So it turns out that the stock seats in my ‘73 are at just a slightly wrong enough angle that they are uncomfortable for me. Seat width and bottom cushion are fine, I just need a couple more degrees recline in the seat back.

I looked everywhere and could not find a recline mechanism

I suppose I should shim the front mounting point to rake the seat backwards a bit but I don’t think that would so any good.

Short of seat replacement anyone death with this and figured it out? I want to keep the factory look.

Thanks!

There is a lever to the outboard side of each seat, pull the lever and while it is pulled rock the seat. You should have about 4 settings to set your seat rake. The rake setting is at the front of the seat mount. I can show you a pic if you like.

Good morning Travis, thanks for the response and hope you're having a good weekend.

Oops-I spaced on that adjustment, I appointment lack of coffee.

I think the issue is the angle of the back rest, wondering if anyone else has dealt with that are figured it out.

I see what you mean now. I havent' seen anyone change the angle of the seat from seat bottom to back before. Curious what you find out.

The seats are one piece units. If you need more recline, you scoot the seat forward then tilt it backward.
When you tilt back, the seat bottom will also tilt back so that your ass doesn't slide forward.
FWIW, I always thought 914 seats were the most comfortable of any car I've sat in, classic or modern.

Good morning.

Right - got it.

I just need a couple degrees of back recline beyond what is built-in to the one piece shape.

If you have seat foam available (or some equivalent) try cutting a wedge shaped piece that fits behind your back. That will scoot your butt a little forward and get you a little different angle for your back.

If that works, you can put the foam behind the padding on the seat so it is hidden.

--DD

Thanks for the idea Dave, will fool around with that and see where it gets me.

Have Stephan at GTS seats make you something custom.

Also you can modify the stop on the rake and get another few degrees of motion.

I'm doing OK as far as a rake of the seat goes, I think it's the actual seat itself.

Thanks for the reminder Mike, I will keep him in mind if it becomes necessary to swap these out.

911 fixed bucket seats are generally more laid back than 914 seats.

Are the 911 ones narrow enough

I'm not finding my photos. You can strip the seat down to the glass shell and cut the side rail with a hack saw. Spread the cut apart to the desired angle and reglass. Vinyl will be tighter but mine did fit back.
Depending on the angle your seat may not go all the way back but that was not a problem with my short legs.
I can't imaging driving with out this now.

I agree with Dave... I had the same problem, so I purchased a lumbar back support memory foam pillow/insert. Does the trick for me and is easily removable for another driver.

I will fabricate that and experiment with it.

Thanks!

Or go the other direction... flat bottom cushion. So the legs don't come up with the tilt.

I'm tall and skinny, so I ended up removing the board from the bottom cushion so it sat ~3/4" lower, which moved the back arch to a better place.

NO they are not, its possible but not a good idea. I had 993 seats in mine for a while but that was only possible due to removal of the stock seat hinges in back and the lowering of the forward cross member, the e-brake rubbed badly but they were very comfortable. - other wise agreeing here with others , add some lumbar support, when I did new seat inserts I got new foam for the back in the area of 'Proper " lumbar support so that I actually could sit up better not lay down and back more - so here is where I go away from what most might think or do- if you cant sit up straight with good posture you might need a few weeks at a really good chiropractor that works with biomechanics, posture and works with stretching and exercising. the worst thing you can do is lay down more or lay back more, what that also does is puts your head and neck in a bad position, think more up and erect. I am almost 6'2'' and I sit up as straight as I can , which for really long drive makes a huge difference. but if you want to lay back more, tilt the seat. maybe the GTS seats from Steffan have a different angle built into them but I don't think its worth the trouble to try and change a stock seat.
IMHO but do what you want.

Probably wouldn’t be hard to modify the stock seat by cutting a slot in the glass on the sides and opening it up a bit. Practice on an old core and see what works.

I cannot imagine anyone wanting to recline the seat anymore than it does already. I usually drive with the seat tilted all of the way forward. Maybe something is wrong with the tilt mechanism.

I found the original seats to be the most comfortable seat for me too. So much that I made an office chair with a spare seat and it was awesome.

The tilt mechanism allows you to recline the seat back, but you may have to move the seat forward as the headrest will hit the rear window. The tilt brings the bottom front of the seat up at the same time to support your legs at the hamstrings. As others have said, this angle is set by the molded fiberglass seat core. If you find that the angle of the seat bottom to the back is not to your liking, you may need to play with the amount of wedge in the bottom cushion. It is very easy to find what angle may work by adding cardboard or wood strips under the seat bottom at the front or back to find improvement. The bottom cushion is a base of plywood or fiberboard with a piece of foam, sometimes dual density on top. The foam may be relatively flat, or wedge shaped, and can be cut a number of ways. 914rubber sells replacement seat covers in early and late pattern vinyl that are stapled onto the plywood. You can make a spare base cushion and play with the angles. I found that the replacement foam that is sold by some suppliers to be too thick or flat without the original wedge shape. And don't be afraid to make your own dual density seat with some memory foam on top of firmer seat cushion foam. You should be able to customize your seat to your liking.Click to view attachment

An electric carving knife makes a good foam cutter/shaper. Watch on youtube.

I have an extra seat that I plan to use as an office chair.

People often throw out office chairs because the fabric is dirty, stained and torn, yet the base and all the adjustments are in perfect order. Four holes drilled through the fiberglass bucket and four bolts gets the 914 bolted on a base in about 15-20 minutes. The result is a 914 office chair that makes me comfy and smile every time I see it. Looks a little Star Trekkish too!

I was also thinking of a sofa/love seat with a couple of them.

If you cut the side a little and then Heat the fiberglass with a high heat gun you should be able to get it to bend and hold a form a little reclined. Then you can glass it on the sides for the support you will need so it stays in place when you sit in it. An old test seat will tell you if that is right. There are plenty of them around. I trash my old bad seats. You can test fit it before you glass to get what you want.

Bob B

I have a long torso and always felt I sat too high. I took the bottom pad apart and cut an inch off the bottom of the pad.

Just make sure to rinse it really well before you use it on the turkey.

That's my plan too, make a simple base to mount the sliders and everything, haha....maybe once my car is done.

so in what 10 more years

I installed GTS Classic seats and needed more recline angle.

Modified seat mount:
Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Installed seats:
Click to view attachment

Seat back angle precluded installing the headrests, thus had to fabricate roll bar headrest mounts.

Sherwood

Very nice

thats a great idea, to have the head support on the bar like that! the reasonni liked the 993 seat was my head was supported as they are taller, in a stock seat my head is above the headrest and if rearended i would probably hit the back window with my head so that is a safety issue. maybe a GTs classic seat cusim made to be taller at the headrest and also have the angle the buyer prefers would be a solution

Those look great, and nice work Sherwood.

Appreciate all the discussion, once the rain clears I'm planning on driving it a bunch and see how they feel after a hundred mlles in one shot,

I think, if anything, I need to carve out some of the upper back foam.

i do have a question for you, Sherwood: why didnt you put the seats on the stock 914 sliders? i thought that the stock slder mechanism was bolt on and tht would be able to tilt like you want

Why? Since when was a little stuffing bad for the turkey?

LOL

I find the driver seat in my car to be very comfortable. The tilt mechanism works to unload your back a little, sort of like a gravity chair. (if only!)

Click to view attachment

these seats were in a 1970 tangerine 914/6 thst i was next to at the Rare Shades 2 event . i got to sit in them and i did sit up a bit higher but they were ver comfortable, great support on sides and in back.