Bulk head cutting / seat changes for tall buggers

[Surferjim]

Hi - seeing as I couldn't make Cooma, I thought I'd search for some information on whether I can cut into the bulkhead behind the front seats to put in some better seats.

At 6'5", It's always been tricky to drive S3's for long distances - and with my knees so far forwards the accelerator will need adjusting (my ankle just doesn't go that far back)

ANYWAY - has anyone heard of a good way of putting the seats back further - I am looking to potentially cut into the bulkhead and put in another seat, or even just move the seat back further.

The fuel filler pipe cuts across, so maybe only the recline of the seat could be affected.

Anyone have any ideas / suggestions on type of seat that could be put in to just provide more recline or movement backwards?

[Jonno]

Not much you can do about seats, they're all going to have the same problem as long as there is a bulkhead in the way. What you need is a rear bulkhead removal bar which replaces the bulkhead allowing you to move the seats back further. Also allows easy access to the rear as you don't have to climb over the bulkhead. PM me if you're interested in getting hold of one.

[Surferjim]

Excellent - PM on the way - am assuming that it's simply a joist that keeps the tub from twisting the same way the bulkhead would. Any pictures?

Any recommendations as to after market seats? My old 109GS had toyota corolla seats in it and did just fine.

[Jonno]

After market seats are not cheap but they are available. Check out exmoortrim.co.uk for details. All these seats are available here, let us know which one you like. Or you could just go to the local wreckers and take your pick. The bar is a shaped bar that bolts to the floor as well to give the support needed.

Jack

[Lotz-A-Landies]

...At 6'5", It's always been tricky to drive S3's for long distances - and with my knees so far forwards the accelerator will need adjusting (my ankle just doesn't go that far back)

ANYWAY - has anyone heard of a good way of putting the seats back further - I am looking to potentially cut into the bulkhead and put in another seat, or even just move the seat back further.

The fuel filler pipe cuts across, so maybe only the recline of the seat could be affected.

Anyone have any ideas / suggestions on type of seat that could be put in to just provide more recline or movement backwards?

Jim

Many people have cut the transom of the rear tub down to the rib at the bottom of the vertical portion. This will allow the backrest of the seat to go further back. You then re-locate the capping to the new lower position, and modify the side cappings to clear. This is also what happens with the "bulkhead removal bar" although the MUD product is a single piece reinforcement of the weakened transom. However when you consider that the 110" wagons have no reinforcing transom at all the shortened transom would probably not be weaker than the Station wagon version. I would however fold the top 1 cm of the arc where you cut down the transom and continue it until picked up by the moved capping.

Defender seats are a good replacement option as they fit the original mounts for the series 3. The engineer sign off on the Defender seats will be automatic because they meet a later ADR on the same mountings, where fitting anything else will require full engineering certification.

Check out the Defender or technical sections for threads on MUD rails which lift and change the angle of the defender seats for tall people.

With Defender seats and "MUD rails" you may find the fuel filler problem solved. Your options otherwise would be to fit a rear station wagon or defender 110" tank. Or: Swap the fuel tank (and battery box if necessary) to the other side and make it a passenger problem.

Lastly after fitting everything up you may need to replace the shoulder anchorage of the seatbelt. It is likely that the anchorage is now too far forward. You may find that the anchorages for the second row seats of a County/Defender are a better (and approved) option.

Diana

[Bigbjorn]

I used four lengths of 25mm square steel tube and sixteen pieces of 3mm steel plate cut to the shape of the seat feet. You weld two feet to the bottom of each tube so as to pick up the screw holes in the seat box, and weld the other two to the top o the tube but 2" further back. Repeat this procedure three times and you now have seat mounts that are 28mm higher and 2" further back. You will have to notch the tubes to clear a rib on the back of the seat box, well, you have to on the County 110.

[Surferjim]

Wow - lots of info - and some great suggestions. I saw on the MUD site that someone seemed to have fitted the bulkhead removal bar AND the MUD slides in the tracks with great effect.

If I cut down the bulkhead to a height that would let MUD seat frame slides slip over the top, will there be sufficient strength left / would it pass engineering?

Is so, the thing to do now is track down a set of 'fender front seats + frames + bulkhead removal bar (or not)

I'd love to do most of this myself, but just don't have the space or the equipment - will have to source the bits and find a nice person in the Sydney area to help me with the project.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Jim

You can only cut down the transom to the height of the wheel boxes on the back side of the transom. The usual place to cut is the reinforcing rib at the kink just above that. Remember you have 4" of space behind the seat and before the transom, once you clear the joint between the tub and the drivers seatbox. By using the MUD seat rails or making some up as Brian suggests you are already mounting the seat back about 4" and clearing the joint. This will then allow the backrest to be 4" further back.

I would be getting out a small 4" angle grinder (you can get reall cheap ones from the local B******* Warehouse that should last for more than this job) then with an aluminium cutting wheel cut along the top of the rib. and then curve up towards the ends. Remember this is a job for all the protective gear, heavy gloves, eye protection and even ear protection.

Once you have done all this place the new seat in position, with the mounting blocks and see if you have enough room. If not then decide about cutting more out.

Diana

Wow - lots of info - and some great suggestions. I saw on the MUD site that someone seemed to have fitted the bulkhead removal bar AND the MUD slides in the tracks with great effect.

If I cut down the bulkhead to a height that would let MUD seat frame slides slip over the top, will there be sufficient strength left / would it pass engineering?

Is so, the thing to do now is track down a set of 'fender front seats + frames + bulkhead removal bar (or not)

I'd love to do most of this myself, but just don't have the space or the equipment - will have to source the bits and find a nice person in the Sydney area to help me with the project.