Problem installing recovered TMI seats

Well it was finally time to install my seats back into my 73 convertible restoration project! I was so excited to see how the seats that I recovered with the TMI upholstery looked in the car! But I got a kick in the gut and am not real sure what to do next.

When I bolted the drivers seat in it looked good until I got in it.....it felt like when you get in your wifes car and don't realize the seats all the way forward. It is sitting too high and to far forward. when I slip the steering wheel back on there would be no way to get in and out of the seat because of the lack of space between the seat and wheel. I guess it because of the extra foam in the seats?????

Im really not sure what to do next. has anyone ever lowered there seats? I could really use some help here....the car is to the point where a few more parts and I could be driving it so I would hate to have to start cutting on the seat platforms now.

It is a tight fit getting into the seat with our new TMI covered seats but once in place it is really comfortable. Are you running the stock steering wheel?

I just replaced the foam and upholstery on my front seats I used TMI deluxe foam and TMI upholstery and had no problems the seats feel great nice and firm and I don't feel the springs poking me in the back.

It is a tight fit getting into the seat with our new TMI covered seats but once in place it is really comfortable. Are you running the stock steering wheel?

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I am installing the 15" gt350 woodgrain steering wheel. and I have the sport xr seats

Here is our set up, we have the 15" Grant wood wheel that we sanded down and stained ebony

Well, there's your problem. The Sport XR seats have a LOT more foam thickness than the stockers... especially, old and tired stock seats. Even just an extra inch of cushion thickness on a 'fits like a glove' seating position will have you feeling uncomfortable, or could even have issues with steering wheel clearance.

I'm assuming you don't have a tilt column. I know I can't get in/out of mine without tilting the wheel up/forward.

I had to replace the seat platforms in mine (Mach 1) and all they had were the coupe/vert platforms - which are almost 2" taller. I took apart, cut them down over an inch-and-a-half, and reassembled them, and had even moved them back about 2" for a little bit more legroom.

What I did to get a little more headroom (with the newly recovered Sport Seats, my head was very close to the roof without the headliner yet installed), I left the plastic seat bumpers out of the mix altogether. My seat backs rest directly on the cushions now, which has them leaning back a little more than usual, and has afforded me that extra inch of headroom I need for the headliner - so my head's not rubbing the liner. It sucks being 6'5" for the most part.

Be advised that doing that will put the seatback latch in a position to damage the seat cover material, as it will now fall into position with the seat frame itself, rather than the bolt-on latch 'striker/keeper' itself. I just trimmed the material and live with it.

Short answer though: Yes - those newly recovered Sport XR seats are a bunch thicker than your tired old stock seats.

let me ask this.....if it comes down to it can I cut and modify the seat platforms on a convertible or are they part of the structure of the car?

They are not part of the structure of the car. They are positioned to take advantage of the car's structural points to ensure the seat mounting points are as absolutely solid as they can be... but no, they aren't 'integral' to the body structure.

Sorry I won't be too much help here, maybe try to find a tilt column. That seems like it would be easier than cutting the seat platforms down to accomidate for the extra foam. Just so we all know, what exact seat foam and Upholestry did you install? I am going to be purchasing tmi seat foam and have it recovered by a local shop to look like tmi's 1969 mach 1 seats.