Hundreds Of Products Ready Today. Dispatch/Collection Customer Question: Can I fit Sparco R500 Seats in My Land Cruiser 80 Series?
This is a common question we get from Land Cruiser 80 Series (J80) owners looking to modernise their cabin with a sportier and more supportive driving position. The good news is, yes, you absolutely can. The Sparco R500 reclining sport seat is a great match for the J80 chassis thanks to its slim profile, open fit, and compatibility with our Planted Technology vehicle-specific seat brackets.
The J80 has a fairly wide cabin, which gives us a bit more flexibility than smaller vehicles, but the OEM seats sit high and have limited lateral support. If you’re building your truck for road comfort, touring, or off-road use, the Sparco R500 brings an ideal mix of daily usability and sport seat performance. The seat’s bolt pattern matches the mount points on our Planted base, making installation clean and direct. This means no custom fabrication is needed to get the seats securely in the car.
In this blog, we’ll break down why the Sparco R500 is such a great option for Land Cruiser owners, what makes it comfortable and practical, how to install it using our direct-fit hardware, and what dimensions you should check before buying. Whether you’re upgrading for comfort or control, this guide will help you get started with confidence.
The Sparco R500: Balanced Between Sporty and Comfortable
The Sparco R500 is one of our most versatile reclining seats, known for combining sport-inspired styling with long-distance comfort. It’s available in two main trim types: fabric and vinyl.
- Vinyl is tougher and easier to clean, making it ideal for off-road builds or overland rigs that see a bit of mud and water.
- Fabric provides better grip and breathability, which helps keep you in place through sharp corners and summer heat.
The R500 features dual reclining adjusters for flexible seating angles, harness slot guides in the headrest for a race-inspired look, and deep side bolsters to support your legs and back. Its high-profile base foam offers a cushioned seating experience, while the open backrest and seat width suit drivers with a wide range of body types.
Key Features:
- Slim profile suitable for compact and larger vehicles
- Dual reclining mechanisms
- Available in vinyl or fabric
- Deep bolsters for lateral support
- Harness slot guides
- Wide open fit for everyday and performance use
Toyota Hilux 3rd Generation (1978–1983)
One of the main reasons we recommend the Sparco R500 for the Land Cruiser 80 Series is its balanced footprint. It offers a supportive and substantial feel without being too bulky, which means it fits neatly inside the J80 cabin without rubbing against trim, center consoles, or door cards.
Here are the key external measurements for the Sparco R500:
- Overall Width (shoulders): 548 mm
- Base Width (at mounting area): 484 mm
- Depth (front to back): 560 mm
- Overall Height: 902 mm
- Backrest Height (base to top): 622 mm
- Side Mount Bolt Pattern: Standard 345 mm width (shared across Sparco recliners)
This compact outer profile is what makes the R500 so versatile. It clears the Land Cruiser’s door panels and offers full seat travel when paired with sliding runners, even in tight footwell areas. The thick seat base adds comfort on longer journeys, while the contoured backrest supports the upper body without pushing too high into the headliner.
For taller drivers or those needing extra legroom, the seat’s depth offers proper thigh support without feeling oversized. And because the R500 has a relatively upright seating posture, it maintains great visibility over the dash and bonnet – useful whether you’re commuting or climbing a trail.
We’ve seen these seats installed into a wide range of vehicles, and they’re especially well-suited for 4×4 platforms like the Land Cruiser, where rugged durability and comfort are both key. No floor mods, no interior trimming, just a straightforward fit with the right mounting setup.
Installation and Planted Frame Compatibility
For a straightforward and secure installation, we recommend pairing the Sparco R500 with our Planted Technology Land Cruiser 80 Series (J80) seat bracket. This bracket is designed specifically for the vehicle and matches directly with the factory bolt points in the floor.
Key points about the Planted frame:
- Compatible with all Sparco reclining seats, including the R500
- Uses common bolt patterns (like 345mm) found on most aftermarket seats
- Includes an integrated seatbelt mounting tab for transferring the factory belt
- Makes the setup suitable for both road-legal and performance builds
For full seat adjustability, we also suggest using the Sparco sliding runner kit, which offers up to 200mm of forward and backward movement. This lets you fine-tune your driving position for comfort, visibility, and control.
Why Choose a Sparco Reclining Sports Seat?
Sparco’s reclining sports seats are a solid choice when you want to upgrade your driving position without sacrificing comfort or everyday usability. They’re designed for drivers who want better support than standard factory seats, especially during long-distance driving, off-road terrain, or quick road use, but without going to the extremes of a fixed-back bucket seat.
The main benefit of Sparco’s recliner range is versatility. You get stronger side bolsters for more support through corners, harness-ready slots for optional upgrades, and more durable materials than most OEM seats. With dual reclining mechanisms, you can dial in your seating angle easily, making them ideal for daily driving, overlanding, or dual-purpose builds.
The Sparco R500 sits near the top of the range with its deeper bolsters, thicker seat base, and premium build. But if you’re after something slightly more compact or with a slightly different shape, Sparco’s R100 line-up is a perfect alternative. The R100 series has a similar design language to the R500 but with slightly more relaxed shoulder support and a different bolster layout, giving you more options depending on your body shape and comfort preference.
In this section, we’ll link to our full range of Sparco reclining sport seats that fit the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series, including the R500 and R100 models, so you can explore what works best for your build.
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From £374.56 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £235.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £235.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Final Thoughts: A Confident Upgrade for Your Cruiser
The Sparco R500 is an excellent reclining seat option for anyone upgrading the interior of their Land Cruiser 80 Series. It balances a sporty design with practical daily use, fits without any clearance issues, and pairs perfectly with our Planted Technology frames and Sparco sliding runners. Whether you’re building an off-road rig, a weekend tourer, or just want more support on long drives, this setup offers reliable comfort and fit.