I think I made a big mistake :-(

My 95 aAJ16 XJS front leather seats are about a year old, however, I found a deal I could not pass up for some 94v12 leather seats in the same color as my interior brand new, which at first glance look identical, so I purchased them just to have (gotta stop doing that). Anyway it looks like they are very similar but not identical. I wonder if they would even fit in my car.

BTW, I realize that the 94 AJ6 seats where totally different. I am comparing 94v12 to 95 AJ16

Can anyone elaborate ?

Thanks

 

Mark,

Forget "94", which means something different to US customers. In simple terms, seats after VIN 194775 are the same ie they have integral headrests. The leather is different between 4.0 & 6.0 cars but the seats are the same structure, size etc.

VIN 194775 is the changepoint for teh introduction of the AJ16 engine and the revised seat structure, gearknob, wheel design etc etc

Similarly, (for cars anywhere but possibly the US?) seats before 194775 are the same ie they have separate headrests.

Hope that helps

Paul

 

Thanks for your reply

I thought the same thing, but its not completely accurate. Seats after 194775 may have all been "integral headrest" , but in 94 the V12'a already had integral headrests like this car 191467:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=381065117105

Or this car 191800:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=231405978628

While the 94 AJ6 cars had another type of seat.

 

Mark,

As I said, things are slightly different in the US. In all other markets, integral headrests came about as part of trim change at 194775. I guess those US slightly earlier v12 seats are the same as the ones fitted to all cars after 194775.

Paul

 

Oh no, it looks like the 94 V12 seats where unique, similar to 95 but not identical

These are 94 V12 seats from a sample car:





And these are 95 seats from a sample car :





So I have a 95 car and bought 94 leather covers!!! :-(

Does anyone know if they would even fit? Anyone who know a little about upholstery?

Like I said in the first post, I already have new leather seats in my car, these where just an impulse buy because they are "new genuine" Connolly leather That Jaguar used in the V12 cars and it's my interior color, so I don't need to have them installed. They are there as an extra pair to have. I don't mind the small difference and actually like the 94 design better, but if they won't even fit my seat frame, then there is no point in keeping them.

 

There is a difference in the type of leather and the piping had contrasting colors to the leather.

 

Mark,

As you've seen,the early 6.0 litre US seats have a different number of panels in the cushion centre and the seat squab. The 6.0 litre had Autolux leather (which is a ruched type). Also had piping which was then brought back in again as standard on the Celebration VIN range. The early US 6.0 seats also don't have the front map pocket.

If you look at the changepoints for the seat runners, there are no changes after VIN 188105 which is April 1993 (you call it "1994 MY") when the big bumpers became standard and the factory 6.0 engine came in.

Therefore, I would strongly suspect that all the framing etc on the early 6.0 US seats is exactly the same as the post-194775 seats fitted in all cars. I bet the covers will fit your seats fine! The only point might be whether the foams are contoured to match the number of centre panels. I'm sure someone here knows if the foams are plain or contoured?

I wonder if those early 6.0 US seats are the same as those fitted in the Insignia-specified cars which would fit into that 188105-194774 VIN range? I'll see if I can find some pics of Insignia seats from one of our club members.

Paul

 

I think you are right. I bet they will fit fine. The seats look identical at first glance. When I have them installed, I will probably have the front pockets from the current seats sown to the new seats to make the differences more imperceptible.

I'll look at the foams and try to figure it out

 

Hello everyone,

Well it looks like I may be in for more than I thought originally!!!!

These are the actual correct skins from my 95 car:



Notice the squab (back, or whatever it's called) is one solid piece.

These are 94 skins I just bought. Notice the it's 3 pieces instead of one!!




So if I ever intend to use these in my car, what will I need???

Please help !

 

Anyone have any idea?

 

Mark,

Are those 3 pieces of the backrest completely separate? If so,I'm wondering how it all holds itself together? Perhaps they have to be stitched together at their rear seam before final fitting?

It would be all to easy to assume that you can just cut the side parts of the foam off to allow them to be fitted separately to these separate side bolsters. I guess you need someone to respond who has actually taken one of these seats apart and then it could be compared with the internal foams of a "standard" high-back XJS seat.

Maybe the complexity of these early US 3-part backrests made Jaguar decide on a simpler structure for the eventual seats that we all had from April 1994 on.

Paul

 

Thanks for your reply

They are indeed completely separate!!

I need a source to get some 94 V12 seat foams.

Or would an an upholsterer be able to fashion what I need for these to fit? I really have no idea

 

your original skins are four pieces. I can email pics of the pieces if you like.
The driver and passenger seats are the same.

 

Hi Roger, thanks for your reply.

The 95/96 seats are indeed 4 pieces. One for the back and three for the seat. I have pics.

That's the entire problem. I have 94V12 seat skins which are 6 pieces per seat

 

Well I talked to a few people and it seems like it's very possible to install the the leather by either fashioning new foam or more likely using the existing foam and just fashioning that since it's so close.