I have an 1987 XJ6. I am in need of new Biscuit Leather for the front and rear seats. Foam and rubber underneath. Any ideas? And or do the 1995+ seats fit in the S3? Question is raised to put the picnic trays in the back. Or can the 87 seats be retro'd to fit the picnic trays?

Your thoughts.

 

you can retrofit most any Automotive seat you want.

but you might have to modify the 4 mounting points where the seats "seat on". All seats have 4 bolts, one at each corner.

finding a seat that matches the 4 mounting points and the height of the original seats is another story. Otherwise you end up butchering the floor with welding new mounting points..

In the Series 3 XJ up to 1987, only the top seating part and the top front part of the back are leather, the rest is vinyl on the sides and back.
it is cheaper to replace the leather sections if the vinyl is good.

World Upholstery in California sells leather by the yard and if you send them a sample they will match the color shade. They also sell foam shapes and diaphragms for the XJ-6. The diaphragm is located under the seat, rarely goes bad. Usually the foam shape is the part that deforms.

If you have a good auto upholstery shop near, it.'s the way to do it.

 

I own a Series 1, but I had fitted Series 3 seats. One cannot use the lift motor section, as the S1 has a lower roof.

I subsequently fit XJ40 seats (very similar to what you are thinking about) precisely because I wanted the picnic trays for my (then young) girls. Again, I was unable to use the motorized section because of the low roof. They fit fine, but as mentioned, it required some work underneath (though nothing destructive). What I don't know is, with a S3, whether the motor section of later seats will fit or not. Also, I don't know if 95+ seats can be separated from their motors--the controls are integral, for example, where the XJ40 controls were separate. BTW, should you consider 88-94 XJ40 seats, I believe that only the VDP version has the picnic trays.

 

With some effort, yes:

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I recall that XJ40 seats are an easier swap....but I'm a bit foggy on that

Cheers
DD

 

Will the XJ40 rear seat/bench fit into a S3? I like the idea of the XJ40 front seats - can do the work myself and install the electrics, base, etc.

 

The XJ40 rear seat bottom fits. The rear seat back fits at the bottom but is too wide at top by an inch or two on each side. People have trimmed the width and tightened up the existing upholstery to make it fit (Jag-Love Archives).

The VDP version (which you need to get the picnic tables) has rear bucket seats like the Series 3. Both the XJ40 and Series 3 rear seat bottoms are slightly wider (extending about an inch over the door sill plate), so that they might interfere with non-VDP rear door closing handles. The VDP door handles miss the seat end. On my Series 1, the end of the seat got a slight "dent" from the handle until I fit VDP door panels, handles and cubbies.

I didn't modify the XJ40 seat back; instead, I "mixed and matched" a S3 seat back with an XJ40 seat bottom.

One other point--it's hard to get picnic tables that haven't faded or cracked from the sun. It's only the finish that is damaged, but it's very difficult to remove the polyester finish so that they can be refinished.