Lower seat height in a Monaro?

[FNG]

Hi all. I bought a CV8 Monaro a few weeks back and have been living with it as-is so I can see where any shortfalls are.

The most obvious one for me is that the seats sit very high when as low as the adjustment motors will take them. The top of my ear is just below the roof side rail, meaning over rough roads my head is banging off the trim. It's also an awkward duck of the head to get in and especially out of the car.

Looks to me like the seat base is largely (wholly?) taken straight from the Commodore which will have had a higher roofline - which would explain why it feels a bit high. Can't help but feel a lower seat would also help feel like I'm sitting in the car, not on top of it, too.

It's got VXR seats with alcantara centres, but I'd expect that's just a trim level and doesn't affect the amount of padding.

So has anyone had any success with lowering the standard seat, removing some foam from the seat base, or swapping to (tasteful, and not fixed bucket or aftermarket recliner) other seats?

[mfp4073]

Sadly the seats in a Monaro are too high even when set at their lowest level. I thinks it’s more to do with allowing room for the electric motors, and maybe they did use the subframe from the commodore which had a higher roof line.
I’ve found after a few hours driving the seat foam compresses down which gives a bit more room, but that’s about it.
If you want to spend some big bucks you can replace the seats with some after market rally type ones with a lower seat cushion and still use the original subframes.
This will give you extra head room, but I’m not sure about the side airbags and possible trouble code that might show up.
I’ve seen a few Monaro’s fitted with some lovely looking aftermarket seats so it is possible to do. However, if I spend anymore cash on my car my Mrs will end my existence in this world extremely quickly, so I’ve left well alone.

[FNG]

I've sold this one to the missus as being "fine as it is" which will come back to haunt me, I'm sure... they never are, and she knows it as well as I do.

When we met I had 6 cars and now I've only got 2 (one's going up for sale soon), and a bike. So she ought to be pleased

Seats is the biggie for me; the rest I can live with. I've even resisted a head unit upgrade, and just got a bluetooth transmitter.

The snag is, on 19s it doesn't ride terribly well on our local lanes, and most of the ride comfort comes from the nice plush seat. I have neck trouble and a history of concussions and migraine, and a harsh ride sets off the migraine like flicking a switch.

So which do I choose - cracking my head on entry/exit, and over bad bumps, or worse ride quality? Either can result in a day off work.

If I thought I could track the car, it'd be a no brainer - new seats - cos then I'd be able to wear a helmet in the car. Can't at the moment.

But chances of me passing noise limits are practically nil (and never mind the brake (and suspension?) upgrade it would necessitate...) so I'm not going down that road.

Edited by FNG on Monday 12th September 08:48

[SturdyHSV]

Aftermarket seats are your only option really, you could try and mount the standard seats on manual slide rails, but it'd be awkward.

[FNG]

How have you mounted those?

[SturdyHSV]

FNG said:

How have you mounted those?

'Planted' in the states make brackets for the GTO.

From there, drill some holes and put some manual slide rails in there and then mount those to the bottom of whatever seats you purchase.

Mine are Cobra Misanos, I think they'd be a little firm perhaps, you'd want to sit in some first really. If you're anywhere near Nottingham, GSM Motorsport have a showroom with LOADs of seats in, it's where I got mine from and Garreth will price match etc. and is a great guy to deal with.

Can give you advice on dummy airbag loads etc. or could just send you some if needed

You're correct that it transforms how the car feels, both in terms of ride feels more connected, held in the seat better and sat I'd say about 4 inches lower, it's a huge difference.

Just saw you're in Warwickshire, come sit in mine at a meet to get an idea There's the Gaydon meet this week I think?

Edited by SturdyHSV on Monday 12th September 09:49

[FNG]

Awesome feedback, thanks.

I'd hoped you weren't going to say Planted as they ain't cheap, but suspected that was the only way off-the-shelf.

I've got a ticket for Gaydon so hopefully can see you there, and maybe a few others.

[SturdyHSV]

FNG said:

Awesome feedback, thanks.

I'd hoped you weren't going to say Planted as they ain't cheap, but suspected that was the only way off-the-shelf.

I've got a ticket for Gaydon so hopefully can see you there, and maybe a few others.

Yeah the exchange rate isn't doing you any favours at the moment is it!

Just booked tickets for tomorrow, I won't be able to get there until probably half 6 so I imagine parking will be a laugh.

Originally I had someone mount my seats to the electronic bases, it wasn't that much lower but would be an option that'd likely be cheaper than getting the planted brackets, but a bit of a halfway house to be honest.

[FNG]

That's a shame - I'm likely to have to leave before you arrive... I'll see what I can do to stay later.

[Lincsls1]

https://corbeau.com/pontiac-gto-04-06-seat-bracket...

Or you could do what some tt previously did to mine, which was to cut the rear cushion base cross bar so the whole lot drops a few inches!
Who does that?!
I have since replaced with another VXR seat so all is good, but you're right they do sit high.

[FNG]

Thanks. They're available from Summit Racing (who handily ship to the UK without quite gouging yer eyes out) and it works out just under £400 including duty and VAT once here. 4 week lead time, special order.

Or, in common with my newly made isofix brackets, buy some steel and bend some up...

[motomk]

I reckon the Commodore seats would go lower. The stockish early ones (eg VT/VX/VY) are electric up and down but not sliding back and forth. That is done with a bar under the front seat base. The Calais has similar seats to the Monaro in that it has electric everywhere so might not go as low. Yes, the roofline is higher on the sedans of course as mentioned.
I never owned a Monaro so not cluey on how you get in the back seat with regards the front seat but that would be something to do with it.

