Seat covers or seat dimensions M20C

[Urs_Wildermuth]

My seats are really not looking nice anymore. As a quick fix, I am wondering about putting some car seat covers over the bad looking parts, but I can't find the seat dimensions on the quick.

Has anyone got the dimensions of the seat, seat back and the back bench ready?

Thanks.

[0TreeLemur]

Measured the front seats of my '67C recently for sheepskin seat covers.    Bottom is about 17" x 17" and 5" high.  The back was 17"W at the bottom, tapering to about 14" wide at the top, is 21-1/2" vertically and 4" thick.   The rear bench seat is right about 42" wide, 23" high and the sitting portion lengthwise is again about 17".   These are +/- 1" tolerance measurements because I'm an engineer, and measuring fluffy things is hard.  Good luck.  Anybody know a good source of sheepskins that don't cost arm+leg?

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by 0TreeLemur
I edited these measurements for accuracy.

[Marauder]

Measured the front seats of my '67C recently for sheepskin seat covers.    Bottom is about 17" x 17" and 5" high.  The back was 17"W x 19"H and 4" thick.   The rear bench seat is right about 42" wide, 23" high and the sitting portion lengthwise is again about 17".   These are +/- 1" tolerance measurements because I'm an engineer, and measuring fluffy things is hard.  Good luck.  Anybody know a good source of sheepskins that don't cost arm+leg?

 

I looked at a few shops and sheepskin is expensive no matter where you buy it. I used: https://www.aerosheep.com/

 

Pimping it out...

 

[0TreeLemur]

Niiiiiiiice @Marauder.   One question tho- is that passenger seat big enough???  

[kris_adams]

21 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Niiiiiiiice @Marauder.   One question tho- is that passenger seat big enough???  

they have to ride in the back

[0TreeLemur]

Hi @Urs_Wildermuth here is minor correction: I found my little slip of paper that has on it my measurements.   The front seat back height is 21-1/2" tall, and only 14" wide because it is tapered toward the top.

[Marauder]

they have to ride in the back

 

The Mooney can haul everything. The real challenge is getting them to the airport. Had to move from using my F350 to a F650 dump truck.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Urs_Wildermuth]

Thanks guys. 

Very stupid question: Do the J/K type seats actually fit in the C model? And if so, is it legal to install them?

[0TreeLemur]

4 hours ago, Urs_Wildermuth said:

Thanks guys. 

Very stupid question: Do the J/K type seats actually fit in the C model? And if so, is it legal to install them?

@carusoam can probably either:

(a) answer this, or;

(b) suggest someone who knows.

[carusoam]

Expect that the seat rails are near identical...

The width of all Mooneys are based on the same steel cage width... it only gets longer in dimensions...

I think the only thing that may have changed is the number of holes and their locations...

Always check the details before spending the dough... 

 

The people that may know this answer for sure...

The M20Doc... because he knows every detail M20 related...

Sabremech... because he has built a few seat parts, like that cam like knob for adjusting the seat back angle...

 

See if that helps...

Best regards,

-a-

[Urs_Wildermuth]

Thanks for your help with the measurements. Will go down to the maintenance facility and take exact ones of my plane next week, when they reopen.

Found that car covers are way too big, so that is not an option.

Does anyone know of specific Mooney covers or other airplane seat covers on sale which might fit our tiny Mooney seats?

I am also musing about upgrading the front seats to J type if that is allowed, most J type seats have headrests which mine lacks. Also most J seats I've seen are leather. So need to find out a) if that is legal to do and b) where I can source some nice J seats if it is.

[David Lloyd]

Seat upholstery, carpet, side panels and headrests at http://www.airtexinteriors.com/.  Don't know if the 1965 seats are set up for the headrests or not but they are easy to construct.  Search this site for several airtex threads, even a video.  Don't know about the legality of changing the front seats to a later model.  Over here, it might be a minor modification signed off by an A&P/IA,  you may have more strict rules.

[carusoam]

Expect the 65C Seats to have the structure to allow headrests to go in them....

Trying to find out for sure is a bit of a challenge...

there are two sets of holes, in a pair of seat supports, in the back of the seat

There are threads around here that cover Toyota head rests...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Toyota headrest&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and

A few MSers have used the lower cost Airtex materials with good results... David’s link above...

A few MSers have gone full leather, and fancy foams, from the fancy leather shop in TX....

See if that helps...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[M20F-1968]

The seat-rails (at least from the mid-60's to present) have the same cross-section and (essentially if not exactly) the same pattern of rivets to install them into the floor.  The patterns of holes for the seat pins and the amount of relief of the seat rails (milling away of the functional part of the seat rail) in order to get the seats out of the airplane are model specific, but not limiting.  I took Ovation seats (pilot and copilot) and installed them in my F model.  I needed a DER to sign the replacements of, but they work perfectly.  The holes in the rails in the newer models are about 0.050" deeper than the old 1960's models, but this can be adjusted with a 1/4" drill.  

John Breda

[David Lloyd]

In the download section, the Mooney Parts Manual for a 1965 shows the headrest tubes in the seats. Bet they are there.  

Airtex leather seats with headrests, yes I have the later, articulating front seats.

This is what was under the headrest.  Being a CSOB I used the old tubing but replace the aluminum with a flat 3x7 piece per Airtex' instructions.  Wish I had a picture but Airtex sends a big block of foam along with the headrest cover.  How does that big block go in that little cover? The foam is split, glued to the flat aluminum and once everything is ready, put the headrest frame and foam in a plastic garbage bag.  Bunch up the open end put the wand from your shop vac in and turn it on.  The foam sucks down to about half the size.  Insert into headrest cover, tear bag out, turn off vac.  Be amazed!

[0TreeLemur]

On 12/19/2019 at 12:48 PM, Urs_Wildermuth said:

My seats are really not looking nice anymore. As a quick fix, I am wondering about putting some car seat covers over the bad looking parts, but I can't find the seat dimensions on the quick.

Has anyone got the dimensions of the seat, seat back and the back bench ready?

Thanks.

What did you finally do?   I've been too busy paying for expensive annuals and a new cylinder to pull the trigger on the sheepskins.  Details and photos please.

[Tahir K]

On 12/19/2019 at 1:20 PM, Marauder said:

I looked at a few shops and sheepskin is expensive no matter where you buy it. I used: https://www.aerosheep.com/

 

Pimping it out...

 

Is there any benefit to using sheepskin over leather? 

[Hank]

Leather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Sheepskin is less hot in the summer and warmer in the winter. More comfortable. 

[Marauder]

3 hours ago, Tahir K said:

Is there any benefit to using sheepskin over leather? 

As Hank mentioned, sheepskin keeps the seats cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I flew for a year without covers, very noticeable when the covers were installed.

[McMooney]

I feel bad, read as cheap,

   my seats are new but as they kept being stepped on by passengers I covered them with a set of Autozone specials.

tied them behind and under the seat as they are slightly too big.  I'd bet there's something that might actually fit.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, McMooney said:

I feel bad, read as cheap,

   my seats are new but as they kept being stepped on by passengers I covered them with a set of Autozone specials.

Who the hell steps on the seats??????