15 replies to this topic

[pete101]

hi i have just bought a new mini and i am planning on installing bucket seats to replace the standard ones. I do not have a clue where to start as it is my first car but you have to start somewhere, ive used the search function and i cant find one anywhere, but is there a step by step website for this sort of stuff because i know it will take ages for you guys to post it all.
cheers

[minidan]

hi i have just bought a new mini and i am planning on installing bucket seats to replace the standard ones. I do not have a clue where to start as it is my first car but you have to start somewhere, ive used the search function and i cant find one anywhere, but is there a step by step website for this sort of stuff because i know it will take ages for you guys to post it all.
cheers

fitting bucket sets is pretty easy really. just make sure you buy some buckets from a decent mini spares company. (or second hand ones that you know will fit a mini).

you just need some seat subframe designed for a mini. these are the sliding mechanisms the bolt to the underside of the seat. you can bolt the seats directly to the floor but thats edging towards race car territory .

[pete101]

yea well ive bought it and its gettin delivered on next saturday and i havent taken a good look at the seats or the way its set up yet

[supastu]

ive had a similar problem in that i bought some bucket seats that ive seen someone else with a mini have, but not been able to find the subframes

[LilacLilly]

ive had a similar problem in that i bought some bucket seats that ive seen someone else with a mini have, but not been able to find the subframes

I did the same! had the same problem too!! So off i Trotted to a welders yard, told him what i needed, by showing him the seats, and what they have to fit on, and hey presto, they now fit. And move properly!!!

[supastu]

thanks for that now i know what to do if i carnt find the seat subs

[smudger]

with buckets i dont like em on slideing brackets so just bold em straight down to floor (well via brackets and damn big washers too)

[mike49]

has anyone got them speedwell buckets? was considering getting some...
what year onwards does the law state you need headrests as well?

[redhotmini]

dont think theres anything to say you must have headrests....

[Sieve]

85 onwards iirc you need headrests.

[marmite]

I bought my CObra Seats for Huddersfield with subframes
Unbolted the bolts at the front...old seats out....trimed front section of subframe to get the correct angle..bolted them in..20min work!

I fitted Cobra Monaco S's really comfortable...did L7B in them OK

[mike.]

has anyone got them speedwell buckets? was considering getting some...
what year onwards does the law state you need headrests as well?

Same here i loved the look of them and would've gone great with my interior, but when i got to minispares i was dissapointed with them.

The speedwell seats may look great in the pics but there actually a lot lot smaller than you'd think. It is descirbed as a 'lowback' seat designed for space saving but dawm! The speedwell seats are tiny! You'd have to be a midget to make them look normal sized and to get any use out of the side support.

But if your anything like me i.e. Average size human then there pretty C**p to be honest. I thought so anyway.

I ended up buying the new style cobra classic's. There a much better size, well designed shpe and there mega comfy.

Also its 86 onwards you need headrests i think.

[mike49]

ahh right... im glad you tell me this! haha. i may pop down there and have a look at them then. I cant find any law online anywhere to suggest that itd be illegal to fit seats without headrests.. they somewhat ruin the look, hardly anyone actually uses them, and the back seats dont have them anyways!

[mike.]

I thought headrests looked alrite on the cobra classic seats i bought but then i found out about the £50 price rise per seat! So i just bought the ones without.

Also the headrests that come with the classic buckets are about 4 inches+ away from the back of your head. So there hardly headrests! You have to lean back so far to rest your head on them, that they'd be no good at stopping whiplash (what headrests are made for)

[minili]

I think there is a law on headrests as it goes from mid-80s but whether you'd get caught out I doubt.

I have Cobra Classics with headrests, I bought a pair of Cobra subframes off eBay which screw on to the bottoms of the seats (the seats should come with screws) and then bolted them in to the existing brackets on the crossmember. Cobra subframes are ridiculously reclined though so I chopped the mountings down (with a junior hacksaw - hard work lol!) to lower the fronts so I could use the end hole.

Edited by minili, 18 September 2007 - 10:49 PM.