Not enough headroom
#1
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Just got the Jag I've wanted since '92: a 1992 XJS Coupe with the AJ6 and 5-spd manual (36K miles). I love her but she's killin' me. I don't fit and I'm only 6' 200lbs. Two hours of driving equals a wrecked lower back and neck for me.
How do you guys manage? I will have to lower the seat...unless you can help. Got any ideas, seen this before? Do I have to use an unpadded racing seat? I don't need fore-aft adjustment 'cuz I going to remove the back seat (trying to emulate the convertible's storage area).
Thanks.
How do you guys manage? I will have to lower the seat...unless you can help. Got any ideas, seen this before? Do I have to use an unpadded racing seat? I don't need fore-aft adjustment 'cuz I going to remove the back seat (trying to emulate the convertible's storage area).
Thanks.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
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#3
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
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In all seriousness I'm not sure what you can do.
I vaguely recall that earlier models had a second set of bolt holes on the seat tracks that could be used to move the seat rearward. I'm not sure if yours would be the same....or not even sure if I'm remembering correctly. Worth investigating, perhaps?
I'm not sure all all how you'd get the seat *lower*, though.
Anything is possible but it might take some custom fabrication.
Hopefully others will chime in.
Sorry I can't offer anything concrete.
Cheers
DD
I vaguely recall that earlier models had a second set of bolt holes on the seat tracks that could be used to move the seat rearward. I'm not sure if yours would be the same....or not even sure if I'm remembering correctly. Worth investigating, perhaps?
I'm not sure all all how you'd get the seat *lower*, though.
Anything is possible but it might take some custom fabrication.
Hopefully others will chime in.
Sorry I can't offer anything concrete.
Cheers
DD
#5
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Nice. That's what I envisioned (from my couch). I've only had the car two weeks and haven't started taking it apart yet. Having too much fun driving. Headroom in the first hour is more than bearable. But this is supposed to be a GT. Thanks.
#7
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#9
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What is wrong with the "original S Type". My 3.4 is topping 1/2 million miles and still strong, still leaks oil, DG trans died loooooong ago, so a BW66 took its place, NO power steer, so no power steer leaks, PLENTY OF HEAD ROOM HAHAHAHA, air con is COLD. Only beef is my now mangled right foot gets all stuck between the pedals if I aint careful, stuff happens.
My suggestion was a 9" angle grinder and make a soft top out of it, but Doug made a better offer in my opinion.
Being a '92 it probably has electric seats, and they were higher set from memory??.
I just went to my '85 Coupe and adjusted the seat in a quite "upright position" and head room is a challenge (I am 6' + and 97kgs), and then I noted that I do have the seat raked quite a bit, so I kind of "lay back" in it, I like my distance from the steering wheel, and 3 notches from the rear most slide setting is my fore aft setting.
Doug is "spot on" with the slide bolt holes, and the second set of holes are where the slides actually bolt TO the seat, at least on the '85. The holes to the car are single drilled. I have mine on the aft most drillings coz NO kids anymore.
My suggestion was a 9" angle grinder and make a soft top out of it, but Doug made a better offer in my opinion.
Being a '92 it probably has electric seats, and they were higher set from memory??.
I just went to my '85 Coupe and adjusted the seat in a quite "upright position" and head room is a challenge (I am 6' + and 97kgs), and then I noted that I do have the seat raked quite a bit, so I kind of "lay back" in it, I like my distance from the steering wheel, and 3 notches from the rear most slide setting is my fore aft setting.
Doug is "spot on" with the slide bolt holes, and the second set of holes are where the slides actually bolt TO the seat, at least on the '85. The holes to the car are single drilled. I have mine on the aft most drillings coz NO kids anymore.
#10
#12
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Grant, I think I'd use a hacksaw like R&T July '79 says Pininfarina did when they made their XJ-S study.
Ya my '92 has electric seats--are you saying the earlier cars had lower-set seats? If so I'll consider trying to find some. But I really have to settle the matter of mounts first by taking out the seat and carpet and seeing what's there.
Ya my '92 has electric seats--are you saying the earlier cars had lower-set seats? If so I'll consider trying to find some. But I really have to settle the matter of mounts first by taking out the seat and carpet and seeing what's there.
#13
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I got off the couch and took a look.
Everyone is partly right:
-there's a 3" riser under the distal rear corner that could be chopped, but
-constraints in the shape of the non-flat floor prevent the front of the seat from being lowered, and also the medial rear corner, however
-there appears to be a second set of holes in the runners where they bolt to the floor, though the front holes will have to be made bigger, so the seat could be remounted an inch further back without too much trouble.
I'll let you know what happens.
Everyone is partly right:
-there's a 3" riser under the distal rear corner that could be chopped, but
-constraints in the shape of the non-flat floor prevent the front of the seat from being lowered, and also the medial rear corner, however
-there appears to be a second set of holes in the runners where they bolt to the floor, though the front holes will have to be made bigger, so the seat could be remounted an inch further back without too much trouble.
I'll let you know what happens.
#14
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yep we removed the seat. used a 4 inch grinder cut the floor up the rocker panel side, across the front mounting edge and down the trans hump side. pushed the front floor pan door 3 inches. added a filler of metal all around the new opening from 3 inches at the front to nothing at the rear. kinda made a resessed floor pan. just takes a bit of work. or just buy a convertable. ")
#16
#17
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Not wanting to be a wet blanket, BUT, something is swilling around in my head other than Merlot.
The earlier seats had the runners, and obviously I reckon, the floor mounting pods, at a wider spacing than the later electric seats. By that I mean the 2 runners attached to the seat were wider in their track on earlier cars, and narrower on later cars with electrics.
When the sun rises again, I will measure the track on my '85 seat runners and post back, maybe they are the same as yours?????.
The earlier seats had the runners, and obviously I reckon, the floor mounting pods, at a wider spacing than the later electric seats. By that I mean the 2 runners attached to the seat were wider in their track on earlier cars, and narrower on later cars with electrics.
When the sun rises again, I will measure the track on my '85 seat runners and post back, maybe they are the same as yours?????.
#18
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There'll be welding involved. I'm gonna have to encroach on the left exhaust tunnel: cut into that roughly 3x3 section that runs down the inboard side of the driver's floor so I can lower the rear seat mount. The outboard rear is an easy stand-alone riser.
I'll leave the front seat mounts up near where they are. I find the front of the seat a bit low as it is.
PHOTO: Taken through the left door. Seat mounting nuts are about 16.5" apart L to R, about 13" Front to Back.
I'll leave the front seat mounts up near where they are. I find the front of the seat a bit low as it is.
PHOTO: Taken through the left door. Seat mounting nuts are about 16.5" apart L to R, about 13" Front to Back.