M20J Bench Seat

[mooniac15u]

I'm in the process of shopping for an M20J as a replacement for my 1963 M20D and I have a question about the bench seats in the early J's. in my D the seat back on the bench seat feels very nearly vertical. I was wondering if anyone can tell me if the J bench seats are reclined at a more comfortable angle.

The "banker" doesn't like the bench seat in the D and is pushing for a J with split rear seats. Based on what I've seen the split seats will cost me in both price and useful load.

[jetdriven]

The 1983 and older bench seats are fixed. Of guess at a 15 degree angle, it's comfortable. They bolt into the rear fuselage structure and don't recline.

[Marauder]

The 1983 and older bench seats are fixed. Of guess at a 15 degree angle, it's comfortable. They bolt into the rear fuselage structure and don't recline.

Are Bench seats the norm on the early Js? My F has a split back seat which both recline. Great for a 16 year old who never, ever gets enough sleep...

[Scott Aviation]

My wife always sits in the back seat of the J, its a bench with new leather upholstery and bolstering, she says its more comfortable than being in the front with me   We've gone for 3-4 hour trips with no complaints.

[KSMooniac]

The angle of the J fixed bench is quite comfortable.  

[mooniac15u]

Thanks for all the input.  My wife hasn't actually spent much time in the back of our D but she is worried that she will soon lose her spot in the front to one of the kids.

 

Useful load is likely to become an issue in a few years since those kids keep growing.  It seems like just about the same time Mooney switched to the split rear seats they also started adding extra insulation (and other heavy stuff?) and the J's started losing useful load.

[fantom]

......It seems like just about the same time Mooney switched to the split rear seats they also started adding extra insulation (and other heavy stuff?) and the J's started losing useful load.

 

....and how sweet most of that 'heavy stuff' is.   The loss of useful load is theoretical, at best.

[mooniac15u]

The loss of useful load is theoretical, at best.

 

Not quite sure what that means.  All I can say is there's nothing theoretical about the safety of my family.

[fantom]

The loss of useful load is theoretical, at best. Not quite sure what that means. All I can say is there's nothing theoretical about the safety of my family.

Ya think