FHC 120 Bucket seats

i would like to use bucket seats in my 120 FHC project. Can anyone suggest where i can find ones like in the photo?

Do they tilt forward?
I’m thinking you may find it a bit inconvenient getting to the parcel box and battery, as well as getting in and out of the driver’s seat.

eBay! There’s an auction for the frames on now!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/371812433183

Phil,

I bought aluminum buckets, very similar if not identical to the ones in your photo. I built a 1/8" plate metal plate base, about 2" wide that the buckets bolted to around their periphery, sandwiched the metal base in 5/16" plywood to enable stapling inner and outer upholstery to, and mounted them on the original seat adjustment tracks. I also modified the original seat sheet metal base for the bottom cushion to fit inside the buckets.

With the seats moved to the rear position, with about 1/2" clearance from the top of the parcel shelf door, I still have 2" room between the soles of my shoes and the firewall. I am 5’ 11" with a 34" inseam with the seats in the fully forward position, my 5’ 6" wife has a comfortable driving position.

The buckets in your photo have inside and outside lower rims shaped the same, whereas the ones on the eBay auction look to have inside lower rims slightly higher. That presumably gives more comfort when cornering hard, but still allowing for ease of access. My buckets were purchased from a well known California supplier and were made in the UK to a very high standard of quality. They came with a stiffening dimple rolled into the aluminum just inboard of the outside edge which the eBay ones do not have. Might be a concern for the latter in regards to stability if the aluminum gauge is too thin.

Rob’s comments about access to the parcel shelf are well taken, but mine will open about 8" with the seats in the fully forward position. Not as good as the factory set up, but adequate (I hope).

I bought US military vehicle 4 point, retractable seat belts on eBay recently and am just finishing off beefing up the rear bulkhead to mount the retractors and lap belt anchors. I can report back on the results of that experiment when I finish up if there is interest.

Rob

A progress report on the bucket seat project…

Wow very comprehensive.Rob Thank you

these are not trimmed in the correct pattern of course

Retrimmed 3.8L E-Type FHC seats have fooled experts in the field.

This guy makes a variety of similar aluminum seats for pennies less than the specialists.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/hotrodseats/m.html?item=272540035240&hash=item3f74a6e8a8%3Ag%3ApZwAAOSwj85YODWE&vxp=mtr&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

can’t be much of Experts!

A car I know well and have driven many times and yes those seats are not the original factory bucket seat but then again they are not the seats from a standard 3.8 litre E type I believe they are the bucket seats from a Lightweight E type or a purpose made competition seat.
Without pulling this book out from the library it does show the factory competition seats in one of the 2 lightweight XK120’s.
Over the period 1950 to 1963 or so there appear to be three derivatives of the XK120 competition seat ( basically one type had 2 high hip supports one had 2 low sides and the third one low side to help getting into the car and one high side) and the factory trimmed versions for their own competition cars ie the 2 lightweight XK120’s competition MKVII etc were trimmed differently than the style supplied to customers.
By the time the MKII came along the alloy bucket shell whilst still being the same as the original XK120 had an extended trimmed piece at the front for thigh support.
Another of these great and interesting subjects.
All the pics below show what I believe was the original trim pattern the period literature says trimmed in Bedford cord as are the set I have but more often than not they were trimmed in leather from new.
Trimmed seats noted as TM are seats I have manufactured and had trimmed for customers

How much room do you estimate you gained with the bucket seat over the standard bench type seat?

Steve

I have These in the 140-e, made by Bill Bassett

and good to see trimmed in the right pattern and love the red piping very nice
great seats
Brandon can we get a chassis number on your car please.

http://www.xkdata.com/cars/detail/?car=S810189

I think this collection of 7 XK sport seat photos is about 6 more than I have previously seen in my lifetime.

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Another options, if interested is the tilting buckets. I had these hand made from a gentleman in England. The amount of overall space, leg room, and lateral support is night and day over the original bench(Which I still have). Picture below is of my 140 interior after install. Also attached is a side to side comparison of my Original seat versus the bucket. You can see its much smaller, lighter, and a more modern red (Which i specifically requested). Happy building

thank you for that. I tried these n my xk 150 but found they flex really badly on hard cornering when I used them on a trackday.