hi can anyone tell me the best alternative front seats that can be used for my mgb gt easiest to fit thanks
Diane, for those of you in GB and Scotland I'd think that the MX5 seats (Miata over here) would be the easiest to source and they fit very well. It's a common swap so there should be lots of information on the mounting available on the various forums.
True, but if you are more than 5' 8" be prepared to hate life.
Dave, do the Miata seats just make it more diffacult to get in and out, not new for me, or do they create headliner clearance issues? I ask this because I have Miata seats I haven't installed yet.
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I've got Miata seats in my roadster and have no issues. Certainly can't complain about the clearance and getting in and out is no problem. I'd use them again in another project. Here's a photo of them:
SimonAustin-H.jpg
Simon, off-topic but I noticed your steering wheel. Looks nice and I don't recognize it. I'll look through the 'how-it-was-done' database for your car, but if you see this, what is that steering wheel and do you like it?
Edit: There it is near the top of the list - Grant Steering Wheel.
someone said mitsibishi "Eclispe" will fit with only minor mods. something about either cutting or adding foam to the pan area.
has anyone tried them?
Good eye, Paul. It is a Grant. Very nice wheel and I think it suits the car. The only issue with using a Grant on MGB's is that the hubs are becoming scarce. I know guys have been seaching for them new and have had no luck.
Here's another photo of it:
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Quotedo the Miata seats just make it more difficult to get in and out
No. They aren't designed for taller folks.
Great looking seats Simon, I hope mine come out near that nice. I bought a set with speakers for $50 and plan on recovering with Mr. Mike. Any pro/con opinions on the speakers, other than I'm sure they need to be replaced?
I was told by a Mazda dealer parts guy that the original Mazda speakers weren't top-quality and not many Canadian cars had them. I could have looked across the border but ended up with a pair of 3.5" round ones mounted in the headrest cutouts. They work pretty well. Not much bass but for what I need them for, they're fine.
Since your seats have speakers installed already, that should save you the aggravation of running wires through the seats. When I had mine reupholstered, I had the wiring installed before the fabric went on. It would be nearly impossible to run them through finished seats.
Thanks Simon, I haven't put the new covers on yet so I'll probably replace the wires when I do.
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WRT replacing speaker wiring, you might try using zip wire, the 18 gauge two wire, multistranded lamp cord suitable for lamps with 60 watt bulbs. It seems to have good frequency response in the audible frequency range, does not add significant load to the output amplifiers, and is cheap. Because of the length of the run from the output amplifier to the speakers, it helps to minimize line losses by using a good-sized, multistranded cord.
Great tip Paul and I already have enough hiding somewhere in my shop; I did say somewhere didn't I?
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Hi Diane, I like adjustable headrest on these British cars, here's a photo of a Miata seat that has the adjustable headrest. Miata installed them in the '94-'95 Limited Edition "Merlot", which came in tan color; these were re-upholstered in black leather.
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Jacques, that's the best looking Miata seat I've seen. Very nice.
I'm curious to know how the headrest is attached to the seat. Two round posts, or one rectangular post in the middle? If it's two posts, how far apart are they?
Can you detach the headrests easily and without tools? That might be nice if an MGB-roadster owner wants to use an unmodified tonneau cover with them.
Same seat that Evan Amaya uses. They are my favorite Miata seat for an MG, but hard to find.
Curtis, the headrest is real easy to take off; it has two round post that are 4-3/4" apart (center to center). All you to do to remove them is squeeze the one button at the bottom of the one rod then adjust or remove.
I think that the standard Miata seats are great looking too, however, as personal preference I like the adjustable headrest look on these vintage British cars. The idea came from the '95 Miata Merlot that I own, I was lucky enough to find a set alike in a salvage yard. I hope this was helpful.
I know I'm resurrecting this from the dead, but just to supply some info:
In the US, the only Miata to come with a separate headrest was the 1995 M edition, and they only came in tan leather that's fairly easily damaged. The 1994 M cars got the standard seat, not the two-piece one. The UK got a few others from what I understand with different coverings and may be more available over there. Pity, because they really are good looking.
Here's my '95 Miata Merlot (for sale), this is where I got the idea of finding a pair of seats for my MGB. This Miata is a very rare car.
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HI guys,
Sorry to Hijack this thread, but I've got a pair of these available for sale as well.
The Seats were re-wrapped with leather some time back (around 2 years or so: Black with Red Inserts and Red Stitching.
http://timothytan.webs.com/DSCN1983.JPG
http://timothytan.webs.com/DSCN1981.JPG
Condition of the Passenger side is immaculate. For the Driver's side, there is some discolouration at the black leather at the side bolster, but there are NO holes or tears. Seats will be sold without rails.
I'm in Singapore so the seats will have to be shipped from here. I'm open to negotiations for the pricing. Please feel free to email me at staltk@singnet.com.sg
Thanks Tim
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