We just purchased a 2017 Grand Sport Convertible with the regular gt seats - power, heated and cooled. Now I am a bigger guy and although this is my dream car, my butt and my back are constricted terribly. Not something the excitement of the test drive let me notice until we took a 2 hour trip. I let our salesman know and he said that I'm not the first guy to need something with more width and that there were shops that could modify the seats to basically rid them of the wings or, at the least, fold them down some for additional room. I can't seem to find anything on the web with such a service. We can't take the car back so I have to get something worked out. Any ideas??

 

Most car upholstery shops can take care of that for you. It is unfortunate that these cars are not made for big people. I'm only 6 ft and 145 lbs and I can't imagine how some people that are little taller and 60 lbs heavier than I am can ride comfortably in these cars. It is a nice snug comfortable fit for me at my size.

 

For those who have had both, have the seats changed from the c6 to the c7? I never had an uncomfortable LD (900 miles plus) trip in any of my C6's: (base 1 2005 vert, 2007 z06's or 2010 GS vert) and i am a FAT guy. Of course the seats had the rocking chair effect on acceleration.

OTOH At the same time I had a new porsche 2007 997 for 10 months; porsche charged me $760 for leather sport seats, and it felt like I was riding on two knives under my thighs. A GTO car that can't be driven comfortably for long distances, go figure. (Porsche knew better; the $1200 seats in my 1996 993 were extremely comfortable.)

So I know the hard way that a car manufacturer can make a new, "improved" seat which is no longer tolerable. I just hope Chebbie hasn't done the same as porsche did! Between the "new" seats and the undisclosed IMS, I don't drive them expensive v-dubs anymore.

I'd hate to give up vettes over intolerable seats too.

 

Porsche has not built a car with a IMS issue since 2006. The IMS was eliminated completely in 2008 and later models.

 

I am a hair under 6'4" and around 250lbs. I am a wide guy that has problems in airplane seats. I have no issues with the Corvette seats. I am not fluffy though. I and see people who are having issues.

 

As mentioned, take your car to an auto upholstery shop and they will remove your seat cushion and trim the foam and make your seat comfy.

 

"I can't seem to find anything on the web with such a service." It's not something you'll find on the web imo. Look up auto upholstery shops and go talk to them. Another way to go at it is to contact a local Corvette club, or even Street Rod clubs---most of the latter have completely re-done seats altho probably not used for long-distance drives.

Like some others on here, I've had similar issues with a seat "design." Mine was built-in seat controls to the thigh bolster that cut into the leg on long trips. Putting a towel over it helped, but the car turned out to be/have too many compromises, and the seat couldn't be fixed like yours can. I sold the car in less than a year. Didn't take a big hit, but some.

 

I believe many are drilling holes in the bolster foam to soften them up. That way the seat cover still fits correctly as the foam retains its original shape

Also just removing your wallet from your hip pocket can really help with your comfort on longer trips.

 

This may come across as a smartass comment but have you thought about the diet and exercise mod? You will fit in the seat better, feel better, and live longer.

 

6'2" and 185, and seats are still very comfortable for me. Guessing when you get north of 250, it can be constricting.

 

I'm 6'1" and 250, mostly muscle after 1/2 century at gyms. 54" chest, muscular thighs and no trouble with C7 seats. Fit perfect and comfortable. Don't get it.

 

I'd try the good old yellow pages from home or your local library. There's a bunch of upholstery shops out there that are old school and not listed in all the search engines, another source is tag all body shops know some shop who's into interior work and they can get your seats straightened out, licktysplit.That stuff is done all the time and all over for rods and old muscle car builds. Piece of cake, er, foam I mean. IMHO

 

There is a good thread on this forum with pictures of the 'drill the foam full of holes' mod to the C7 seats. Sounds like the best option for a do it yourself type.

 

Joe is correct, many have had the bolsters drilled. Use the search function of this section, and just put the word "seats" in and you will have a number of threads on the subject. Like so many things these days the pendulum never swings to the middle. Owners complained that the C6 seats were to soft, so instead of moving a little the designers moved all the way making the C7 seats uncomfortable for many. Good luck.

 

............I made the mistake (6'1" 215 lbs) of buying a '14 with the competition seats; that lasted for about 3 months and tried to get someone to trade seats and finally traded it in on my final Vette buy (retiring soon) and the stock seats work very well.....

 

I guess it depends on how you are built.

 

Your right, it did.

 

A couple of things.

6" and 145#? Dude, cheeseburger!.... add the fries too, and possibly a shake.

I really don't think it's the foam. I've looked at the threads about drilling. I just think it's the design of the seat pan. (if what we're talking about is at the base of the seat bottom at the back) It's just too narrow. There are two points (for lack of a better term), right at the back, that push into your butt.

And yes the wallet is out.

IIRC the seat base pans for both the GT and comp seats are the same.

 

you want someone local so you can sit in the seat and they can see where you need the mods

 

The history is the C4 seats (especially the early ones) were very good but constrained people too much so GM listened to the Customer and and changed the seats to permit broader butts, this made the seats less supportive. When the C5 came along they went to the extreme and carried the seat type into the C6. The seats accommodated large butts but were generally panned in the press and by a large number of enthusiasts due to lack of lateral support. Everybody had to replace their seats with aftermarket seats just to go for a sporting drive, go to an HPDE or an autocross. Otherwise, the occupants slid all around on the seat. With the C7 GM aimed for the European influenced younger crowd and enthusiasts who were clamoring for supportive seats and we now have two seat choices that work very well. The butt doesn't slide around very much and the seat back side bolsters hold the torso in place. The C5 and C6 small bench seats are gone. Broader butts suffer some so the rest of us can have a supportive seat that holds us in place when the steering wheel is turned.

I instructed an Advanced Level Student at VIR last month in an 09 C6Z with the stock seats. Compared to the C7s I have ridden in and the one I drive the seat was horrible. Even with the lap and shoulder belts cinched tight as possible my upper body was sliding back and forth and I had to hold onto the door handle and wedge my legs outward to keep myself in place.

From my point of view I hope they never go back to the seat designs of the previous 20 years.

Bill