Upgrade seats in a C?

[jakearey]

Hey gang! 
 

I am working with Bruce to get a spacial interior set up in the plane.  Bruce however doesn’t really do seats so I am looking to recover my seats. While I’m in this process I’m interested in finding an upgraded pair of front seats. 

My plane is a 62C. I’m wondering if anyone knows what seats will fit in the 62C? Will any of the J seats fit? I’m looking for something with more support and ideally more adjustability. If I can figure out what fits I can search the web and salvage yards for a newer set of seats to recover and refresh. 

Thoughts? 
 

Thanks! 
JA 

[kortopates]

I am pretty sure any of the seats will fit - should be same seat rails and width. But the double articulating seats from the modern Mooney's are one of the most coveted options out there - they fetch thousands $.

[jetdriven]

I may have some 77J seats coming up 

[carusoam]

Since you are going with the ideal interior bits and pieces...

There is a leather shop in TX that supplies updated seat improvements...

They make what you have better...

If you stay with the same seats, you can add headrests to them... the structure is hidden... Toyota has some nice headrests that fit the Mooney standard...

All things that can be found on MS...

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

A good upholstery shop can redo the seat cushions with layers of varying-density memory foam to whatever shape you find most comfortable, then cover it to fit your fancy. No need to buy new seats, unless you are ready to pay as much for each front seat as for covering them all to get adjustable seat frames (that will still need to be redone).

[RLCarter]

I've seen a few Cessna 172's with Airtex Seats both leather and cloth, might look at them AirTex Interiors. On the Moonys they are Foam and Covers so you only keep the front seat bases and the rear seat back framework 

[Andy95W]

Late model seats will fit into a '62C.  The seat rails will need to be modified slightly.  The wide (top) part of the seat rail is slightly longer on the pre-1964's.

I thought someone here did it to his airplane.  Maybe @s10sakota, but not positive.

[jakearey]

I appreciate the replies. I will certainly inquire about adding some padding to my current seats. My right front seat is missing a small part that allows it to lean back evenly. I might be able to modify it or fix it so that the seat functions the way it was intended to. 
 

I’m not dying to needlessly spend a lot of money on replacing the seats so I will look into other options. 
 

thanks guys 

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, jakearey said:

I appreciate the replies. I will certainly inquire about adding some padding to my current seats. My right front seat is missing a small part that allows it to lean back evenly. I might be able to modify it or fix it so that the seat functions the way it was intended to. 
 

I’m not dying to needlessly spend a lot of money on replacing the seats so I will look into other options. 
 

thanks guys 

If the missing/broken part that isn’t allowing it to recline Right is the “triangular/circular recline cam” that resides at the junction of the seat bottom/back and turns, then we can connect you to a guy who can get you new ones... @Sabremech

[steingar]

I'd be very careful about putting in extra seats or cushions.  Type certificates are picky things.  I recall a story about a Lanceair owner (the certificated ones) who took some of the padding out of the seat.  He was tall, and it gave him head room.  An IA grounded the aircraft until correct padding was installed.  I admit this was heard second hand.

[jakearey]

1 hour ago, Ragsf15e said:

If the missing/broken part that isn’t allowing it to recline Right is the “triangular/circular recline cam” that resides at the junction of the seat bottom/back and turns, then we can connect you to a guy who can get you new ones... @Sabremech

Unfortunately my 62c seats don’t have that mechanism.  My buddy that has a 63 has those type seats which I prefer. 
 

mine have a pin that stick out on either side and then this catch that seats on the pin when the chair is sat in.  This type of seat has a lever you can pull in the front of the seat to recline the seat back further. The issue is that the pin is missing or broken on the right of the co pilot seat so right now it leans back kind of uneven. 

[Hector]

Airtex leather seats in my 67C.


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[David Lloyd]

Thought that was a pic of my seats for a couple seconds.

[Hector]

Thought that was a pic of my seats for a couple seconds.

Nice headrests!! Mine have the high backs but the headrest would be nicer. Looks like your color scheme is very similar or same as mine.


