Folddown seats

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
Some years ago I owned a puegot sedan whose front seats folded flat into a bed. I'm abou to either change seats or eupholster my front ones (89CP) and wonder how difficult it would be to make them fold flat.

Donald McCaig

[DuceAnAHalf]

it would be easier to change seats. you just need to find seats that you want and then make brackets for them to bolt to the floor.

Unless you can re-engineer the seat's hinge mechanism to let it lay flat

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
Any panther-comfortable seats lie flat?
Donald McCaig

[gadget73]

I've seen conversion van rear seats that would pull out flat, sort of like a futon, but I don't know of any front seats that would do that. The factory seats have a hinge at the wrong spot to be able to do that. It would need to be lower and the backs completely re-designed to get that sort of result. It might be easier to do with the rear seat, or maybe fit one of those van rear seats in place, but the amount of available space might become a concern. There isn't all that much room between the bottom of the rear seat and the back of the front seat.

[GoodSamaritan]

you could always look for a wagon...
The rear seats fold down flat, and there's plenty of room for a nap back there.
I have even hauled a twin mattress in mine before.
Just find a nice level place to park and crack the windows slightly for a little air and ZZZZZZZzzzzz!!

[86VickyLX]

you could always look for a wagon...
The rear seats fold down flat, and there's plenty of room for a nap back there.
I have even hauled a twin mattress in mine before.
Just find a nice level place to park and crack the windows slightly for a little air and ZZZZZZZzzzzz!!

He has a wagon. :P

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
Yes I've removed my dogproof screen betwen the back seat and the wayback, folded the back seats forward and laid down with dogs but I prefer snoozing in the passenger seat. It would be very nice if it would fold back just a little farther. Donald McCaig

[86VickyLX]

You mean like recline?

[1987cp]

I've seen conversion van rear seats that would pull out flat, sort of like a futon, but I don't know of any front seats that would do that. The factory seats have a hinge at the wrong spot to be able to do that. It would need to be lower and the backs completely re-designed to get that sort of result. It might be easier to do with the rear seat, or maybe fit one of those van rear seats in place, but the amount of available space might become a concern. There isn't all that much room between the bottom of the rear seat and the back of the front seat.

How bulky is the mechanism under those futon-type van seats? I don't know a lot about them, but don't they slide forward as they recline so that they basically take up the same amount of room? Seems that they might be able to be made to work in the front so long as a not-very-adjustable bench seat is acceptable.

[gadget73]

i don't honestly remember. A friend of mine had a set of the seats years back he got somewhere and was going to install in his van to make it into a mini camper, but I never examined them all that close.

[yucatec]

Passenger seat becomes a bed

Dear Panthers,
I'm considering another mod and seek your opinions. Fairly soon I'll need to reupholster my front seats or replace them. While Pete's towncar seats are more comfortable than mine, mine - reupholstered - should be okay for the long trips I envision. 13 hours to Fla in Feb.

If I'm lucky enough to find a codriver, we can drive more than 24 hours w/o stopping except for gas. If no codriver, I rely on energy drinks and occasional rest stops. In both cases, a passenger seat that folds all the way flat would be better than the stock recline.

Since I'm going to be reupholstering anyway, why couldn't some genius (Scott? Thain?) take another 89GM passenger seat (power?), strip it to the frame, rehinge it, make a removeable headrest and reset the seat track so the passenger seat could travel a few inches forward and, thus, fold flat?

The reupholsterer would strip to the frame anyway, yes?

Donald McCaig