Anybody out there have a short wife who complains about the passenger seat being too low? My wife is barely 5'2 and can't see well over the dash pad. I noticed how low that seat is compared to my power seat. I pulled the seat and in process of adding two inches to the height with fabricated brackets and grade 8 bolts. since almost everything is hot riveted on the seat, it's not easy to modify. I did notice that an electrical connector for a power seat is under the rug by the seat even though there is no power seat option.

Rene'

 

Do a search was a popular subject when they first came out....seem to remember someone had a solution (different passengar side controls with a custom cover) that allowed a powered drivers seat to be installed.
I don't remember....and since I don't care if the passengars can see or not...it's not something I retain in what little long term memory I have left

Jay

 

Ya...there's a thread out there somewhere.

I think the consensus more or less was... you're the one driving, who cares?

 

One good thing does come from this, maybe she won't want to ride in it so much!!

 

Not sure it is a good idea to modify the height of the seat. Would that not be a safety issue?

 

Believe it or not, I'm a retired engineer and did a stress check on this mod. Used 3/16 high strength steel and Tig weld process. As far as seat belt position and air bag there should be no problem. Positioning is the same for the drivers side now. The important thing is to make sure brackets won't tear out or fail.

rene'

 

Rene,

Try the tried and true method of using a booster seat! Remember when you were a kid in McDonalds and needed a booster seat? Just give your wife one for the passenger's side. Then she'll always be your "little girl." hehe.

Actually I've sat passenger side, it's fine. Only the truely short would have issue with it. I say just put a couple of cushions on the passenger side for her. No need to engenieer something.

 

I have read the previous threads about short wives. Mine is 4-11, so I know the gripe.

Someone suggested to me to get a driver seat (or at least the base) and install it on the passenger side.

My wife said I can do any mods I want, but I can't get a shaker scoop, because then she would not be able to see anything over the hood. As of now, she can see some stuff.

 

My wife is 5'2" and can't see a d@mn thing above the dash, so she just sits back and enjoys the ride. There is nothing to see when you're driving this car anyway! Everyone is looking at YOU and generally everything/one ends up behind you anyway!

-andreas

 

I personally think it is too low and someone should come up with a very good mod to raise it at least one inch. Or I would like to see a reasonble power seat mod, say like around $200.

 

My wife is a physiotherapist, and she informed me last weekend while she was riding in the car, that the car would be bad for someone with hip surgery because the angle of the knees when sitting streight up in the seat is less than 90 degrees.

My reply was, "Its a good thing then, that I you didn't have hip surgery, because I am not getting rid of this car, for any reason."

 

Haha,

It amazes me what women will say. WTF is her point? I'd understand if maybe you had a bad hip, she just wants to yap about stuff to sound intelligent? Maybe to underhandedly talk trash about your car?

 

Why don't you just put a seat cushion in the passenger side, and then you wouldn't have to alter anything? Just a thought

 

If anyone complains that the passenger seat is too low, just have them ride in the back seats for a few miles... you probably won't hear any more complaining after that.

 

I'm 5'2" and I have the same "low seat" problem.....sure wish they'd put a power seat on the passenger side. BUT........I do most of the driving anyway......so I don't have the problem as much. Hubby doesn't seem to have a problem with it, since he's 6'.

 

Well the modification is complete and wife is extatic. Now she wants to ride in it instead of my truck. The way it's modified I can put it back stock if need be in the future. Ford needs to rethink the power seat option in the future. Maybe in the '06's they will offer it. I tried the cushon routine before I started the mod, but that didn't go over well! By the way my wife is 62 years old and keeps comparing our '65 fastback seats we had new back in'65. She says at least she could see over the dash on that one. Oh well all's well that ends well!!!!!

Rene'

 

Rene,
Can you give us the play by play on your seat modification? We're very interested!
Thanks!

 

Carol, unfortunately I didn't take pictures but I'll try to give you some info. There are two bolts holding the front of the seat to the body (metric) which go through two steel bosses riveted to the seat. In the back you have to remove the plastic covers over the end of the tracks. This exposes two nuts attached to studs welded in the floor. Under the seat you disconnect the two electrical connectors. Remove the seat. In the back I made 2 ,"C" shaped brackets approx 2" wide, from 3/16 high strength steel. tig welded gussets to one side of the open "C" bracket for strength. Drill clearance holes in top and bottom of the "C" bracket and this bracket goes between the floor and the track. Use original nut to floor stud and grade 8, 3/8" bolts washers and lockwashers through hole in top of the "C" and track. My "C" is 2" high but can be anything less than that. In the front of the tracks, drill out (3/8") the rivet that holds the two steel bosses to the track. You will put in spacers,mine are 2",bolts and washers and nuts back between the front track holes and the original steel bosses. Put seat back, then torque all the bolts and nuts to grade 8 specs. don't forget the electrical; connectors. The spacers for the front must each be one piece and about 1" square with hole through and in my case 2" long. I made carpeted covers to cover up the "C" bracket. Hope this helps

Rene'

 

Tell her the seats are the same in the '65 and '05 but you've heard that people shrink in "old age". That would shut her up real quick! Anyway great to see you are still Mustang people in your '60's.

 

Thanks Rene'....Hubby says that sounds like a lot of work.......since I'm the main driver anyway, he doesn't need the seat adjusted. Thanks a lot for the info.....at least we have it if we DO decide to modify it. Got any after pics?