My kids are outgrowing the leg room that the rear bench provides, I was paroozing Marketplace and saw a 79 extended cab with jump seats. I didn't know that this was an option then. Are there any cons to doing this on my '97, other than that I just saw a vid that shows the rear bench folding out flat into a bed?!
I have a metal fab shop so none of the wonky bits will faze me.

 

Stretch it into a crew cab, then just throw some captains chairs or full size bench.

I like having the lil bench behind the rear seats. Like you said, it flips over and makes a nice hard shelf to store items when i dont need a thrid row of seating.

Ive never seen jump seats in these trucks, but don't see why it couldn't work. Though shoulder room might start to get tight.

 

As much as I need a crew cab, I also need an 8' bed and I can't get with driving a 23'+ long truck.
I was surprised to see those seats in a '79 F250 also, but a search on eBay shows a few from that vintage.

 

I bomb a super crew cab long bed dually around daily, it's not so bad once you get used to it.

I had jump seats in a Ranger once. They were ok but they weren't the most comfortable either.

Have you thought about sliding the front seats forward a bit to give them more legroom? Is that feasible?

 

I'm 6'3" and I slide it up as far as comfortable, on long rides I get a lot of knees in the back which gets old. Found these which look cool, just not willing to drop that kind of cash on a lark. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175276578730
The 150's look a little lower profile: https://www.ebay.com/itm/275782157542

 

You know those are meant for the center console area normally right?

Do you have a junk yard or pick n pull nearby? I'd get a junk seat to test fit and do fab/mock up first. Then you're only out a small amount if it doesn't work and if it does you won't be messing up good seats putting them in and out a bunch for mockups

I nabbed a nice leather fiero seat for another project and the yard only charges like $20.

 

Although they're not great they did make factory seats like this in at least the F150 OBS. I'm pretty sure they were in the F2 and 350 but sadly not a lot of room to begin with. Not very comfy from what I hear either. I'm 5'9 and built like a stick and in that back seat side ways or forward (I have the bench) I'm crunched. Maybe could do something like that with a better seat with your skills but one way or another they will be kind of crunched.

 

Thanks for the real life experience. I might be asking too much of the old girl. Yeah, I knew those were front seats, they just looked so much more comfortable!! It would likely be too tight a squeeze, especially with 2 face to face.

 

The cabs of these trucks are small, even the crew cabs are small in the back. Noticed this back when I got my '88 in '99. Oddly, mine are all extended cab.

Check out 10th Gen Supercrews for inexpensive beating around four door trucks.

 

Although it may not help much there are ways to lift the bench seat up off the floor. I've considered it myself. That's the first problem with these in my opinion. Why they were put on the floor I have no idea but kind of sucks.

 

I found this company that makes lift brackets for the rear bench in a super cab

https://lmiwelding.com/shop/index.ph...ct_detail&p=20

 

Why would raising them be a good idea? Seems like it would put your knees in closer to the front seats as they lean rearward.

 

Because they sit really low to the ground stock. Raising the bench height a bit makes ot sit more like a normal seat, plus you gain a bit of room underneath for storage.

It's not a perfect solution like you mention. If the front seats are all the way rearward and reclined a bit then it may not help.

 

If you are really wanting to try the jump seat thing out look for ranger rear jump seats. I sure would think they would be easily located in salvage yards or people parting them out.
I rode in the sc of a buddies from IN to WV and back..the sc isn't ideal but you can get there.