Hey guys, I’m new to this site so please excuse me if my questions seem off center. I just purchased a 31 Ford model A. 350 chev. My question. The top has been chopped 2.5 in. I keep banging my head on ceiling when hitting bumps. What do you guys recommend for seats to get more head room. The seats in it now R from a 67 capri bucket type. Thanks for suggestions.
Yes, there are threads here of others building them. Do a search. The search icon (magnifying glass) is up near the top left of this page.
I can lower the ones I have. But I would like to get smaller seats. Seat belts are tight as they will go around my belly. Lol
Some guys use second row seat from dodge caravan bolted to the floor no base.you could do bomber seats they also bolt to the floor.
I'm going the dodge mini van mid seat route with the factory mounts removed but I'm only 5' 6" and planning a 3" chop. Another idea might be Corvair bucket seats though I'm not sure on the width off hand. They are somewhat period looking. I had a set at one time but they went into a friends chopped 56' F100.
Perhaps an old bus seat modified...maybe vintage jeep or other utility types of seats... MG or other compacts of the Yesteryear are also period correct options... Theres always the real deal Bomber/Fighter seats...even civilian Aircraft seats...if you're crafty when modding the frames to get things down you might even be able to sneak adjustable tracks... Welcome to the Hamb @Bakofly, as alluded theres numerous Threads covering optiona... Share a pic if your A is Hamb Friendly... We can see what you have to deal with...
Glide is a custom seat maker they make a seat for the A about 800.00 bucks oh yeah just the frame you do the upholstery
It's a fine line but a couple inches or more could make a big difference...good luck on getting down...
Several years ago I bought a Glide seat frame for my '39 p/u at the LA Roadster show. Not cheap but a really nice seat. They also sell foam as well but the guy who did my upholstery said he would rather use his own. Seat came out really nice. https://www.glideengineering.com/
A comfortable, low seat was important to me, too. Before I decided on a chop amount, I found some mustang seats that need restoration and then measured the chop to fit me. I looked around a bunch and have seen all sorts of different traditional seats in Model A's. 50s-60s MG, Early Corvette ($$$), 64-67 Mustang (and Bronco), mid-60s and older VW (they're narrow but a little thicker but tons of recovering options), Jeep (they're thicker in the seat bottom and seat back), and some 60s kitchen chairs that were upholstered even. I've heard of folks using forklift and some tractor replacement seats (low back and thin). There are more but I cannot recall at the moment. The Caravan seats (and other 2nd/3rd row seats) are a decent option for a bench. If you want them to look the part, get rid of the headrests and recover them. There have been a few great threads about hot rod seats and seats for the chopped Model A folks. Here's one to start: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/seats-for-hot-rod.439169/ Best of luck!
I used the bucket seats from a Fiero in my Model A 2 dr sedan that is chopped 3". They are comfortable , a good width & if you do not want the head rest they can be taken off when you recover the seats to the height of the original model a seats to give you the retro look.
If you want individual bucket seats instead of a bench seat, these here work great, and the price is right. They even come with the slides. I used a universal type seat mount from Speedway and chopped the legs I think 2" in front and 3" in back to lower it and give it a slight rake back. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_8264_8264
There's nothing more traditional than stock A seats. They fit really well. I have four in my sedan; it's angle chopped 3.5" in front & 2.5" in back. I'm 6'2" & there's plenty of headroom.
I’m not sure of the height from floor to roof cause my car is in shop for new radiator. I will measure when I get it back. Right now I’m pretty sure I only have about 1 in between top I’m my head and roof and I’m Only 5.7”. I intend to lower seats to floor mount and hope to use rails.
the typical problem with a hot rod interior is that it is unique to the car’s interior dimensions and it’s owner’s body shape and size. Even small changes in steering wheel diameter, column length, column drop, firewall setback, floorboard hump, roof height, window height and door length can all affect what you need for a comfortable seat size, height and location. My Model A cabriolet was closer to factory stock than many hot rods, but still needed a custom fitted seat base so it fit me comfortably and provided the best visibility when driving. Even the rake of the car is a factor that affects visibility. I made my own outside mirror arms and moved the rear window up about an inch from stock position to improve visibility to the rear. Generic seat solutions are only a starting point. Be ready to do multiple trial fits and repeated modifications to get everything right. You need to be sitting in the car and considering all that needs to be changed to improve the fitting of you to the car. Driving it in a shakedown mode for a period of months also helps you in learning what changes are needed. It is much easier to make all the changes before paint and interior are done to final.
The Jalopy Journal
