Seats

[Bonzo]

I have been giving some thoughts as to the best seats to use for my build.

As a personal requirement, i'll be needing a seat with some degree of comfort !!??

My problem is that the majority of the time, driving for any amout of time can be very painfull :(

I really do want to make some good use of the Roadster when it finally hits the road, seat choice for me is going to be very important.

Yes a well designed GRP seat is comfortable & provides good support ( Tritons seats are proof of this )
That said they are almost certainly going to be too rigid for my needs.

I thought that a solution had been found in the form of a Reanault Scenic seat ( Middle, rear )
Fits the chassis like a glove, decent back angle similar to the angle in the Roadster.

However, when I used the IVA head restraint measurment method, it looks as if the head restraint is too low !!??
Besides the good lady wife is none to keen on a Heath Robbinson seat :rolleyes:
I guess I can see her point of view. The seats will be one of the Roadsters most focal points to look at.

Now to the main point of this post :o

I have seen 7 type, seat pairs listed on The Kit Parts Direct site (GBS)
£160 a pair !!??

Has anyone sat in a Robin Hood seat ( I assume GBS uses them for their cars ) ?

Can anyone point me in the direction of a sub £300 pair of seats ?

All hints/comments will be most welcome

[dogwood]

Hi Ronnie mate.

I tried the 7 type seats by Robin Hood.
I found them really uncomfortable..Way too narrow for me.
I ended up buying their Clubman seats.
Not the prettiest things to look at, but for me very comfy


David

[davidimurray]

Seats are a very personal thing. I sat in the GBS ones at Exeter. I found that because my legs are reasonably skinny - that there was a lump around my thighs that dug into me. On the other hand my girlfriend thought they were very comfortable!

[TSM Locost]

Ronnie.

GBS seats are half the price of Cobra 7 seats they are supposed to be similar to and quater the quality, believe me i have sat in both. Try a Cobra 7 seat, padded with lote of suport at the sides.

A mate went over to Belgium in a locost last year and did a track day at Zolder ? said best seats he has ever had, and is in his 50's.

Contact cashy on LCB who sells all types of Cobra seats at big discount, evolution_uk@btinternet.com

[adrianreeve]

Ronnie

I was lucky to pick up a pair of Westfield sport seats second hand very cheaply, and if you can find some, they are really comfy, and fit perfectly.

Cheers

Adrian

[Bonzo]

Cheers for the input David, David, Mike & Adrian

I guess it will have to be a try before you buy sort of thing

Agreed, seat comfort is a very personal thing .......... I could drive my old Citroen BX estate for hours on end, My Zantia seats were quite plush but could only manage a couple of hours in them & alas, my Mazda 6 ones arn't much better.

Sat in a seat in Halfrauds the other day ....It was dreadfull :eek:

Yes david, I believe that the seats in Trophy Blue's car were clubman type ones, I found them quite comfortable.

Know I have to be realistic here & can't blame seats for my own missfortunes :o

Finding the right seat will make driving the Roadster " That little bit more fun " .

Worst come to worst, there is always the custom upholstered option.

Methinks it would be best to wait untill Stoneliegh show & sit my ass in a few before I make an unwise impulse purchase ;)

[Janne E]

Bonzo take a look at the Mamba Baby Cub seats from Midland, I´ve been told that they should be realy comfortible. For the moment they sell a black seat with blue pipings for £ 50....

Janne

[Bonzo]

Thanks for that information Janne :cool:

I would have never came accross that site in a million years !!??

Well I wasn't going to buy on impulse but at that price the temptation was too great & just the sort of thing I was looking for ;)

Ordered a pair in Black with Red piping £122 inclusive of VAT & delivery

To be honest at that price, they could be re-upholstered at a latter date if needed ;)

Here's a link if any folks are interested

Baby Cub Seats (http://www.midlandwheels.com/Shop/C-990-Baby-Cub.html)

Never ceases to amaze me how folk from other country's find quality info like this.

[AshG]

before i went for the triton seats i was looking at lotus elise seats. they are very comfortable as most production car seats are. they can be had for very little money too as most people rip them out an put race seats in

[Davey]

Those seats look lie they will give little lateral support Bonzo. Something that I believe a motor vehicle like the Locost/Haynes roadster will need in abundance.

D.

[dogwood]

Those seats look lie they will give little lateral support Bonzo. Something that I believe a motor vehicle like the Locost/Haynes roadster will need in abundance.

