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MG MGF Technical - Bucket seats - again

After a very enjoyable track day at Silverstone last week, my thoughts once again return to the old chestnut of decent seats.

After a passenger trip in Tim's Caterham, being thrown from one side of the driver's seat to the other in my car was only too apparent.

So I've ordered a Cobra catalogue, and will be studying it with some intensity.

From previous discussions I know that the Cobra Imola fits (max base width 458mm, max shoulder width 560mm) - but ideally I don't want a full bucket due to practicality issues. If the new seat means I can't just jump in and go to Tescos then the seat will have rendered my car as a very expensive, infrequently used toy... So recliners it is.

Looking at the on-line catalogue, it appears that the Daytona may be an option, with a seat width of 520mm and a shoulder width of 550mm. The LeMans is another option. The other recliners - Daytona and Misano - may be too wide across the shoulder to fit into an MGF cabin...

Anyone else had any experience with aftermarket seats in the MGF?
Rob Bell

"a very expensive, infrequently used toy... " yep, got one of those!

Are there any bucket seats that fit the cockpit that allow standard seatbelts? The task of swapping seats over wouldn't be insurmountable if it was just the 4 bolts and the wiring.
Mike Hankin

I think that there are two issues there Mike. Most importantly, I suspect is the mounting of the SRS seat belt clasp - which is mounted on to the standard seat runner. The other problem is whether the seat belt can run over the shoulder of the seat. Many buckets get very wide in this segment to hold the upper body in place.

Finding a seat that fits is only half the battle. Finding a suitable seat runner/mounting and ensuring that the seat belts can be retained represents the other perhaps more difficult half...
Rob Bell

Would this help at all?

http://www.cg-lock.co.uk/

Obviously not a bucket seat.I don't know if you use a harness or not but if not this may be a compromise.
Pete

I've tried it Pete - it's okay, but falls a long way short of providing proper location.

I guess a full harness on a standard seat would work better than a standard 3-point harness, which is another direction to take things.

But a three-point harness plus a decent seat? Yup, that has to be the way to go :o)
Rob Bell

So maybe a full cage, harness & Tesco's Home Delivery Service is the solution ;o)

How about... getting an old seat, strip all the material, foam & springs, put on some old clothes, apply bin liners and expanding foam technique. OK probably hard to do it in a way that would look good cosmetically, but you'd end up with a F1 style seat and save a few kilos. Might give some more headroom too. Slightly unpopular with Yimmy though I suspect :o/

Someone will be along shortly with a more sensible idea ;o)

Mike Hankin

>> So maybe a full cage, harness & Tesco's Home Delivery Service is the solution ;o) <<

ROFLMAO - yup, that'd be a solution! ;oD
Rob Bell

Tried to get bucket seats for my F some time ago made by Sparco. Worked out at £500 for the pair with purpose built subframes. But... After waiting 3 months with countless phone calls from the supplier, Sparco have decided not to make the subframes anymore. I have given up now - has anyone else had any luck with other companies or using universal subframes?
m j kennedy

Rob,

Something I have mentioned in these discussions before (but that nobody picked up on... :-( ) is the fact that the standard Lotus Elise seat is very narrow and has the seatbelt attached to the seat, just like for the F/TF. A frame and/or runners would still have to be made/adapted somehow, but I can tell you from experience that these seats are fantastically supportive and comfortable although they are very thin and, thus, very low.

Per
Per

.....and i know where there is an Elise ina breakers in Essex with seats in it ;o)))))))))

D
DarrenB

Hi Rob - YHM.

Tony
Tony

This thread was discussed between 03/04/2006 and 12/04/2006

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