Billus99 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Just got my Vitesse back on the road after a couple of years off, and realise the seats are seriously uncomfortable! I have seen pics of XJS seats fitted, but these aren't that easy to track down for a reasonable price / in good condition.Anyone got any good ideas for replacement seats, that fit easily enough? I ideally want leather ones with headrests, and they need to fold forward for access to the rear.Any ideas gratefully received!Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hammond Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 MGF/MGTF, MX-5, Rover P6 all been tried with varying success, my recommendation is a pair of Les Leston Bond GT4/Equipe seats unless your arse is as fat as mine.... :(Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolallan Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I've got MX-5 in mine, much more comfortable and good back support. I bought cloth, but always keep an eye out for leather having been quoted stupid mother to re-cover them. MX-5 series one are a fairly straightforward fit, get a set with runners and then it's just a set of new holes for the bolts, big bolts. They fold forward nicely and have speakers in the headrest which is also a bonus.As a point of interest, you can also get an MX-5 wind deflector that slips over the seats and is quite effective for not a huge amount of money although not, perhaps, the most stylish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billus99 Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 Thanks guys - do MX5 seats tilt? I had assumed that being a 2 seater they wouldn't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Yep. Well, recline. they don't tilt for rear seat access, but the sliders are great so may be enough to slide them forward when required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 There's almost no rear leg room in one of these anyway, so it's not a huge issue. They flip forward a long way though so that'll help access but you'll have to readjust your seat after. Hardly a shotgun to the mouth situation.I've fitted MX5 mk2.5 heated seats. The runners on the passenger seat are narrower than the Triumph ones and you can't use any existing floor holes for them - something I've never seen stated before and took me by surprise. Yet they matched the floorpan of the mk1 they came out of??? You will need to fashion a way of supporting the rear of both seats, but that's the same for almost any non-Triumph seat you'd fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheherald Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 As added to this question before, Saab 900 seats. Bit of work to fit, but comfortable, built in head restraint and back tilts forward. Fabric or leather and heated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 See adjacent post on Vitesse Interior for details on MGF Seats?Highly recommended but not a straight swop :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billus99 Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 Thanks for the advice, everyone - I hadn't noticed the adjacent post so it looks like mgf probably the best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 9496 wrote:Thanks for the advice, everyone - I hadn't noticed the adjacent post so it looks like mgf probably the best bet.I resurrected it for you ;)I think the MGF seats suit the existing Interior style the best, I do like the MX5 seats aswell though.RegardsGary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpbarrett Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 3546 wrote:......As a point of interest, you can also get an MX-5 wind deflector that slips over the seats and is quite effective for not a huge amount of money although not, perhaps, the most stylish. Re the wind deflector.That's interesting where did you get it from? Does it just fit over the heat rests?I have MX5 seats in my Herald and TR6 very comfortable and quite cheap. There is a place just north of Peterborough (they are on Ebay) that breaks MX5 and often has good seats for sale.cheersmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einar Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 MX5 is an easy fit. Scroll a bit down here: http://www.vitesse.no/Garage%202008-2009.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 These are my Mx5 seats - Tony "sniff my diff" asked to see a full view of them.They are quite rare in that they have separate head reats so you can take them off to look more standard - ish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 The MX5 Seats certainly seem to sit lower and go back further than the MGF Seats, they look smaller?If your over 5' 8" Tall they will be better.I've got MGF seats in my Car, I'm 5' 8" and have the seats as far back as they will go? :-/ They catch on the Hood Well/'B' Post bit :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I have MGF seats and find them really comfy even at 6'3". Comfy enough to be able to still walk after 3200 miles in 5 days...... More than I could say for my A6!Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Nickthere's no doubt they are far comfier than standard seats, but don't you find the seats hit the Hoodwell/B Post when you slide them back?I know the Herald/Vitesse models are only 5' wide too, which doesn't give a lot of space sideways either?I could certainly do with a bit more rearward travel on my seats.When I fitted them I had to raise them about 20mm and also outwards slightly to clear the transmission tunnel because I used the MGF Runners, maybe I ought to have fitted them to the Triumph runners :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzzaboy Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I have recently installed MX5 (model 2.5) leather seats into my Vitesse conv. The best thing I have ever done to it - it has completely transformed the car from one where the seats were painful after a while and which didn't sit well on the floor, to one that is sublime to sit in.I decided to go down the route of making plates for the runners to bolt to. The plates were then bolted to the floor using the original holes as I didn't want to butcher the floor about.The seats tilt forward and are easy enough for people to get in behind without any issues.The added bonus is that they are the heated variety. Just need to get around to putting in an alternator and a couple of switches and relays and I'll be away!! Will be great for the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billus99 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 So, I've bought and installed a pair of mgf seats. They look great, and I've retained the mgf runners as they are vastly superior to the horrible old triumph ones.Only problem is I can't get the drivers seat to go back far enough, without fouling on the b post. It's "ok", after a bit of fettling, so I will live with it til after triumfest, but any advice on hoe others have installed these would be appreciated!I have used ally bar to replace triumph runners, with 2 cross pieces per seat at front and rear. I'll be at triumfest on Sunday with the vitesse if anyone wants to compare notes!CheersAndy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Encom Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 These are the brackets I have used on a couple of cars and they haven't hit the B pillar. They are tight to the tunnel; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billus99 Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 excellent, thanks very much! All I need now is the energy to take the seats out for the 3rd time, grind off the front mounts, and remake the brackets, but I can see exactly what you are getting at and why they will fit better....CheersAndy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckyjohn Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 When seats are fitted this way will the seats be central or off set? how bigger spacer did you use from the floor to the seat bar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 I've got my MGF Seats spaced 21mm up from the floor, they are offset to the Steering wheel, but then so are the standard seats?My seats are as close to the Transmission tunnel as I can get them without fouling the transmission tunnel, they are still nearly touching the Door cards on my car though, they are a tight fit to say the least! If you have a Saloon they should go back further than the convertibles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckyjohn Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Thanks Gary that's very helpful, mine is a saloon so theirs plenty of space, I put the drivers seat in the other day and was a bit worried that like you say the seat is a bit off to the steering wheel, when I sat in it felt a bit funny with me looking down at the wheel and it been slightly to the right and then the pedals are off set again to the right bet it will seem very weird to drive! thanks again for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don cook1 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I daresay you could adapt any number of seats but steer away from electric/air bag type as the driver and passenger are often very different to each other. I think the trick is to match the replacement seats with the rear as much as you can. I have MX5 in my GT6 and very comfortable on long runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billus99 Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 I have refitted the seats for a third time, and thought they were better, but still can't get the seat to go back far enough. Mine is a convertible, so less room than saloon. So....I think I need to swap them for MX5 ones. The hunt starts again! If anyone is interested in true mgf seats, c/w brackets to mount to standard mounting holes, pm me! They are in the pictures further up this post, vgc seats. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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