Seats for Herald

[Dave N]

Hi All

I have been thinking about front seats for my Herald 13/60 today whilst taking out the glass and removing the roof, as you do.

I like the MGF seats as they look 'period' but not so sure on the MX5 option. However I really do like the look of the original MK2 Vitesse seats.

I know this is subjective but do people find them comfortable over long distances? I am starting to get a bit creakier as the years roll by!  ;)

Also, my Herald seats are shot! Can the frames be trimmed with the Vitesse kits from Rimmer or Newton?

Thanks for any info

Dave

[Nick Jones]

MGF seats (or some of them at least, there are different varieties) are very comfortable if correctly installed.  Good enough for a RBRR and 3 10CRs.

Note that they don't tilt, though if you retain the MGF runners they can be made to slide forward a long way.  They also do not recline in a convertible (hit wider B post) but may well in a saloon.

Nick

[Encom]

The MGF seats are pretty good, I have had several people think that they are factory, and for the money hard to go past.

On this post http://club.triumph.org.uk/cgi-bin/forum10/Blah.pl/Blah.pl?m-1380649446/s-4/#num4 there are dimensions for the seat runners that I used.

[Dave N]

My car is a saloon so should be ok.

Love your seat Nick. The blue leather sets off the paint a treat!

At present mine would need brown inserts with holes to match my car.........  :)

Must admit, the price of a good set of MGF seats is cheaper than a retrim kit.

Useful post Encom. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the replies.  :)

[midgeman]

MGF every time for me as they look correct if you can get the early ones in leather (note how close the design is to the 13/60 rear seat) they are comfortable and more supportive as well.

If you do away with the MGF runners and mount the seats on the Herald runners then it is possible to gain access to the rear seat fairly easily by sliding the seat forward on the runner and reclining the seat forward a touch however I seem to recall that someone on here went one step further and altered the seat back so it could be tilted forward

[Stu 1986]

Rover 25 and 45 seats will fit too as they are more or less the same as the MGF in their design. The good thing about some of the 45 seats are they are heated, which is a nice little stealth mod for a Herald. I have the standard 13/60 seats in mine, but I rebuilt them completely with new stronger webbing for the seat backs, new sponges for the backs from Newtons and had the vinyl repaired by a Trimmer associate of mine. I find the Standard seats very comfortable though, but I'm not yet "creaking"  8)

[garyf]

I have swopped my Rebuilt Mk2 Vitesse seats for the Early MGF ones and I'm well pleased with the additional support for my Back and Neck.

I found the original seats lacked upper back and neck support, on longer journeys and I suffered consequently :(

The Mk2 Vitesse Seats offer slightly wider bases and back rests compared with Herald 13/60 seats, but can't hope to match modern seats, I suspect the Herald frames are differen, but don't know for sure, Newton Commercial the Triumph Trim people will know?

Because I have a Shadow Blue Interior I ended up having mine re-trimmed to match, not cheap ??)

If you plan on doing a lot of long journeys then MGF or MX5 everytime, you also get the extra safety of Head Rests?

As stated on here its not a 5 minute job to fit them either, but well worth it.

I was lucky and managed to pick a set up via e-bay for under £50 :)  

Regards

Gary

[69vitesse]

Early XJS seats have a proper tip forward mech and look pukka.


http://moddedherald.blogspot.co.uk/2006/08/jaguar-xjs-seats.html

[Pete Lewis]

I made up a tilt mechanism , its shown in  Encom 's   link

    cant post photo as laptop crashed ,

Pete

[Dave N]

Thanks for all your help. Guess I am going down the local scrappy this weekend and trawling E Bay.  :)

[mpbarrett]

2729 wrote:

Early XJS seats have a proper tip forward mech and look pukka.


http://moddedherald.blogspot.co.uk/2006/08/jaguar-xjs-seats.html

I tried these in my Herald but they would not recline as they hit the B post, but they are very very comfortable! Might work ok in a  Saloon. I have the usual MX5 seats in my herald, they recline and are very comfortable. There is a place near Peterborough who are breaking MX5's and are selling the seats on Ebay. I have just brought a pair for the TR6 for about £50.

mike

[ferny]

mpbarrett wrote:

I tried these in my Herald but they would not recline as they hit the B post, but they are very very comfortable! Might work ok in a  Saloon. I have the usual MX5 seats in my herald, they recline and are very comfortable. There is a place near Peterborough who are breaking MX5's and are selling the seats on Ebay. I have just brought a pair for the TR6 for about £50.

mike

Can you send me their contact details? I may need a new alternator but don't plan to spend the £200 needed! ;D

[marktheherald]

Saab seats in mine...bit of a faff fitting but v. comfortable and all important head restraint..

[mpbarrett]

ferny wrote:

Can you send me their contact details? I may need a new alternator but don't plan to spend the £200 needed! ;D

have a look for "prestige_spares_uk"  on ebay.
cheers
mike

[Dogsbody47uk]

I have MG TF seats in my 13/60. They are a tight fit but very comfortable, but forget about tilting seats or back seat passengers. The MG seat runners are far superior to the Triumph runners.

[Dogsbody47uk]

I have MG TF seats in my 13/60. They are a tight fit but very comfortable, but forget about tilting seats or back seat passengers. The MG seat runners are far superior to the Triumph runners. Does anybody want a pair of 13/60 front seats in tan, with runners? free to good home. collect from Staffordshire.

[Pete Lewis]

agree with the runners , long slides,  but it depends , I often have to get 2 adults in the back,so bit bit more bum space is required, and the recline knobs are slow and labourious so to gain shoe horned clearance hence the mod to tip the back ,
Pete

[Dogsbody47uk]

Yes, if you need to get someone in the back it's a problem. However, I'm 6 foot 4 and my wife is 6 foot! there is no problem, we can't fit any body behind us so our 13/60 saloon is strictly a 2 seater.

[Dave N]

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound! I have bought a set in black leather. The drivers side bolster needs a bit of work to make perfect but a lot cheaper than a re trim kit for the original seats.

[Dogsbody47uk]

I have another set of MGF seats to fit to my Mk 2 Vitesse when I get round to rebuilding it. It's sitting in my garage on SORN at the moment. The 13/60 , as my main transport, lives outside but gets most attention to keep her running as our nearest supermarket is 4 ,miles away. Went 130 miles north to Ripon recently. The MGF seats are very comfortable.

[Dogsbody47uk]

Ps 13/60 ran fine but developed a thrum and vibration on overrun. No play in propshaft. Suspect possible problem with rear hub bearings. anybody any ideas?

[Pete Lewis]

just a point on safety,, dont use the integral seat belt mounts unless you seriously reinforce the floor fixings the originals are far to flimsy to be secure

but  having a decent headrest is good protection from any rear end collision

Pete

[Nick Jones]

9110 wrote:

Ps 13/60 ran fine but developed a thrum and vibration on overrun. No play in propshaft. Suspect possible problem with rear hub bearings. anybody any ideas?

Almost certainly a propshaft UJ, detectable play or not.  A UJ which has gone tight in one axis is all it takes.  Gearbox mount is another possibility.

Nick

[Dogsbody47uk]

I haven't. I removed the integral mounts and the seat belts are fixings are the usual Triumph ones. I agree that if you wanted to use the MGF integral mountings you would really have to beef up the seat mountings.

[Dogsbody47uk]

Hi Nick. G/box mountings and engine mountings are new (within 250 miles) so probably not them. As I can't feel any play in the propshaft, what next?