1955 front Seat Questions

I have a 1955 CJ5.

I purchased it last year and I plan to bring it back to a fun summer vehicle, and do some light duty trails and some local rural routes.

When I bought it, it had fishing boat seats in it.

Clearly, they aren't all that safe, they look stupid, and I want some low-back seats that will be more modern, but look a bit more vintage.

I have no idea what there would have been originally to mount the seats.

Does anyone have an easy way to mount seats that is done correctly and is fairly economical?

I would love to see pictures of your actual front seat mounting set ups.

Thanks.

 

I have researched CJ5 seats like a biblical scholar would research the holy grail. Your original seats would be an all-in-one frame, seat, back, and springs. Are you trying to stay 100% stock or just going for a more functional setup? If you insist on being 100% original, good luck, start searching now, and be prepared to pay a lot if/when you find them.

Show us pictures of what you have now and you'll get lots of good advice.

 

go modern and make it more comfortable... At least that is what I did...

 

I will certainly post some pictures of the Jeep and it's famous boat seats. I can probably get some uploaded tomorrow morning.

I think I want to go with modern seats, but I am just unfamiliar with what I would even use to mount them. I want them to look classic, in terms of being low back. I just don't think that high back seats look right in such a small cockpit. It's just my opinion I guess.

Presently there are some metal pieces which are bolted to the floor and then bolted to the seats. Seems very unstable and unsafe.

It's a bad set up as you will see when I post the photos. I don't drive the Jeep yet, except for the occasional trip around the block just to kinda keep it in running shape and not let it get too much lot rot.

I have two other Jeeps that also keep me busy, but this one just called to me when I saw it, and I just had to buy it. Silly, I know!

I have considered something like early bronco seats or the early low back mustang seats and having them redone.

 

If you use the "search feature on early seats" you can find
some snapshots of the frame. I used "bestop" seats on mine
and even at that I had to fab some supports to bolt the seat
too. I really like the seats though.

 

What did you fab the supports out of? Was there welding involved?

Any photos of that part?

I think the BestTop seats look nice, I have looked at them a hundred times online and almost pulled the trigger. I think the early bronco seats are essentially the same seats. I have BestTop Trailmax high back seats in my 1988 YJ and I love them. They make nice products.

 

One thing to keep in mind, when you use aftermarket seats you need to consider the height as you sit in them. Don't want to be above the windshield. I looked at Bestop but I wanted seats that slide. The mounted bracket they sell (sliders) would mount the seat too high for my taste (without a fair amount of modding). I went with Corbeau Baja S up front with their racing sliders (Mount really low). I can move the seat fwd and back and recline. Very comfortable also. I even have the passenger seat so it can pivot fwd for access to the tool box.

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Here is a picture of the boat/tractor seat that exists now. A few of the last owners have used this old CJ for deer hunting, which I guess is why they rattle canned the camo!



Underneath the passenger seat:

http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad42/jeff55cj5/IMG_0058.jpg

The overall dash/cockpit area:

http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad42/jeff55cj5/IMG_0057.jpg

 

Original seats for your '55 would have been this type, with the springs attached right to the frames. Due to the design and the fact most Jeeps sat out in the weather exposed, it seems that most of these seats rotted away because the covers would crack and split, then the padding would soak up rain and snow and rust the springs away. So most of them got tossed out and replaced with whatever was available. My '56 had '66 Chevelle bucket seats in it.

They are still out there, but very hard to find. I paid big bucks for my seats, but I also found a nice pair for Unclebill on Craigslist for $10. If you can at least find a set of the frames, they can be modified to mount other seats, and Bestop is supposed to have some acceptable lowbacks. A set of frames for 1965-later is another option, the seats mounted to those frames rather than being part of the frames like the earlier seats.









This is an early set next to a set of the later frames. AFAIK, neither type of frame is available as an aftermarket item. Good luck, whichever way you decide to go!

 

Thanks for posting those photos! Those really help me understand what was there originally.

I am still debating and looking around if anyone has any other options.