughes]

I took 38mm off my foam and then a touch more before I was comfortable. I did not bore holes in my foam, I think that.it makes it too squashy. I left the passenger seat with full foam and it does not notice that much, if atall.

Cheers

Bob