Front Seats

Currently I have the original 60/40 split bench seat in my machine. It has the original upholstry and is fair condition. Some may say excellent condition for what I am doing. I find the seating uncomfortable during extended driving.

If I go with the low back buckets, I can fab brackets and the flip up option will work for the passenger side. If I go with highbacks, I understand they will not flip up, but people could step between the seats to access the back seat.

What have some of you done and how do you like it?

 

Mine is stock, and I like it that way...I like the access to the tool box, the access to the rear and I like the looks...To me, high back seats just don't look right in a jeep
But, It's your jeep..You should build it the way YOU like it

 

Do you have bucket seats or the 60/40 bench?

 

I am not either. I might ought to run by an upholstry shop and see if they can recover and spruce up what I have. It looks like the padding in mine is just cotton batting over steel springs.

 

I bought bestops low backs...they're fine for short trips but not as comfortable as the original low backs that were in it when I bought it. If I had it to do over again, I'd have had the originals recovered.

But the bestops are priced pretty good....cheaper than the cost of recovering (unless you buy the kit like Boyink did and do it yourself).

 

I had lowbacks at first. They were in pretty bad shape, so I started weighing options. For me - comfort was the most important aspect. I got to where I wouldn't drive the Jeep b/c it was so uncomfortable. I went with Bestop highbacks on the original frames. Here are a few pics:







Bottom line - I have VERY limited access to the underseat tool box (the lid will open about 4"). And to get into the backseat, you have to crawl over from the back.

 

Timmy I have the same setup as you. If I really needed to get into the tool/junk box I'd just take the seat out and set it to the side.

 

I have reclining high backs out of a Hyundai in the CJ-5 and can flip the passenger seat forward just fine. I have to recline them way back first but can completely open the tool box lid and my daughter can get in the back that way. Nickmil.

 

Just Jeep with the top off and throw the kids over the side to get in.

 

DBnJ...one thought here...when I got my '69, the original owner (I'm #2) did not get the back seat. I found one, but had to have it restored and recovered. The end result looks great with the original low-back front seats. All are covered with the same black denim upholstery. My vote is to keep your 60-40s and have them rebuilt and recovered. Like Boynik said, in 5 years you'll wish you had them back!

 

Seems everybody calls the stockers 60/40s, I think of them as 2/3-1/3......

I have them and had them recovered by a guy when I was stationed in Missouri for 90 bucks. They look awesome. I don't think he added any padding but did replace some of the coil springs that had broken with some I got from the junkyard from a old (60's?) chevy truck.

I am happy with them and wouldn't trade them for anything. Longest drive to date is about 5 hours, 3 of that off road. No complaints, but then I am not to sensitive to that kinda thing.

No back seat. Diamond plate Jeepbox takes it all up. Strictly a 2 seater, 3 if they are really good lookin and don't mind the stick....

IMHO, Have the originals recovered and PAINT THE FRAMES WHILE THEY ARE BARE (my only regret, just didn't think of it...)

 

I did.

At the time, I didn't *know* that I might be needing access to the back seat!!!

 

Was wondering if the Bestop seats fit in the older Jeeps why don't they say they do in the catalogs.
Seems like allot of the aftermarket has forgoten thet vehicles over 5 or 10 years old even exist.

Randy

 

We'll - they don't exactly bolt "directly" in... I had to drill and tap a new set of holes on the new seats. But there was a strip of 3" steel that ran the full length of each seat, from front to back, on each side. I just marked where the holes needed to be by putting an ink pen through the existing holes in the frames. Took no more than an hour for both seats.