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[David Lloyd]

Hector, the seat backs look the same height. Most had the tubes installed for the headrests, the headrests themselves are easy to construct.

[jakearey]

3 hours ago, Hector said:

Airtex leather seats in my 67C.


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Dang those look good. How hard was it to fit the airtex product over the seat?  

[Hector]

Dang those look good. How hard was it to fit the airtex product over the seat?  

Wish I could tell you but took the kit from Airtex and the seats to my local upholstery shop that also happens to be FAA certified and they put it all together in a few hours (front and rear seat). It comes with instructions but I just didn’t want to mess with it.


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[David Lloyd]

My first time working with upholstery.  It was not as easy as installing the carpet.  It was easier than installing the sidewall upholstery (had to trim panels and then match screws with unseen holes behind panels).  Doing the seats were much more satisfying to do because the result was dramatic.  I spent more time cleaning the old foam and glue off the seats than installing the new.  By the time I got to the last seat, I put the upholstery on in about an hour.

[Andy95W]

2 minutes ago, Hector said:

 It comes with instructions but I just didn’t want to mess with it

Your Airtex came with instructions?  Mine didn't 2 years ago, and a friend's new kit this year also didn't.

With that said, all it really took was a little common sense and looking at the whole thing like a puzzle.

[Nstarbf]

I believe i'm having a similar problem with the seats, particularly the co-pilot's seat, in m 62c as well.  I'm finding that when anyone who rides with me, who doesn't weigh in around the 200 lb range, tries to adjust the seat.  something happens that causes the seat to jam on the rails and from that point on the seat will not go forward or back on the rails and the seat back is locked in the upright position as well.  This makes entering and exiting the plane an exercise in contortion.  The only way I've found to relieve this is to pull the pins on the seat back.  Some how doing this will release the binding that is happening with the seat on the rails and allow the seat to move forward and back on the rails.  unfortunately when this happened the last time one of the pins pulled out and now the back on my co-pilots seat won't stay up on the that side.  

On 6/26/2020 at 4:03 PM, jakearey said:

Unfortunately my 62c seats don’t have that mechanism.  My buddy that has a 63 has those type seats which I prefer. 
 

mine have a pin that stick out on either side and then this catch that seats on the pin when the chair is sat in.  This type of seat has a lever you can pull in the front of the seat to recline the seat back further. The issue is that the pin is missing or broken on the right of the co pilot seat so right now it leans back kind of uneven. 

I believe I'm having a similar problem with the seats, particularly the co-pilot's seat, in m 62c as well.  I'm finding that when anyone who rides with me, who doesn't weigh in around the 200 lb range, tries to adjust the seat.  something happens that causes the seat to jam on the rails and from that point on the seat will not go forward or back on the rails and the seat back is locked in the upright position as well.  This makes entering and exiting the plane an exercise in contortion.  The only way I've found to relieve this is to pull the pins on the seat back.  Some how doing this will release the binding that is happening with the seat on the rails and allow the seat to move forward and back on the rails.  unfortunately when this happened the last time one of the pins pulled out and now the back on my co-pilots seat won't stay up on the that side.  

[Bob E]

I added headrests to my '65 C when I re-did the seats with Airtex upholstery a few years ago.  Airtex has some instructions and also supplies the (legal) foam; I supplemented them with some help and advice from local people.  I have detailed instructions and a lot more step-by-step photos if you're interested.

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by Bob E

[Bob E]

While you're at it, you might want to replace the wooden seat rollers (which I used to have to replace at every annual) with nylon rollers.

[cliffy]

Nstarbf-  are you sure ALL 4 seat "feet" (rollers) are down and hooked correctly to the rails?  It is possible to get three in place and the fourth riding high and not seated in place. The seat will move without weight but jams with weight on it.

[Jakes Simmons]

The headrests look great. I have a ‘76 Ranger I’d like to upgrade the seats and add headrests on as next year’s project. Would appreciate your offer of additional detail on the process you went though. Maybe post in the document section of the website.  This summer, I had the spatial interior done by Bruce. One thing pretty makes everything else look old...

[Bob E]

Posted in the downloads section under "Safety and Techniques" (since it's a technique)!