11 replies to this topic

[Juju]

Morning people,

I'm starting to come up with the list of getting the 1275GT back together.

To be honest, I'm not looking forward to driving around on seats without a headrest, but I wanted to keep the car as factory-standard as poss.

Standard 1979 1275GT seats are the stripey synthetic 70s abominations:



But MGB GTs of the same period (the rubber bumper jobs) had the same upholstery, but with a headrest (see attached).

Do you reckon they'd fit?

I'd keep the originals for shows & pootle around on an MGB GT seat (that all GT owners seem to want to upgrade anyway!).

Attached Files

•  l_ff48c6e09c154503ad35eb7296c15b89.jpg   42.25K   9 downloads

Edited by Juju, 17 January 2011 - 10:19 AM.

[yousmeg]

Wish my seats were that stripey

[samsfern]

mgb seats are base mounted on runners by 4x1/4" bolts, but i guess they could be "adapted" to fit a mini.

[Ethel]

Mini seats are actually "sided" with the backrests offset like the steering wheel. You might even find the frames already have a head rest fitting, if not you could find a pair of scrap seats with suitable headrests and fittings to weld on.

Apart from the safety issue I like low back seats, they allow you more freedom of movement which can be just as effective as relieving stress 'n fatigue as headrests.

Early 80's Mayfairs had similar low backs (in Parker Knoll stylee velour), but the headrests are really too low to be much use.

[WiredbyWilson]

could always buy a comfy seat to perch your buns on Ju - as you say the std one will go in for shows etc so is it a huge issue that it doesn't match for day to day?

other option id to have a suitable perch re-trimmed?

[Juju]

Mini seats are actually "sided" with the backrests offset like the steering wheel. You might even find the frames already have a head rest fitting, if not you could find a pair of scrap seats with suitable headrests and fittings to weld on.

Apart from the safety issue I like low back seats, they allow you more freedom of movement which can be just as effective as relieving stress 'n fatigue as headrests.

I like the safety issue! I feel a little bit too "free" in low back seats in a car!
The frames have no headrest fitting, so needs to be a new set, really.

could always buy a comfy seat to perch your buns on Ju - as you say the std one will go in for shows etc so is it a huge issue that it doesn't match for day to day?

Oh it is a HUGE issue in my little world, yes. Front and back must match. Collars an' cuffs an' all that!

I just thought the MGB seats might be a suitable fix with little fettling. As the fettling issue may be larger than immediately apparent, I may go for plan B.

[Shifty]

Why not get a set of later seats and have them trimed with the grey deckchair/sorrel/candystripe(whatever name you wish to call it)?

A set of late mpi/spi seats in with leather side bolsters and candy stripe bases could look kind cool as well.

[Juju]

Why not get a set of later seats and have them trimed with the grey deckchair/sorrel/candystripe(whatever name you wish to call it)?

Nice idea, Shufts!!

Wonder if I can find the fabric?

[M J W J]

One thing I will point out is make sure you can still tilt the seats forward if you get after market ones with head rests. I have found that I have to have my bucket seats in the middle of their travel (adjustment back and forth) to be able to tilt them forward. Too far back and the tops hit the roof, too far forwards they get stuck against the roll cage. Don't suppose with the cage in place I will have people in the back but nice to be able to access the back seats.


Here is an idea for making a set of frames if you want to fit different seats into your mini. I found by accident is that the seat runners out of a corsa b turned upside down have a set of holes that match the existing seat brackets in a mini. Weld two bars between them, drill holes in that bolt to the bottom of your new seats and swap the ratchet handles over from left hand seat to right hand seat and they work upside down quite nicely. Here is a photo of the frames I built for my cobra clubman seats.





They also offer more adjustment compared to the standard mini set up.

[minikev84]

I think but not sure but the base of the seat is the same so it will not be hard to fit it up.

[Rosslin Racing]

I got some MGB GT seats from a 70*s car they look like the late Cooper S recliners with the chrome lever on the seat side.
The base frame looks like the minis back to front, meaning it has the tubing rounded at the front instead of the back like the mini, should be fitable

Edited by Rosslin Racing, 18 January 2011 - 05:34 PM.

[Mini Mad Drakeley]

i would take a guess and say they are basically the same, BL made most things to suit multiple cars, dont see why they wouldnt have done the same for seats around the same year