Lowest Seats For 1965 Cj5

1965 cj5 stock brackets. Unknown donor high backs. I’m not the tallest person out there, but with these seats and my longer than average torso I’m looking at the windshield frame.

I’m going to keep the factory tank. The seat brackets could use some attention so I could fabricate a similar looking bracket while gaining all that I can. I read through search that bestop are lower than rugged ridge and smittybilt(with picture illustration)

Is there anyone that can compare an oem seat to the modern replacement options(specifically the foam molded kind) like :https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jeep-Wrang...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

I’m not too worried about total correct to 1965, just a seat that looks correct to an average joe. The oem seats like the example above would obviously require reupholstery in the near term, but don’t want to go down the path with the modern seats if oem is the best way.

Thanks

 

I myself am a big fan of the SmittyBilt Lowbacks, as I have often stated regarding this question. They are slightly thicker under the butt than stock in my '57, but I mounted them as low as possible and they are real comfortable. They look very close to OEM, and are not very expensive.

This has been discussed here lots of times so you can search the archive.

 

I too went with the SmityBilt Lowbacks. They are indeed comfortable, but are a good bit thicker, both in the bottom cushions and the backs, than the original seats. I am 6'2" and big around the middle. I do not have any trouble seeing out of the windshield, but due to my size the steering wheel is awfully close to my belly.

Mine are currently mounted on the stock frames, I plan to fabricate my own frames to lower the seats and am considering cutting pockets in the wheel houses to move them back a bit.

If I had it to do over I would have had the original seats reupholstered because I had plenty of room with them, but I sold those so it is no longer an option.

 

I can add a third recommendation for the Smittybilt seats. I put them in my '69 because my originals need recovered and I didn't want to spent the money at the time. With the mid to late 60's seat brackets, the driver's seat mounts pretty low but I had to make some custom brackets to get the Smittybilt passenger seat as low as I liked while still using the factory lower bracket.

The seats:


The front pivot brackets for the passenger seat made form anlle iron and a rod:


The rear bracket that catches the factory latch made from angle iron and a piece of 1x2" rectangle stock:


The passenger seat sits at a slightly different angle so the tops of the backs at the same height because I didn't want to modify the stock lower frame. You don't notice unless someone points it out:

 

PeteL, thanks for the advice, and I have searched somewhat thoroughly here. It was one of the threads here that turned me towards thinking oem low backs. The thread dealt more with the wife’s opinion of the seats than seating height. Another thread pointed me towards bestop being the thinnest of the new choices.

We put the top back on it and if I sit properly my head domes the canvas like in the Harry and the Henderson’s movie!
Thanks all I appreciate all the advice.

 

Fireball, very clever brackets.

My thought is unless I go to the cj2a??/military wire frame and boat cushion option I’m just trying to start with the lowest seat so I have room to do the bracketed as I want.

 

x2

 

Agreed. But I think it is possible we are comparing to OEM seats that have collapsed somewhat after several decades of use.

 

Pete,

My Jeep only saw one decade of light use as a tender at a car lot where it had been traded in on a new Buick in 1968. The seats were not collapsed, they were actually in pretty good shape other than the covers being brittle from age.

Kenny,

CJ2A seat frames won't work well in a CJ5. If you want military style seats, which are not as comfortable but will be lower, you should look for M38A1 seat frames and the cushions for those. I don't think you would be happy with "boat cushions".

 

I’ll be the fall guy, lol! I went with the Bestop Trailmaxx II low backs, with matching rear bench.

 

Ditto. The originals had sprung cushions, but repros are available that are firm foam. I like them okay, but they are spartan.

 

Oldpappy and petel, I didn’t mean to derail with the m38a1 seats, I only meant to say I don’t want to go that far.

 

Beachbum66, do you mind giving me a rough measurement from frame height to seat?

 

1965 was the last year of original coil spring seats in the CJ5, then for '66, they switched to molded foam. The foam seats are at least 1 1/2" effective higher seating position. Your butt sits lower in the coil spring type seat.
-Donny

 

Hooking onto the bottom tube of the original seat frame, it’s approximately 6 1/2” to top of the seat. (Notice that the sides have a bit of a raised bolster, so it’s showing 7” in the pic)

 

Thanks Beach66bum, I appreciate it. For reference, the unknown seats in my cj are approximately 9” to seating area with the same method.

 

Your welcome That's quite the height difference! Even with the "Bus" wheel I still have more than enough room.

 

I have lowback dodge van seats from a 80s van in both my jeeps. They are good but a little too high. In my cj5 i cut out parts of the seat so it sits down as low as i could practically get it and made new metal to bolt it down. Even cut out parts of the foam. Most seats can be modified that way. A few inches makes a huge difference.

 

Yes ...especially after 50 years of abuse, and squirrels eating all the padding!