I have become a bit of a seat snob because I suffer from too-high-in-the-seat-itis to. To the extent I avoid sunroofs as they take up headroom.
The later HSV cars, VF (2013) onwards had seats that were higher than the Holden equivalent as they were so padded - but this is only 2 or 3 mm at most, so acceptable!
A few years ago, I traded in a VF HSV Maloo as I felt squashed in there, mechanism used a lever to adjust height and had electric seat cushion tilt which they used on the Holden utes to. Luckily they changed to a mechanism similar to the upspec VF sedans on the final limited edition VF utes they released, so I picked up one of those instead.

Edited by motomk on Monday 12th September 17:43

[motomk]

Sadly, I don't think any of these will help. There isn't the base combination in there.
https://www.holmart.com.au/surplus-interior-trim-g...

Did find a used one on Ebay, you would have to change the side plastic panel to a Commodore one, The back and forth would be with the bar, this only has electric for up and down so some of the functionality of your Monaro seat might be lost to. Not sure on seatbelts and airbags and all that either.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/372615068647

[motomk]

motomk said:

....you would have to change the side plastic panel to a Commodore one....

Couldn't resist firing up the search engine....

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/133535088411

[FNG]

Thanks - that's an interesting combination. The challenge (gamble?) there is, how much does it lower the standard seat by?

But as the seat is so comfortable, it's worth looking at isn't it.

Airbags etc I don't imagine will be a problem if the upper seat structure is kept. A hole to locate a wire clip, perhaps.

Tilt mech could be more of an issue, not sure exactly what it latches on and whether the base frame uses an existing Commodore location to pivot on.

First thing perhaps to pull my seat out of the car and see what hardware is stopping it going lower, and whether the base frame with plastics removed looks like anything you've linked there.

Thanks again, appreciate the input.

[SturdyHSV]

I swapped the seats over in my VY Ute, just for some better condition ones from a Commodore, anyway, based on having also swapped seats in the Monaro, I'd be willing to bet a fiver that they're the same base layout, as in I could have bolted the VY Ute / VX Commodore seats straight in, as they look the same with the two flat horizontal bolt holes and the two rear 45* angled ones.

The Ute / Commo seats are manual sliders forward and back but with electric tilt, as described above, and I'm confident these sit lower than the Monaro ones did standard, as you feel fairly low down in the Ute and realistically, it's exactly the same interior...!

I made one of the old seats into an office chair and sadly the other one was in enough of a state that it went to the tip, base and all. I do however suspect that I still have the base from the good seat (the passenger side unfortunately) in the shed...

The older seats don't have side airbags in, and the electric adjustment connectors are slightly different, but it would absolutely be doable, good thinking motomk

[FNG]

Definitely interesting as I don't want to lose the seat comfort, there's a lot of padding in there that I could well miss if I switch to another seat.
Could do with knowing how much height I really want to lose and whether a different seat base frame will give me that. Still working on a leave pass for tomorrow night...

[SturdyHSV]

FNG said:

Definitely interesting as I don't want to lose the seat comfort, there's a lot of padding in there that I could well miss if I switch to another seat.
Could do with knowing how much height I really want to lose and whether a different seat base frame will give me that. Still working on a leave pass for tomorrow night...

Before you commit to anythign in negotiations, it may be worth noting that I think it's tonight, not tomorrow night?

[monkfish1]

FNG said:

Hi all. I bought a CV8 Monaro a few weeks back and have been living with it as-is so I can see where any shortfalls are.

The most obvious one for me is that the seats sit very high when as low as the adjustment motors will take them. The top of my ear is just below the roof side rail, meaning over rough roads my head is banging off the trim. It's also an awkward duck of the head to get in and especially out of the car.

Looks to me like the seat base is largely (wholly?) taken straight from the Commodore which will have had a higher roofline - which would explain why it feels a bit high. Can't help but feel a lower seat would also help feel like I'm sitting in the car, not on top of it, too.

It's got VXR seats with alcantara centres, but I'd expect that's just a trim level and doesn't affect the amount of padding.

So has anyone had any success with lowering the standard seat, removing some foam from the seat base, or swapping to (tasteful, and not fixed bucket or aftermarket recliner) other seats?

Seats that didnt go down to their lowest setting was something i saw a good few times. Might be worh comparing to another to be sure yours is actually going all the way down.

[stu vxr]

FNG said:

Hi all. I bought a CV8 Monaro a few weeks back and have been living with it as-is so I can see where any shortfalls are.

The most obvious one for me is that the seats sit very high when as low as the adjustment motors will take them. The top of my ear is just below the roof side rail, meaning over rough roads my head is banging off the trim. It's also an awkward duck of the head to get in and especially out of the car.

Looks to me like the seat base is largely (wholly?) taken straight from the Commodore which will have had a higher roofline - which would explain why it feels a bit high. Can't help but feel a lower seat would also help feel like I'm sitting in the car, not on top of it, too.

It's got VXR seats with alcantara centres, but I'd expect that's just a trim level and doesn't affect the amount of padding.

So has anyone had any success with lowering the standard seat, removing some foam from the seat base, or swapping to (tasteful, and not fixed bucket or aftermarket recliner) other seats?

Always disliked the seating position in the Monaro, like many have said just not low enough.

You sit on top instead of in it which quite frankly I wonder sometimes why I have stuck with it ( I prefer all the driving positions in our other cars)

Fact is if it wasn't for the V8 and performance (supercharged) not sure if I would keep, always been the ace in the pack for me, changing seats just some how doesn't float my boat as I love the original seats, just wish they sat lower!