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My sweetheart needs a seat with good lumbar support due to Harrington rods down her spine and some hip dysplasia. I'm open to suggestions for something I could bolt in to our '69--maybe a newer Corvette seat from the C3 vintage? Looking for affordable alternatives but will investigate spending the money for the right seat.
If you can find a set of Recaro LS seats, they will definitely do the trick. The write-ups from back in the early 80's inspired me to give a set a try. They are terrific. Not inexpensive mind you, but hey, she's worth it!!!
I bought them for a BOSS 302 Mustang and after selling the car (new owner didn't think they were worth an additional $1000!) I installed them in my '73 Corvette convertible. The fit is tight and I lost about 1" of headroom, but they were terrific regardless.
I've seen a few sets over the years on ebay for half what I paid in 1980. They are so well made that they hold up better than you might guess and are very easy to reupholster if necessary.
My suggestion would be to take her to a car show/cruise-in where there are LOTS of cars. As you walk around looking at the cars, note if each has some type of seat that might work in your C3. Ask if it would be OK for your wife to sit in the passenger's seat so she can test it for fit and feel. {Most folks will be OK with this if there is a good reason...and she is a GOOD reason.}
Check out several and write down info on those that she thinks might do the job. Continue with more shows until she indicates that one of those seats is what you need to install for her. You might also want to see how you feel in the one she selects, before you buy them.
Getting our 'opinion' is fine; but how SHE feels in the seat is all that really matters.
My suggestion would be to take her to a car show/cruise-in where there are LOTS of cars. As you walk around looking at the cars, note if each has some type of seat that might work in your C3. Ask if it would be OK for your wife to sit in the passenger's seat so she can test it for fit and feel. {Most folks will be OK with this if there is a good reason...and she is a GOOD reason.}
Check out several and write down info on those that she thinks might do the job. Continue with more shows until she indicates that one of those seats is what you need to install for her. You might also want to see how you feel in the one she selects, before you buy them.
Getting our 'opinion' is fine; but how SHE feels in the seat is all that really matters.
Great suggestions all. You're right; if Mama ain't happy, nobody's happy.
You may want to check with a member here GDH (greg)
He has a newer set of seats in his 72 vert and I think they were for his wife who has some a delicate back as well. They put quite a few miles on each year so he should have some input
M
The 79-82 C3 seats are much more comfortable than the early ones but the high bolsters make it harder to get in and out of them than the early seats.
I have wondered about these seats--have seen them but have not sat down in one. They have a sort of Michelin tire-man sort of look going on but they do look comfy. Know of a guy with a 1980 C3. Will give them a try. Looks like the most affordable alternative if the wife likes them. Thanks.
I installed C 5. Sport seats in my 70 vette. They are very comfortable and still easy to get in and out of. My wife likes them also.
My wife drives a 1982 vette and the seats are ok but in my opinion, after a while I find them to be less comfortable than the C 5 seats.
Hope this helps and good luck.
I have wondered about these seats--have seen them but have not sat down in one. They have a sort of Michelin tire-man sort of look going on but they do look comfy. Know of a guy with a 1980 C3. Will give them a try. Looks like the most affordable alternative if the wife likes them. Thanks.
I also need good lumbar support in a seat and the 79-82 seats are very good for that.
I am curious if anyone knows if there is a kit out there to use the basic seat structure of my 78 seats but with bolster support/leather seat covers like the 79-82 seats have? I do not want to put 79-82 seats in my 78....
If you can get a set of std (non sport) 88-89 or 96 seats those are about as comfortable as it gets. Dont know about the seat frame thing but youll love em. Cheap in the psf section
I am curious if anyone knows if there is a kit out there to use the basic seat structure of my 78 seats but with bolster support/leather seat covers like the 79-82 seats have? I do not want to put 79-82 seats in my 78....
Jeff, of course you know the Pace Car came with the later model seats. It's hard to imagine the seat brackets/supports were much different than the standard seat.
Jeff, of course you know the Pace Car came with the later model seats. It's hard to imagine the seat brackets/supports were much different than the standard seat.
Good luck... GUSTO
Yes, I did. I was hoping to not have to change the standard 78 brackets/frame but use bolstered foam underneath with a leather seat cover that would fit the 78 frame/structure...probs not but figured someone may know. Thanks
The 79-82 C3 seats are much more comfortable than the early ones but the high bolsters make it harder to get in and out of them than the early seats.
I swapped 79-82 seats into my 73 back in the 80s and it was dramatically more comfortable, and looked better too.
It was a long time ago, but I recall at first just bolting in the front of the brackets because the holes werent exactly the same? Regardless, can't be too tough to make them right.
I swapped 79-82 seats into my 73 back in the 80s and it was dramatically more comfortable, and looked better too.
I wondered about changing my 79 seats to the early style because I found it difficult to get in and out of the 79 seat. My husband knew a guy with a 77 and I tried getting in and out of the 77 seat several times and it was much easier but when I sat in the 77 seat for a minute or two I realized it was no where near as comfortable as the 79 so I decided my 79 seats were much preferable to the early ones despite being more difficult to get in and out of.
As Mooser said my wife's back is a real mess after beng t-boned by a drunk driver. Every rib broken (min 2 breaks each) and vertebrae sheared off her spine leading to 2 spinal fusions. I put C5 seats in about 14 years ago. My wife needs the bottom seat cushion to be as flat as possible so that their is not much pressure put on her lower spine. Most seats tilt downwards which end up putting pressure on the lower spine. I raised the back of her seat a bit to help eleviate the angle. You can see from the C5 seat pictured a few posts above that the bottom seat cushion is flatter than the originals and the Recaros. I love Recaro seats, almost bought a set until I had my wife come and test them in a store, she was in agony.
Find out what position suits her best, ie how much or little her knees can be bent on the seat. I am going to take the seats out this spring and have the seat altered for her needs again as after 14 yrs the seat cushions on both seats are worn. We've gone on day long cruises, she gets sore but not in agony. You will also need to determine how high the seat should sit, for my wife the higher the better so the angle of her knee bend is less. The higher the seat also makes it a bit easier to get out of the vette. I had bolted the seats in so that hers can't be moved, next spring I will modify it so that it can slide a bit fwd so that the back cushion can recline a bit more still keeping the bottom seat cushion as flat as possible.
The nice thing about the C5/6 seats is that the bolsters are not too big. Good luck in your search, just make sure that she is an integral part of it.
Yes, I did. I was hoping to not have to change the standard 78 brackets/frame but use bolstered foam underneath with a leather seat cover that would fit the 78 frame/structure...probs not but figured someone may know. Thanks
The '78 Pace Car/79+ model seats are modular as opposed to the previous seats that were upholstered over a metal frame. They have essentially a lower and upper fiberglass halves that are hinged to fold the seat over. The sliders are bolted to the bottom seat half, similar to how they are bolted to the earlier bottom seat frame. The upholstered foam snaps into the upper and lower fiberglass half's of the seats.
Quite a few folks have installed them in the earlier Corvettes. I believe the only issues were with changing the sliders from your stock seats to the new seats, if there were any at all. Do a quick search and you'll likely find a few posts on the subject. Here is one such post... https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...eat-rails.html
While you're test fitting seats, have her sit in a Miata. They have very simple, very comfy seats, and they are a simple swap. Free to try them out if you know somebody with a Miata.
09-29-2016, 08:51 PM
Comfy seat suggestions for my wife in our '69
