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I have a carseat in the back of my XK8 and need help finding replacement front seats that can give my toddler a little more leg room back there.
The stock front seats are mega thick and heavy.
I have a '98 XK8 with a 2005 LS V8 5.3L Swap It has a functional scoop with custom air intake and 18" Camaro Wheels. It has a few other minor custom fabrications.
A auto / marine upholstery shop should be able to help you easily.
if all you need is more room for the youngster car seat, have you considered just totally removing the existing seat assembly and put in a metal framework barrier that is covered in carpet. It would be simple enough to position steel handles in the right locations for the car seat attachment points.
Some people have had the rest seats removed and replaced them with just a package tray, or something more complex to hold additional stereo speakers.
A auto / marine upholstery shop should be able to help you easily.
if all you need is more room for the youngster car seat, have you considered just totally removing the existing seat assembly and put in a metal framework barrier that is covered in carpet. It would be simple enough to position steel handles in the right locations for the car seat attachment points.
Some people have had the rest seats removed and replaced them with just a package tray, or something more complex to hold additional stereo speakers.
Z
I appreciate that but I want to keep my backseat for transporting my son and his friend even after he grows out of the carseat. I want both front seats to go because:
1) They take up crazy amounts of space.
2) Their weight impacts the cars performance.
3) I have a 1st generation, 1998 XK8, so don't believe that there's any airbags in the seatbacks that I'm losing unless I've misunderstood?
I like ccfulton's idea below if i can figure out where to buy used seats like the Porsche ones:
Originally Posted by ccfulton
Probably not the cheapest solution but you might check out Porsche 996/997 seats. They are considerably less bulky than the Jaguar ones with a much thinner back but are reasonably comfortable over long distances. No idea about the electrical integration, airbags and the like.
Last edited by ScoopXK8; Dec 22, 2022 at 11:10 AM.
The space is more restricted because you cannot put your toes under the seat in front. Maybe that kick board could be modified.
Quote from another post ...
The older models with the non-airbag equipped seats have actual usable knee space in the back. I think the bigger seats started after 2000
Last edited by Pistnbroke; Dec 28, 2022 at 03:44 AM.
The kick plate area is actually part of the frame structure...I think that even if you cut it away you would then have several seat movement apporatises in the way.
wj
The space is more restricted because you cannot put your toes under the seat in front. Maybe that kick board could be modified.
Quote from another post ...
The older models with the non-airbag equipped seats have actual usable knee space in the back. I think the bigger seats started after 2000
Thank you for that info. So glad I have a pre-2000.
Children do not remain children long.....Have you tried removing the rear seats Then look at the space you have. The rear firewall will drill as will the parcel shelf when you remove the trim. A raised seat moved back should give the legroom and headroom you need. Trim exposed metal with white material stuck straight on.
Children do not remain children long.....Have you tried removing the rear seats Then look at the space you have. The rear firewall will drill as will the parcel shelf when you remove the trim. A raised seat moved back should give the legroom and headroom you need. Trim exposed metal with white material stuck straight on.
That is probably the best suggestion yet!
Please look at picture below:
Do you think these racing seats are thin enough to give an additional few inches to backseat passenger?
The key here is how you fabricate the seat slider brackets, I will not suggest as others have that you get a different car, because seeing as you've LS swapped yours so you're probably into it for so many $$$ and hrs at this point that I am assuming you at least contemplated shortening the kids somehow as a possible solution. To other posters, I will remind them this is an engine swapped car. Originality is out of the window at this point, so the sky's the limit.
Assuming you don't want to retain any electric control of the seats, get some reasonably nice leather reclining sports buckets on sliders, and fabricate a bracket to mount them to the XK seat mounting posts, and position so that rear seat passengers can get their feet under the seats.
I will also suggest - have you considered eliminating the rear speakers completely to permit forming a little more rear seat space laterally? At least elbow room? Comfort works in 3 dimensions. A good pair of 6x9s in the front attached to an amp should be sufficient for this car - depends how much you need your bone crunching bass, sir!
Oh, another option for the kids - get a rolling Miata shell and just tow it with a tow hitch. Kids can sit in the Miata. Tell them to put an engine in it and its theirs. By the time they get it working they should be old enough to drive.
The key here is how you fabricate the seat slider brackets, I will not suggest as others have that you get a different car, because seeing as you've LS swapped yours so you're probably into it for so many $$$ and hrs at this point that I am assuming you at least contemplated shortening the kids somehow as a possible solution. To other posters, I will remind them this is an engine swapped car. Originality is out of the window at this point, so the sky's the limit.
