Lowback festiva Seats project

[aithanmier]

here is the project so far, the head rest is removed and the foam cut, i'm just about to modify the cover to remove the headrest on it and then the project will be complete, I'll update with the finished product soon.



lol festiva seat frames are painted from the factory...aspire, hmm i think they actually charged extra for the frame rust lol.

[B6T]

You better hope that you never get rear ended...

[88FESTIVAGTR]

OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!

[eye_of_ra93]

Interesting seat mod

Sounds like an interesting mod, it may look cool, but I would worry about the neck and back support. If you are tall that seat could really be a killer on the neck/back in a car accident. Also over extended time would really strain the neck muscles. Good luck though. Keep us posted on results. Do what makes you happy, but be careful on that neck.

[Safety Guy]

"Headrests" are really supposed to be "head restraints," to minimize whiplash injuries in rear end crashes. Last I heard, many cars don't have very effective head restraint designs to begin with (another relatively simple area that the gov't should have been improving instead of computerized airbags and stuff).

Joseph brought up the possibility of a person (whose neck height matches the top of the seatback) getting into even more trouble with the cut off design. The top of a short seat would essentially act as a fulcrum at the cervical spine and increase the injury potential.

In a severe rear end crash, that ten to fifteen pound head of yours will temporarily "weigh" about a hundred pounds or more. Better start those neck exercises now!



I would like to see someone change the highbacks into ones with separate redesigned heavy duty head restraints. That would be more work than cutting one down, but would be cool and safer.

Karl

[eye_of_ra93]

Gettin hit with cut down seats in a Festy

I might compare it to gettin my head chopped off with a Gilatine. I would be worried about gettin hit from behind. Maybe just sit low in the seat and you will be ok. I'm considering swivel seats but a chopped back seat would be a little scary. I give you props for being brave, just be careful, we don't need any member from FF.com getting hurt or getting neck/back probs. Make sure you got a good Chiroprator and sit low in the seat.

[aithanmier]

jeeze guys...didn't know this was gonna turn into a flame war. lets face it anyone that is stuffing a b6t or other powerful engine into a car designed to handle 64 hp, and not go above 80mph (like the majority of people on this board), safty is far from a top priority. since there is no interest in this project i just won't post the pics of the completed project.

[Roboskittle]

I would really like to see how it turns out. Most older cars dont have the head rests/restraints. I have been in accidents before in older cars and never had any problems. Not saying that he will not have any problems though. A lot of people opt to chop the headrests on cars or just simply lift them out and leave them out. Again I would like to see how this turns out. Thank you

[Safety Guy]

Flame war? Nope. Just some cautionary advice. I'd still like to see the results.

I've been rear ended twice while sitting at a light. Fortunately, both times were in my '86 Aries 4 door and not a Festiva. Both times were not too hard hits either. Bent my bumper mounts with no visible damage from outside.

The first time my neck was sore for a few days. The name the idiot gave me was false. He "didn't have his license on him," etc. He was a punk with no license who was driving his mother's car (I got his plate and looked him up, which you could do many years ago).

The second time was a car that hit the T-bird behind me, pushing it into my back end. No visible damage and the irresponsible driver (again) had no license or insurance.

I keep a camera in my glove box now for the next time. I'll take pics first and sue ASAP (if they have anything to sue for--a long shot I know). No one better hit me in my Festivas! They won't take the abuse that my old K car did (1800 lbs. vs. 2500 lbs.).

Karl

[aithanmier]

lol, yeah i'm not too worried about getting rear ended just because most times that happens at a stoplight and the speeds are usually very slow. i'll go ahead and post the pics of the passenger side which is completed, i havn't had time to do the drivers side as i don't have a spare festiva seat and it took a few days to get the passenger side finished, i don't want to be without my car until i finish the project. next time i go to the salvage yard i think i'll pick up another seat to work on. The mod seems to be sorta functional too, I can put my arm around my girlfriend when i'm driving

[aithanmier]

[Safety Guy]

I really liked seeing these pics of the stripped seat frames and your "low back" mod.

You know, that might make a good "jump seat" for the back for those of us who take out our rear bench seats. A low back design, perhaps further modded to be as lightweight as possible could allow an occasional third passenger, if one could figure out the mounting issues.

Thanks!

Karl

[aithanmier]

i wouldn't think it would be too difficult to mount it as a jump seat, as long as you have some ability with a welder, you could simply cut off the front mounting brackets and use a set of rear brackets from a scrap frame for the front. then just have a couple of mounting bolts welded in to secure it. to make it really easy to use though you would want to come up with some kind of quick release on the seat brackets, so you wouldn't have to break out the 13mm socket everytime your friend wants to ride lol. as for me, i just leave the rear seat in the garage most of the week and then pop it back in before i pick up my son for the weekend. i do like the idea of the jump seat though, i never have more than 3 people in my car, and one of them is my 2 year old, it would be nice to just have a single permanently mounted seat in the back, would free up some space for a sub enclosure or a computer, ps2, xbox you name it. i may just have a use for those extra aspire seats after all, lol.

[aithanmier]

oh yeah, about the no headrest safety issue...do you guys never have back seat passengers? :twisted:

[Safety Guy]

Rear seat dwellers are expendable. 8) :lol:

Karl