I'm debating swapping my seats out for something from a later model, to have a bit more contouring and headrests.

But I'm also wondering, since my seats were reupholstered and are in perfect shape, but they are extra puffy (the foam was all replaced and its like sitting on a pillow) if I could strip the seats, reshape the foam, and then replace the covering.

And maybe add headrests to the stock seats.

Anyone done anything similar?

 

Most seem to go with XJ6 seats, check out MK2's Seating ? Valve Chatter he went with Daimler seats.

I also think I remember someone else trying to add headrests, but I don't think they had any success, I will have a hunt and see if I can find that post.

also look at https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/m...e5/#post817079

 

I added XJ-6 Vanden Plas Headrests to my S type, the rears were a piece of cake.

the fronts required major surgery to the steel frame but I got it done. Not perfect in the front seats, as you can see in picture number 3 and 4, a "hump" was created by the headrest Track, so they go up and down as in the XJ and they protect my neck.

 

Brilliant Jose, do you have any pics of the internal work to the frames ?

 

TilleyJon I did not take pictures of the front seat back frame.

but here's what I faced:

the seat Back cover had to be pulled and raised from the rear and over the frame then let hanging at the front.

then you see a green painted upside down "U" shaped frame.

Prior to this, I sat in the back seat and measured, and measured, and measured, many different measurements to be accounted for. Also I had a neighbor sit in the Driver's seat while I placed the headrest behind her head and marked the correct position that the headrest should be, which in the S type seats, is not easy to locate since there is no "center" to each seat. But at the end I realized that the center point of the seat Back is actually the steering wheel center, so throwing a plumb line from the steering wheel center to the seat Back was like "duhhh, I could have done this an hour ago".
Then I punched a hole at the center point thru the seat cover. Then I copied and pasted the location of the punch hole to the passenger side seat back.

Then I scribed the shape of the chromed headrest track to the steel frame.

Then I started drilling holes inside the drawing of the track. Then I used a file attached to the drill and filed the opening clean, checking for fit, etc., until the track slid thru the cut hole with about a 1/16th tolerance around it.

then came the mounting of the headrest track sleeve, where the chrome track is inserted so it goes up and down for adjusting it. This sleeve is bolted to the rear edge of the frame and the bolts are the reasdon for the slight hump, and I used very flat-head bolts to eliminate the hump but even then...

the bottom of the track sleeve is also bolted to a section of the frame, so it is as secure as can considering the frame was never designed for headrests.

The oblong nickel grommets crimped to the seat cover I found from a supplier in New York who imports them from Italy. I did this to replicate the way the XJ-6 headrests are finished. Thry sent me a bag full of them but I only needed 2 sets.

it was time consuming and you only get one chance to do it right, no room for errors. They work nicely, are adjustable verically. And they are Jaguar parts.

 

That's great Jose, nice explanation, I have to say I am sometimes not great at explaining stuff, so I am impressed by your description. Thank you.

 

thanks TilleyJon,

I remember the job very well, it took me a day per front seat, I went to a salvage yard and found a 1986 XJ-6 Vanden Plas with the headrests intact and I just started pulling the parts, that job was worse than installing them in the S type.

 

Very interesting thanks for the description. I'm still torn between fully swapping for newer seats or your approach. Seems like a lot of work but the results are really nice!

 

I would prefer to adapt the original if possible, I do like the period look of the arm chairs in the front.

 

just in case you are considering XJ seats:

the XJ seats are not better than the original S type seats; They fall short of thigh support.

the S type seats are more comfortable.

I have both cars and I feel more comfy in the S type seats. Plus having to cut the steel beam in the center of the floor to adapt modern seats was not something I wanted to do, because it will affect the integrity of the car. Better to modify the seats than the body of the car.