Comfortable Seats for Tall People!

[willwal98]

there seem to be an awefull lot of tall people on here eh. Anywho, i'm tall also and also have an RA celica (had a 23, now a 28) and can understand your situation. I also find that your proportions are the most of the problem. I have long legs and proportionally shorter arms so the seat is right back, the back of the seat is one click back, my head is touching the roof and i still feel a little reachy for my taste (I like to be a bit more over the wheel).

My plan is as follows, firstly i'm refoaming the base of the seat with denser foam and of course about half the height in the arse bit but keep the height in the front and sides (back will come up to match the back of course) and adding a little to the sides of the back because they are a little squished due to age. This will give me more head room, some support under my legs (try with some padding and you will see what I mean) and allow me to have the back of the seat as far forward to give me better reach.

If that is not enough I will be looking into the legalities of lengthing the steering column either with a telescopic or a custom / swap in job. Infact I might start a post about this now.

Hope this helps you out.
Will.

[Slim]

I'm a touch over 6 foot tall and i've got a pair of Recaro SE in my car. They're very comfortable but i feel like a midget in them. They're obviously designed for tall because my head comes up to the bottom edge of the headrest. I'd suggest you go take a look at Recaro seats like Cool1 suggested.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, Recaro SE are not racing style seats, they are a bucket style reclinable seat.

[willwal98]

if you are 6' tall and your head does cover the headrest, there is no way in hell that is fitting into an RA celica. Those things have a low roof line, you have maybe 4 inches over the standard backrest to the roof and my head constantly touches the roof with the backrest down one click.

But if they have one that is only a little taller than standard, gets you sitting closer to the floor and is comfy then go for it.

[Billzilla]

6'6" here, and I have learned to live with the pain.

But seriously, I have a half-arsed race seat of some sort in my Sprinter, not sure what brand but it's pretty comfortable.
The Fraser seat is very good, the footwell is horrible - too small.

[Slim]

if you are 6' tall and your head does cover the headrest, there is no way in hell that is fitting into an RA celica. Those things have a low roof line, you have maybe 4 inches over the standard backrest to the roof and my head constantly touches the roof with the backrest down one click.

But if they have one that is only a little taller than standard, gets you sitting closer to the floor and is comfy then go for it.

The seats are in a mini so they aren't that giant.

This is midway through me installing them.

[Cool1]

If need be you could modify that crossmember(a few options doing so) and get that seat even lower.
The Celicas have the same problem and i'll probably just remove it completely so to enable me to get the seat as low as possible.

[Slim]

Modify how? As far as i can see that's the only strengthening bit in the whole floor. The sheet metal is ricepaper thin and i would be hesitant to go screwing around with the structural bits of the car. Anyhow, they're fine as they are. I'm happy with the seating position.

[Cool1]

A few things have have done in the past.
We have drilled out the spot welds along the full crossmember and moved it forward or back.
And we have cut out the top section where it interfears with the seat and then added extrabracing under the floor which funnly enough adds more support than the factory setup you have there now.

[Slim]

Obviously it can be done but it seems a bit extreme for the average schmo to do themself especially if all they want to do is install a seat or two.

[Cool1]

This is true, but in times of desperation extreme things need to be done.

[Esteban]

Yeah, I dont think i'll be moving the celica's cabin ladder rail anytime soon, I'm graced with long legs tho, so perhaps I can move the seat backwards the 2 to 3 inches to clear the crossmember. be untidy tho...

Shane, did you put the car on a chassis jig to do that?

[Cool1]

When any of the car is modified like that we sit the car up on about 400 axle stands so that its not flexed or preloaded in anyway. The car is then modified and tested on a torsion jig to make sue it still passes all the specs.

[BigWillieStyles]

im 6ft2, i have a honda prelude 4th gen, and love the seats, they are one piece bucket seats. My next car will definitely get a pair of these. They look the goods too, and sit low!

[trd-st162]

I used to have MR2 SW20 seats in my ae82 twincam and found them to sit very low and VERY comfortable, they have a low bucket so you sit very neatly in them,.


Might be an idea to give them a go!