Assuming you don't want to retain any electric control of the seats, get some reasonably nice leather reclining sports buckets on sliders, and fabricate a bracket to mount them to the XK seat mounting posts, and position so that rear seat passengers can get their feet under the seats.
I will also suggest - have you considered eliminating the rear speakers completely to permit forming a little more rear seat space laterally? At least elbow room? Comfort works in 3 dimensions. A good pair of 6x9s in the front attached to an amp should be sufficient for this car - depends how much you need your bone crunching bass, sir!
Great ideas 👍
I really appreciate it 🙏
I have started the process of replacing the seats & will post pictures soon.
Another couple of thought: the x100 XK floorpan has as much if not more in common with the XJS than the X150. The XJS also has thinner seats and they look more supportive to me plus the XJS is not a canbus car with a controller in everything so you could possibly transplant some electric adjustable seats and just relay them together and retain electric adjustment. Wonder if the bolt pattern is the same? In any case putting in new seat mounts isn't the hardest thing in the world if you can weld.
Another more radical suggestion from miata-land. Cut out the floor under the driver's seat and weld in a dropped floor pan. Spec Miata guys do this to fit under the cage with a helmet on. Driver's seat could then be mounted in stock height but with space under it for passenger feet? As you've done an engine swap I'm assuming you are an advanced level bodger.
Being more serious if you moved the fuel tank back say 6 inches you could cut out two seat back shapes into the baulkhead and weld in "boxes " to fill the spaces and retain the stiffness. This would push the seat backs backward 6 inches which would do the job.
Ideally we could remove the back seats and shorten the wheelbase although the aesthetic of the car will change a lot. It won't look as good. I did look at getting different seats to make the back ones more usable but I could never work out which ones will actually fit standard if any. Probably XJS seast will fit as the floorpans are the same as the XJS ones unless they changes the seat mounting which wouldn't surprise me.
In the 911 world it’s very common to do a rear seat delete, where you basically remove the cushions and carpet over the sheet metal pan. It actually yields quite a bit more space in the back, albeit not as comfy. I would probably look in this direction first.
Something else to consider, there’s a lot of variation in the size of car seats. Years ago when my kids were young and I was daily driving a 996, I bought a Recaro booster seat that was much more compact than a typical booster seat.
In the 911 world it’s very common to do a rear seat delete, where you basically remove the cushions and carpet over the sheet metal pan. It actually yields quite a bit more space in the back, albeit not as comfy. I would probably look in this direction first.
Something else to consider, there’s a lot of variation in the size of car seats. Years ago when my kids were young and I was daily driving a 996, I bought a Recaro booster seat that was much more compact than a typical booster seat.
Good point on the carseat. I currently use a booster seat which has no back so gives the most room possible to my 4-year-old.
As "Throwback" correctly mentioned, mine is an LS swapped engine, a hole is cut in the hood and a scoop is added to fit a custom forced air system. I use Camaro rims. There is not much left that is "Jaguar." Thus I don't mind trying any of your great ideas as I won't be entering a "Best in Show" competition lol
Last edited by ScoopXK8; Feb 24, 2023 at 09:38 AM.
Passenger seat now installed and the difference is amazingly better. My son now has leg room because the racing seat is built differently with more space for legs. I highly prefer the reliable mechanical controls on the racing seat because one of the electrical controls on the OEM removed passenger seat was broken. The new seat is slightly less comfortable than the OEM seats but the OEM gave me electrical problems.
The installation took 4 hours to remove the old seat and install one seat as i had to drill new holes. It fits on the same rails the OEM seats used if you drill new holes. It sits slightly higher than OEM seats.
These were $370 + tax for the pair of racing seats from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08934F722/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=3c6ae0b0e53a4 5b0f5bef5ecbc326393&hsa_cr_id=2351588530601&qid=16 78315937&sr=1-1-3c6b3b04-89d4-46ee-857c-1e2f0de6a70e&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi2m_asin_0_im g&pd_rd_w=y8HQT&content-id=amzn1.sym.75872814-4917-4a48-8af3-2760678d170e%3Aamzn1.sym.75872814-4917-4a48-8af3-2760678d170e&pf_rd_p=75872814-4917-4a48-8af3-2760678d170e&pf_rd_r=9C0RDJQFYWVV1DTTNXSB&pd_rd_wg =0TS1N&pd_rd_r=debc1b6e-7872-499c-99db-23a43cf926d0
Conclusion, if you're willing to swap the engine, airbox, transmission, seats, and electronics, these Jaguar XK8's are GREAT cars!
Replacement Seats to make Backseats Useful XK8?
