seat placement suggestion

[JPSmit]

took the runners off to touch up the paint and am left wondering

1. would it make sense to switch the drivers and passenger seats, assuming that the passenger will have had less wear over the years? and

2. has anyone ever thought to put the "back adjustment" levers on the outside of the seats rather than the inside - just because they might be more natural there? and maybe look better?

thanks all

 

[Jim_Gruber]

You can't reach them to adjust while driving if you reverse the seats. Door is in the way. Not that it is easy to reach them when they are in the inside but it is possible to do. I always had them at fully back and fully reclined as much as I could get with Roll Bar installed. Before Roll Bar installation, at my lofty 5'6"{ stature I preferred seats as far back as I could get them. I have no clue how some of these larger Spridget Drivers fit in this car.

 

[Atrus]

My father-in-law was like 6'4" and drive a midget for a number of years. It amazes me.

I am 5'8" and the car is perfect for me.

 

[HAN8L1965]

John,

I think I tried to switch the bases but the tunnel prevents you from doing that. I did put my driver side cushions on my passenger side and vice-a-versa. It is easy to remove the base cushion from the frome on my 65

Mark

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Before you reinstall think about replacing the webbing underneath the cushion. Best upgrade I ever did for drivability and driver comfort. Cheap to do.

 

[walshja]

my seats are out of the car, and I was thinking of changing them as well.

seems like both seats lean towards the center of the car, I was thinking of switching them to wear them back the other way.

Mark, what do you mean the tunnel prevents us from switching the seats?

 

[GeeBee1]

I do not see the tunnel as a deterant, just the recline lever.

Pat

 

[walshja]

the recline lever, will that rub against the door? or will it simply be difficult to use?

I am OK with difficult, but I certainly don't want it rubbing against my doors.

and I am 6'1", and once in the car it feels great, it is the getting out of the car that isn't too much fun !!!!

 

[Gundy]

You can't reach them to adjust while driving if you reverse the seats. Door is in the way. Not that it is easy to reach them when they are in the inside but it is possible to do. I always had them at fully back and fully reclined as much as I could get with Roll Bar installed. Before Roll Bar installation, at my lofty 5'6"{ stature I preferred seats as far back as I could get them. I have no clue how some of these larger Spridget Drivers fit in this car.

The trick is getting in and out. Once in, my 6 foot frame has legroom and headroom. I find in my old age I reach for the left leg on getting in to help fold it up for entry. I find a grip
just below the knee on the shin bone is most effective.
Exits are the reverse with the left leg now gripped for lift
more than fold and behind the knee.
Grunting noises seem to help too. :wink:

 

[walshja]

ahhahaha !!!

don't forget about the twisting of the foot as you are gripping just below the knee. I do the same exact procedure, with the addition of maneuvering the foot to get in. I fear I will create wear marks where my foot sometimes drags across the door strap.

also, there is the stumble when getting out of the car, once both feet are on the ground, gotta twist and lift with the legs, followed by the stumble.

 

[Gundy]

ahhahaha !!!

don't forget about the twisting of the foot as you are gripping just below the knee. I do the same exact procedure, with the addition of maneuvering the foot to get in. I fear I will create wear marks where my foot sometimes drags across the door strap.

also, there is the stumble when getting out of the car, once both feet are on the ground, gotta twist and lift with the legs, followed by the stumble.

True, true! I forgot about that foot contortion. It's not a pretty sight. My wife says exits are like doing squat thrusts.
But...once inside it's like a hand in a glove. I tell people who ask "How you get in that thing?", "I don't get in...I put it on like a tailored suit."

 

[bugimike]

:lol: Exactly!! Well-put! One WEARS a Sprite!

 

[SilentUnicorn]

i always tell folks you have to sit on it- not in it.

you folks use two feet to get out? i get the left foot out and planted and use the leg muscle to press myself up and the right foot just kinda follows the rest of me out.

i tried swapping seats once....it seemed to me that they were handed...and didnt fit right around the tunnel...


m

 

[ncbugeye]

In my 1958 Bugeye the two seats are actually different - only the driver's seat has any forward/backward adjustment, the passenger seat is fixed.

 

[JPSmit]

Thanks Chris, I'll check. The rest of you - could you stay on topic for more than one post sheesh

"exit is the reverse of entry"

 

[walshja]

1 more off topic question . . .

Chris, when did you work for IBM? I have been working for IBM for 13 years now !!!

and that's it, no more John-Peter !!!! I promise !!!!

 

[JPSmit]

Yeah right, these are the ADHD Spridget boards where everyone has the focus of a - oh look, a butterfly.

BTW, tried the seats tonight, and here is the answer to my question, if you place the seats with the levers facing out, there is not enough space between the door post and the seat to even reach the lever. This also eliminates the swap sides, since, all I can switch is the base at which point I might as well get a new seat base.

so, seats go back as is - with either an inch more foam or new straps or both.

In the meantime, the only interior panel left is the piece the hood latch handle attaches to. Perhaps even seats tomorrow

 

[bthompson]

I switched the seats on Nigel, kinda. The frames are L and R, but everything else swaps out. I switched the webbing, straps, foams, and covers. It's just like having the passenger seat on the driver's side, but the recline and slider levers are in the correct places. Only remember, if you switch the backrest covers, you have to make a new hole for the lever.

 

[JPSmit]

did you have to replace the clips? or do they slide back on easily?

 

[vagt6]

Funny. I find Spridgets relatively comfy, ceertainly more so than my GT6s.

I'm 6'2", about 190, with 12 1/2 size feet :eeek:. In a GT6 I have to wear special shoes in order to fit my feet in the pedal box. Bulky (mostly winter) type shoes simply won't fit down in the pedal box and the pedals are too close together to negotiate with any degree of accuracy (very dangerous, I might add). Most of the time I'd simply chuck the shoes and drive in my socks or bare feet.

I finally sprung for some driving shoes (very thin soles, form-fitting) and kept them in the car all the time. It was that, or drive bare-footed (not good with slick metal accelerator pedal!).

As for ingress and egress, well, it takes a bit of athleticism in a GT6. However, once seated, the driving position and seating were very comfortable: it's just getting in and out that's the problem!

If you think Spridgets are small, try a GT6 for size!