1967 Cj5 Seats

These seats were on the Jeep when I bought it. Did this style with the gap between the seat and back come on this year as an option or stock or neither? I have a set of the Smittybuilts I was going to put in but I'm thinking I would rather salvage these.

Thanks,
Rob

 

To answer your question, yes, those gaps between the bottoms and backs of the seats are the original stock configuration. I have the same seats on my '67, which are currently being reupholstered. I used Rugged Ridge replacement seats for years, but eventually decided to go back to the originals.

This type of seat can be challenging to repair/restore because the foam cushions are integral. In the factory the liquid foam was injected into a mold around the steel frames and springs, which cured to form the cushions. If the 50+ year old integrated foam has become too far deteriorated, the seats can be difficult to repair. Also, the steel parts are sometimes too rusted out to re-use.

My frames and springs were in pretty good shape, but the foam was borderline at best. However, the owner of the local upholstery shop here figured out a way to add a specific type of new high(er) density foam over - and in some cases into - the remaining old foam, and secure it to the steel springs so it will stay in place. This is not an easy or inexpensive process, however.

I collected some good photos of original seats to help the upholsterer create new covers as close as possible to the original patterns. I'll be glad to post those in this thread if you'd like to have them them.

 

Thanks for the reply. My foam is in fair shape also. Passenger side is a little better than driver's. Pics would be appreciated along with the color and description of style you are going with.

Thanks,
Rob

 

Here is a picture of my reupholstered '67 seat, the foam was in remarkably good shape.

IMG_1351.jpg

 

Okay, here are the photos I have of what are, to the best of my knowledge, original 1966-67 CJ5 seats. (It's possible that some of these seat covers are reproductions, but if so, they are well done.)

Note that the side-to-side bands across the original covers were actually molded into the seat cover vinyl, rather than being stitched. My reupholstered seats will be black, with the covers sewn to match this patterning as closely as possible.

Maury

 

T

If you decide to get rid of your Smittybuilts I may be interested. I have a set of high back in mine right now and I hate them.

 

Thanks for the pic jj. Very sharp.

 

Thanks Maury. Beautiful. This is very helpful. Anything special about the texture or type vinyl?

 

I do intend to sell the smittys. Not sure how I could get them to Californ I A.

 

That's a great question, Rob. My original seat covers had been replaced sometime before I bought the jeep, so I really don't know what the original vinyl looked like. Based on the photos, it looks to be fairly smooth, though with a slight grain to it.

Incidentally, I'm having my new seat covers made from marine vinyl, which should hopefully hold up better than standard vinyl.

 

Great thread! Sort of a cross from my other thread in Resto research but it's topical here - what do you guys think about the seats that I pulled out of my '66 Tux Mark IV? Is the diamond stitching pattern on the backseat OEM or is the backseat from another CJ?

 

At least yhe cover on the backrest sure looks aftermarket to me.
-Donny

 

I agree....to the best of my knowledge, the original rear seat covers looked like those you can see in these two photos (copied from above):