Help - MGF/Vitesse seats again!

[Pete Arnold]

At last I've managed to obtain a pair of MGF seats for my Vitesse saloon.  As I understand it, from previous messages on this subject, I need to remove the runners before welding plates to the seat frames to be able to bolt onto the existing Vitesse runners.
However I've spent a couple of unsuccessful hours this afternoon with a hammer, chisel and drill trying to work out how to separate the seat frames from their runners!
Please could someone tell me how they come apart!!!!     :-/

[Nick Jones]

I'd strongly suggest keeping the MGF runners.

I just removed the bolt-down brackets from the them (tricky enough) and then placed some 20mm box across them to pick up on the original floor mounts.  Using 5 x 20mm strip would keep them a bit lower if you preferred.

See pic.

Nick

[midgeman]

The reason I removed the MGF Runners and a fair bit of the Seat Frame that the Runners fit to was for the following reasons:

A) Mine were going into a Convertible so I had less room to play with due to the larger B Posts.

B) Less fouling of the Tunnel Carpet when the seats are back as far as I need them to be (LARGER B POSTS = LESS RECLINE) which in turn means that you are closer to the Steering Wheel and I only have a Motolita Woodrim fitted I tried it with the standard Herald Wheel on and the driving position was horrible.

C) I found that the seats were to high with the standard MGF runners it felt as though I was looking through the top of the Windscreen and I am only 5'8".

I did not use a Hammer/Chisel or Drill to remove the stock MGF runners it was all done using a Thin Plasma Cutting Disc in an Angle Grinder and ALL the work was done with the seats turned upside down on a Workmate with the Leather and Foam protected from the subsequent sparks created by the Angle Grinder.

NOTE: THE USE OF AN ANGLE GRINDER MAKES THE JOB EASY BUT REMEMBER THEY ARE LETHAL IN THE WRONG HANDS AND MUST BE TREATED WITH RESPECT (ALWAYS)

[Nick Jones]

Mine is a convertible also and I'm 6'3".  Seating position is good enough for a RBRR and 3 10CRs.

Original MGF runners have lots of travel and move freely (unlike Triumph efforts). If positioned right they allow the seats to move far enough forward to allow (slightly restricted) access to the rear seat.

Nick

[Encom]

I just used some 25x5 flat bar, after trimming off the MGF mounting mounts with an angle grinder (kept the runners). Piece of cake, I am going to fit another set to my blue car over this weekend and can post the measurements etc I use if that would help?

[garyf]

912 wrote:

At last I've managed to obtain a pair of MGF seats for my Vitesse saloon.  As I understand it, from previous messages on this subject, I need to remove the runners before welding plates to the seat frames to be able to bolt onto the existing Vitesse runners.
However I've spent a couple of unsuccessful hours this afternoon with a hammer, chisel and drill trying to work out how to separate the seat frames from their runners!
Please could someone tell me how they come apart!!!!     :-/

An Angle grinder is the way to go with the correct disc, as stated make sure you protect the seats and your Hands & Eyes!!

The brackets are fitted with a sort of button type rivet, you need to grind the heads off, the rear bracket are also welded so these again needs carefully grinding off.

Because I cannot weld, I have trial fitted mine using 41x21 Unistrut Box section Channel and some of the original Triumph thick Spacer washers, the seat runner is a very tight against the transmission tunnel and you will have to get rid of the Seat Belt brackets/tensioners, when fitted they didn't seem to be to high for me, I'm 5' 8" but may be if your taller.

I had some damage to one of the rear brackets on the Passengger seat, the person who removed the seats had twisted the runner slightly at the rear where the Bracket attaches :(, so I had to cut it off slightly.

I then had the problem of the Ball bearings and one of the nylon strip/guides that the runners slide on falling out ??). this is because there was a stop formed within the piece of the runner that I had cut off!

I had to push them back in place and drill and tap a screw into the corner of the runner to stop them falling out again!

Welding the Box Section or Steel plates to the MGF Runners or the Triumph Runners if you prefer is the best solution.

The MGF Seat runners however adjust far smoother than the Triumph runners, presumably due to the Ball Bearings and Nylon Guide strips.

All I need to do now is get them re-trimmed in Blue to match the rest of my interior :-/
  

[Pete Lewis]

I made up a latch to allow the basck to tilt, extended one of the bracket bolts with a seat belt bolt and with a plate made up on a pivot
self locks easily and makes rear access easy.
Pete

[junkuser]

Neat, Pete.

[Pete Lewis]

just I dont have a cover , but with door shut and butt on seat you cant see its untrimmed !!

Pete

[Encom]

I actually got round to fitting the seats to the car today, and detailed below is what I used and how I did it (hope this helps);

[Pete Arnold]

Thanks to all who those supplied the advice and photos.  I managed to fit the seats successfully a couple of weeks ago and am now enjoying more comfortable driving.
Mind you, Encom, if I'd had your drawing then it would have saved several trial and error fittings before the final bolting down! ;)

[garyf]

912 wrote:

Thanks to all who those supplied the advice and photos.  I managed to fit the seats successfully a couple of weeks ago and am now enjoying more comfortable driving.
Mind you, Encom, if I'd had your drawing then it would have saved several trial and error fittings before the final bolting down! ;)

Yes can't wait to get the Shadow Blue covers back for mine, so I can get them on and the seats back in the Car :)

It's been off the road for well over a Month now :(, I'm missing driving the Car, although the weathers not to clever at the moment.

Pictures to follow when fitted.