Roland: I responded to a similar question a while back. My Healey is a BJ8
not a BN1 but I think the situation is the same.
I installed new foam in my original seats as it seemed that I was almost
sitting on the floor boards. I had made no modifications to the foam such
as cutting the holes as per original. Upon sitting on the seat the first
time, my eye level was at the top windshield frame. Since I drive my car as
often as possible, I decided to let it be an see what happened. Through
use, the seat has gradually compressed so that now it is at a comfortable
level with my eyes well below the top of the windshield.
Someone responded that the car they were working on did not get driven very
often. If that is your case, the modification may be warranted. However,
if you drive it a lot, I believe that use will compact the foam just as it
did the original and you will be happy for a longer period of time before it
becomes necessary to change the foam again.
Just my experience as a 42 year owner with 188,000 miles on the odo, 173,000
put on by me.
<Note for whom it may concern: that's the Healey's odo, not mine. I have
more miles on me than that. ;-) >
(The Other) Len
Vacaville, CA, USA
1967 AH 3000 MkIII, HBJ8L39031
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roland Wilhelmy" <rwil@sbcglobal.net>
To: "'Austin Healey list'" <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2012 10:11 AM
Subject: [Healeys] BN1 seat height and the new foam
>I am restoring the interior of our BN1. I have the sets of foam seat
> bottoms and backs (squabs) that Moss offers for the BN1. My trimmer
> is asking me whether I want them to cut down the foam seat bottoms
> about 1.5 inches, as they are accustomed to do.
>
> The story appears to be that modern foams are stiffer, not to mention
> not having the square holes in the bottom, so that a person sitting on
> the seats with as-offered foam bottoms will sit too high and may have
> difficulty with clearance between steering wheel and legs. Well, I am
> 5'6" tall and at least in our former BJ7 I sat a bit too low for a
> good driving position, even after adding spacers to the seat bases. I
> had a smaller diameter steering wheel in the BJ7 so I can't figure out
> if I need a shorter seat cushion just so I can fit underneath the
> BN1's standard original steering wheel.
>
> If anyone has had experience that would help me decide whether to
> lower the seat bottoms and if so how much, I would very much
> appreciate hearing from them.
>
> -Roland
> _______________________________________________
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