power seat problems

[gbhrps]

My 55 (a month from completion) has only the power seat option. A TB expert has strongly suggested that I remove the power seat mechanism, wiring, etc. and install a non power seat frame to get another inch and a half of head room, but more so to get rid of the gremlins that haunt all early birds' power options (PS, PB, PW, PS), sticky relays,seized motors,leaking seals. My car will be used as a driver, not a show car, and I'm 6 foot 2 inches tall and definitely will need the headroom. My hair brushes the soft top of a non power seat 57. What have been the experiences that you've had with power seat problems or lack of them, and the head room issue?

[sc1956]

@ 6-01 I feel your pain on headroom and legroom.

I took a non power seat, put it to the floor as best I could (no washers, no nothing), and redrilled new holes a slight bit further back, to where the seat BARELY brushes the soft top when stowed. This helped the legroom.

Also on legroom, most folks told me to put the steering wheel all the way forward. I've found that if I leave the collar a bit loose, push the steering wheel forward when I get out, enter the car by "stepping around" the wheel with my right knee, and then actually PULL THE WHEEL OUT about 1/2 way to drive, it's much better. Leaves room for the knees. With the wheel up tight to the dash, it tends to be exactly where my knees don't want it, but pulling it out puts it in your lap.

Also, the hard top buys you about 1" of headroom. I just built an electric winch mechanism to raise and lower my hard top, and use the soft one only in emergency rains. I can remove or replace my hard top, by myself, in 5 minutes or less without breaking a sweat.

[nomadbird]

After all the years these little cars have been around, I'm constantly amazed at the newly discovered minutia that surfaces. I never heard the one about the power seat sitting further off the floor than a manual seat.

So you suckered me into going out to the garage to take some measurements. I measured two manual seats and one Dial-A-Matic. I can't see where there is any real difference. One thing that changes your perception of seating comfort and space is the amount of rake on the seat back. Get the top of the seat back adjusted as far back as you can without rubbing on something, and it almost feels like you're in a real car.

As far as reliability is concerned; the Dial-A-Matic works great but it is seldom used. The control is set for full back and full down and this keeps it from cycling every time you turn the key. Unless you have multiple users of a car with conventional power seats, there is no reason not to set it and forget it.

There is some annoying head room issues with the soft top though. The side rails over the windows are considerably thicker than the hard top side rails. For this reason, it causes you to "duck" your head more when entering and exiting and sometimes occupies the same space where your head wants to be when you are seated.

I agree with you about minimizing the old fashioned power accessories, but they do seem to be reasonably reliable IF properly used and maintained.

Good Luck, Tom D.

P.S. Regardless of what any T-Bird expert says; there is no way a manual seat will give you another 1 1/2" of head room over a power seat.

[gbhrps]

Many thanks, Tom! I appreciate you taking the time to measure the different seat applications and getting back to me. The ducking in is not such a problem as is the hunching down to get the needed headroom, since I can't stand my hair touching the soft top when I drive. I WILL dig into seeing about setting the seat rake back as far as possible to try to solve some of the issue. I never thought that that was possible, even though I do that already with my modern cars. I will, however, be using the power seat frequently, as my bride is quite a bit shorter than I am, and the TB is understood to be her car (teehee). Thanks again!

[edmlynek]

well, if you ever do want to get 'rid'foul_wordof your power seat, jack williams is looking to swap his manual seat for yours...he's on this site under 'dail-a-matic seat wanted-(cause he has a manual seat and this seat cannot be 'up-graded' to a dail-a matic unless you 'start' with a 4 way power seat).....and then add the mem seat motors and contact asm.s...

[Jimz Bird]

Originally Posted by gbhrps

I can't stand my hair touching the soft top when I drive.

NOT something that will get much sympathy from us short bald guys.

Short I don't mind - always have been, it is the hair envy I am working through.

[edmlynek]

this is not about power seats---you e-mailed me about 55 birds not having factory sun visors--i said i did not know if they did--so i went to 5 of my t-bird parts catalogs and every one of them under listings for sun visors start with '56 and then to '57...so..if the catalog doesn't even list sun visors for 55's, then i guess they didn't have them..but you can add them as the windshields (55,56,57) are all the same--my 55 had them when i bought it in 1971--(2nd owner)....bye ed mlynek