Re: {Chrysler 300} Moving seat back in 300C ; seat height

["'MARVIN RAGUSE' via Chrysler 300 Club International" <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This discussion takes me back to the early 60s.  I was driving a 58 Chrysler Windsor 2dr hdtp. A really fine car except…
Double dated with a friend and his date.  When she got into the back seat she remarked “is there something wrong with the seat “.  Her knees were up to her chin.

  Chrysler Body and Seating engineers hadn’t yet incorporated the foot well tubs that eventually solved the problem .  
Sent from my iPhone

> On May 16, 2025, at 10:46 AM, 'Ron Waters' via Chrysler 300 Club International <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> That's why some folks who purchased high dollar cars, like Chrysler 300s, would opt for manual windows or seats. Nothing like a sudden thunderstorm and the power windows decide to stop working. 
> 
> It was nice riding in Rob's 300C in Lafayette. I just gotta remember to stretch out or do yoga before climbing into the back seat.
> 
> Ron
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Rob Kern
> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2025 10:13 AM
> To: cbilter@xxxxxxxxx
> Cc: John Grady <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Henry Schleimer <henry.schleimer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; club chrysler <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300} Moving seat back in 300C ; seat height
> 
> You are correct about getting in rear seat! At last few meets I had fellas riding in back seat and in order to get them in and out had to move the front all the way forward and then run it back when they were seated! While driving I moved seat a few inches forward to aid lower leg circulation! No DVTs in my car! Interesting event about power seats! I delivered first baby for a Navy buddy and when he brought his brand new 1979 Cutlass coupe around to the front of the hospital moved the seat all the way forward to load the baby in the GM Love Seat with his immediately postpartum wife. Hot summer day in Tidewater Virginia. He could not get the seat to move back! Of course the timing could not have been worse. Front entrance to hospital blocking traffic with hysterical wife and screaming new born! Quick thinking nurse from maternity on way out door loaded all in her air conditioned car and took them home! Security watched his car until Olds dealer towed it back to dealer! Of course I think of that happening with my electric seats every time I put a friend or family member in the back seat of my C! LoL Rob Kern🤣
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On May 15, 2025, at 2:26 PM, cbilter@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> 
>> A design compromise on the 57 coupes, obviously - all about style, not comfort.  The 4dr cars had more rear leg room (like 5 inches??), but not sure the front was any better (can't remember).  The seat "extenders" I would think would render rear seat ingress/egress nearly impossible for anyone but small children and pets.  Even stock, rear seat access is difficult with the front seat fully rearward, easy to get caught up on plastic seat side shields (power seat), or if wearing big shoes.  Ensuring one is sufficiently limber is prudent prior to rear seat entrance, helps avoid extrication by local paramedics due to inability to exit the car.  With power seat, front seat risers will raise the seat quite a bit to help compensate for lack of aft seat travel - then impossible to fit legs under steering wheel, just as John stated.  "Chair Height" seating position simply unworkable, unlike 55-56.  Maybe the bankers mostly bought Imperials - 57 Imperial very comfortable to drive as I recall, more room, I had one.
>> 
>> Funny, because in my youth some 43 years ago I had a pink/white 57 New Yorker coupe (same interior dimensions as C), don't recall being too uncomfortable, even in 3-pc suit, and we fit a few other big fellas in the car - most of us 6 ft or taller (see photo - I'm the one with "Sammy Hagar" hair) - traveling in style to the client LOL.  Ah, youth - prior to herniated discs and arthritis, and dealing with pathologists who are MDs with zero bedside manner - why they prefer dead tissue and putrefaction over live patients maybe??  At least that is how it was explained to me when I worked in the health care industry.
>> 
>> Carl
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "John Grady" <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: "Rob Kern" <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Cc: "Henry Schleimer" <henry.schleimer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "club chrysler" <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2025 11:30:06 AM
>> Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300} Moving seat back in 300C ; seat height
>> 
>> you are so right Rob , I still have one like that , but back in the early days I first went about fixing it myself ( redrilling ) as I had on many cars , encountered the depressed pan . Now what ???
>> Enter Keith and the kit , solved . Somehow Dave Schwandt was doing something  too? or one or other was making the pan itself which often rusts  out .
>> I need the extenders , thanks  to resident correct English   speaker Bob Merritt .
>> He should get a job with pathologists who cannot write a report in 8 th grade   coherent English  ( being MD you get that .— Present personal hassle)
>> 
>> But the too high seat is just not obvious  at first as not right ,( like you said) my reaction was  this is crazy the steering wheel being so low   ,( looked for adjustment )  you do not think of seat .
>> 
>> We had a really hard time on this car getting back  seat lower cushion in too , same reason , too much fill . Had to move upper half upwards a bit beyond stock .
>> And I have  a few pounds on you , Rob !
>> As i say big heads up on this driving position / seat issue
>> 
>>>> On May 15, 2025, at 11:37 AM, Rob Kern <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I had the overstuffed seat problem with my Gary Goers seats installed by a previous owner of my C.  I replaced them with Legendary upholstery in 2008.  I sent the seat frames to them for bead blasting and painting and new burlap straps and the correct foam and they were delivered in 5 boxes!  Prior to installing the newly refurbished and upholstered seats I obtained Keith Boonstra’s seat track extender kit which could be used with power or manual seats.  It was an easy install which I performed by myself and yielded about 5 more inches of leg room.  My first drive after all was done was SO comfortable in terms of leg room, knee room, and ease of entry and exit. Prior to this exercise in”restoration” I was cramped after driving for 20 minutes and wondered about frustration levels by owners back in the day plunking down 5-6 thousand dollars for an uncomfortable seating position!  Remember these were supposedly ordered by professional athletes (perhaps gymnasts?) and wealthy people (bankers aka fat cats) back in the day!  My .02 worth!  300’ly, Rob Kern
>>> 
>>>>> On May 15, 2025, at 9:20 AM, henry.schleimer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Comprehensive dimensions are given in AMA Specifications for 1957 on the Club's technical page.  Print the pages and grab a tape measure.  There are some differences between 300C and other models but doesn't mention differences between power and non-power seat.  Maybe not all variations are covered.
>>>> 
>>>> Henry
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of John Grady
>>>> Sent: Thursday, 15 May 2025 11:04 PM
>>>> To: chrysler 300 club <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Subject: {Chrysler 300} Moving seat back in 300C ; seat height
>>>> 
>>>> hi, all
>>>> while I did this myself before a few times with great parts made by someone in club(?),  it was so long ago only a foggy  memory remains, —— but I do remember some floor pans had a depression where seat rail bolts , and some did not , which I believe impacted the parts used to move  it back 3-4” . Stock allows only a small amount rearward They must have dropped the seat into the pan looking for more head room? See later on.
>>>> That depression  also prevents just redriling  floor  as seat-rail hits the back end of it  .
>>>> Big heads up on all this !!!!
>>>> having done 4-5 C-D , — upholsterers “ do you a favor “ and  tend to overstuff the  front seat , or the foam is made too thick . There is plenty of leather to do that .   This leads to a beautiful leather seat all done that has no room for your legs under the steering wheel , so you get to do it all over again , manually shaving the foam etc  
>>>> I do not know the  correct stock dimension of seat height at front (the  seat itself ,  not off floor) but someone may measure an original ?  and I’d go and inch less actually if possible . That number and  this situation needs to be on our site?
>>>> This seat height thing  may be the real reason for adding depression in floor pan ?they designed the seat too tall , = no room under wheel for legs  and had 100’s of them , a large person cannot fit in the car well .
>>>> 
>>>> Back to real reason for this post , does anyone still have that kit or info ? looking for one right now . Finally finishing up George  M ‘s turquoise convert . I really miss George, great guy .  He helped all who ask .. He helped me a lot ..
>>>> Best regards ,and thank you
>>>> John
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
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