XF Bench to buckets

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Hi all, can anyone tell me if I need to get Falcon ute buckets certified/mod plated if I swap the bench seat out.

I just want to use standard seats, maybe later model, but no mods to them.

Don't want a floor shift manual and bench seat is all...

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Technically, yes, as its a change in seating capacity.

 

Your XF is post 87 isn't it?

EA, EB and maybe ED seats should bolt in.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks Polson

Yeah bud 88 model.

I was offered some nice brown velour ED seats for $50, just wasn't sure if I should try grab them.

Any idea what a manual console should cost, cause he has one of them as well.

[SLO247 1,713]

Just make sure you have the later floorpan. Mines an 88 and still has the old one so the EA onwards seats wont bolt straight in.

 

A manual XF console without the console bin mounts and front mounts broken off would be worth a bit, hard to find.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Yours early 88 then Dan?

 

Yeah good condition center consoles can be hard to come by, I'd say $20-$50 though?

[XTREME KARTS XF 1,212]

Some utes and vans still had the old floor when ford changed the tooling to EA, i've seen a few utes and vans built from 1988 to 1990 with the old floor, not un-commen.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

How can I tell if it's the old floor or not, is there any telltale signs that could tell me without gutting the interior to see it?

Not that it matters I think, it has a rubber floor in it instead of carpets.

I'm a little amazed at how cheaply put together an XF ute interior is.

Half of it looks like it was slapped in just to cover a hole or something... Lol

 

Appreciate the help guys. Cheers.

Jay.

[Thom 6,650]

e series seats bolt through the top whereas xf and earlier have studs that go through the floor and but underneath the car

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Look at the front of the seat, if the rails are bolted through at the front, they're e-series type. If not, they'll be underneath.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks guys, I'll have a quick look.

[EgoXF 2,026]

How can I tell if it's the old floor or not, is there any telltale signs that could tell me without gutting the interior to see it?

Not that it matters I think, it has a rubber floor in it instead of carpets.

I'm a little amazed at how cheaply put together an XF ute interior is.

Half of it looks like it was slapped in just to cover a hole or something... Lol

 

Appreciate the help guys. Cheers.

Jay.

yeah some of the interior parts in the xf utes are disappointingly poor aren't they? they don't even cover things up fully sometimes. they where never meant to be show cars though

[EgoXF 2,026]

by the way, make sure it has enough holes to be able to mount buckets. my 91 xf has a bench and there are no mounting holes to allocate bucket seats that i have found

[bear351c 10,270]

Make sure there are plates/washers under the floor pan that the bolts go through, ( if you need to drill new holes.)

If not, during a collision, the seat will tear out of the floor. Just a thought.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks for the advice guys, turns out it has the EA style floor pan going off the info you fellas have shared.

Only thing I see being a problem is it doesn't have the front holes next to the tunnel for the buckets to fit.

I'm yet to decide whether I'll go buckets as the bench seat idea has kind of grown on me.

Especially after seeing how nice a cloth XG one looks...

I'll keep you guys posted which way I do go.

Thanks again.

Jay.

[EgoXF 2,026]

Thanks for the advice guys, turns out it has the EA style floor pan going off the info you fellas have shared.

Only thing I see being a problem is it doesn't have the front holes next to the tunnel for the buckets to fit.

I'm yet to decide whether I'll go buckets as the bench seat idea has kind of grown on me.

Especially after seeing how nice a cloth XG one looks...

I'll keep you guys posted which way I do go.

Thanks again.

Jay.

when i got the ute all i talked about doing was getting rid of the bench but now i love it! it's so comfortable it makes it feel like your driving a couch sometimes haha

[Mr Polson 10,214]

If it bolts here like this, then its EA style.

 

You can go bench and T5, its close between the seat and shifter, and the seat has to be nearly all the way back to allow room.

 

Late XF/XG cloth benches are much better than the vinyl ones IMO!!

 

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

I was more after the buckets because of the extra support stopping you from sliding about, especially with the vinyl covered sofa that was in the ute already, but after looking at some XG bench seats, they almost look like buckets anyway, just with the centre flat instead.

And I wasn't sure how it's go with the T5 shifter sitting right in front of it, but it appears to have enough space with the original shifter, not sure how it would work with a short shifter installed like the mustang ones I been looking at.

I guess if it doesn't work with the short shift, I can always convert it to buckets later.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

That's exactly the same as mine mate, thanks for the pic, reassures that it is the EA floor.

I suspected it was when I put the EA crossmember in last week.

Thanks again mate.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Reasonable amount of room. Dunno how you'd go if you shortened it much though.

 

 

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks heaps Polson, your pics and advice have been a huge help as always mate

Cheers

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Happy to help!

 

I did look at pulling the hump off to show you the hole in floor too, but to get the hump out I have to take the seat out, don't have time for that right now!

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

It's cool mate, you've been a fantastic help as always anyway, I don't know many people that would go to that sort of effort to help out someone they barely know.

Just goes to show what a top bloke you are mate.

Seems like I'm making better friends on this site than with the people I do actually know...

I just hope I can return the help you've given me someday.

As always, it's very much appreciated.

Cheers bud.

Jay.

[slydog 7,873]

I seriously doubt you will ever ever get pinged for fitting buckets where there was a bench if using factory parts.Mine was is a 88 model and I have fitted XF buckets and been pulled over HEAPS in it and never once questioned about them.That said mine has the multi pattern floor pan witch meant no holes needed to be drilled anywhere to fit the buckets.

 

Yes the XG style of seat (bucket or bench) is better then the XF and if going for a bucket I'd choose those over a XF bucket as the XF bucket is quite poo infact.With the AU seats out of my XLS about to go into my XF ute or better still If I find any I'll fit some BA-BF XR buckets mmmmmmmmmm

 

Just food for thought...    

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks Slydog, some good info mate.

I realized that my ute doesn't need the holes drilled, I just didn't notice them before, probably because of the rust distracting me I think. Lol.

I'm going to wait till I bolt in a short shifter and make my decision based on how well it fits with the bench.

I'm definanlty going to upgrade to the XG seats though.

I'm not so worried about getting pulled over as much as being involved in a accident and having them use the non mod plated modifications against me.

It'll only cost me another $60 to have the code put on if I get it inspected at the same time I get the engine conversion done.

[bear351c 10,270]

Yeah, BA XR seats are awesome. Best chairs FoMoCo have made in years.