D.

They are very simlar to my seats, I get plenty of lateral support.:eek:
Not from the seats though.......:rolleyes:
Personal padding..:D



David

[Enoch]

Thanks for this, went and had a look and bought a pair. I won't need them for ages but at that price they look to good to miss.
Best,
Enoch

[Jezzer99]

I have a pair of those in my MG Midget. I think it would be fair to say that they are good seats on a budget. The main issue I find with them is that there is little lateral support on the seat base - more of an issue in a Roadster than a Midget I'd think :)

Thanks for that information Janne :cool:

I would have never came accross that site in a million years !!??

Well I wasn't going to buy on impulse but at that price the temptation was too great & just the sort of thing I was looking for ;)

Ordered a pair in Black with Red piping £122 inclusive of VAT & delivery

To be honest at that price, they could be re-upholstered at a latter date if needed ;)

Here's a link if any folks are interested

Baby Cub Seats (http://www.midlandwheels.com/Shop/C-990-Baby-Cub.html)

Never ceases to amaze me how folk from other country's find quality info like this.

[Bonzo]

How is that for service from Midland wheels ??

Ordered a pair of seats 11am yesterday ........ Arrived this afternoon at 4pm :eek:

Well I have sat in one on the floor. The lower squab provides a well cushioned pad for my ass.

If I raise the front of the seat base by about 25mm, the back of the seat will provide a nice comfortable angle for me to drive.
Contrary to some views The shape of the seatback does provide some degree of lateral support ........Anyways that's what the 4 point harnesses are for :D

My verdict ............ A well made budget seat that will serve my needs & at least will get me on the road that little bit quicker.

After all, i'll not be taking the Roadster on the track & will not be hooning around country lanes like a loon ............Not be able to resist a little blast on a nice straight road though ;)

If you are looking for a basic, lo-cost seat to get your build on the road & keen to keep to a tight budget, I doubt that you will find better value for money.

If you are looking for an all singing & dancing racing seat, you'll be dissapointed !!??

I'll post a picture when I get a moment :)

[Bonzo]

Here's a quick picture

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj266/Bonzoronnie/100_0325.jpg

Good value at £50 I would say :) :)

[Peter-C]

I'm impressed. Trust the ones that I want ( yellow piping ) aren't on offer.

Happy New Year

[Jezzer99]

Good taste... identical to the ones in my Midget - black with red piping. I think at the end of the day, seats are horse for courses - I've got a pair of Mark's Triton seats but, as you say, these are a good budget buy :D

[Bonzo]

I was pleased that the ones with the Red piping were included in the sale :)

Will contrast nicely with my Red body work ...............Oh bugger ..........That was supposed to be top secret :D :D

Would have loved a pair of Triton seats, I just know that any rigid seat will FUBAR my back, big time.

Afraid in my case, comfort comes before looks .... If I am to get some real enjoyment from driving the Roadster :o

[dogwood]

Good value at £50 I would say :) :)

Great value I would say. :D
Tempted to get a pair myself, defo better looking than RHC ones.

[twinturbo]

The tunnel and side pannell gives support :D



I have asked if they can do the Black and yellow at £50 as that's my Colour Scheme,

TT

[Bonzo]

The tunnel and side pannell gives support :D

TT


Now there's a thought ......................Bolster pads for the sides :D

If I pull any more than 2G in a corner.......... I'll snap in half !!?? :eek: :o

[Davey]

I must admit I'm tempted at that price, they do look good. Trouble is I had a ride in a Westfield years ago at Curborough and the speed of direction change that thing was capable of was incredible, I really do think I need more lateral support than they will give otherwise I'd get a pair myself.

D.

[twinturbo]

They would be a good starting point.

I take it they will pass the IVA

TT

[fabbyglass]

before i went for the triton seats i was looking at lotus elise seats. they are very comfortable as most production car seats are. they can be had for very little money too as most people rip them out an put race seats in

The Elise seats are uncomfortable due to the shape not being exactly arse shaped and don't hold you side to side...I sold quite a lot of seats to Elise owners;)

[fabbyglass]

I was pleased that the ones with the Red piping were included in the sale :)

Will contrast nicely with my Red body work ...............Oh bugger ..........That was supposed to be top secret :D :D

Would have loved a pair of Triton seats, I just know that any rigid seat will FUBAR my back, big time.

Afraid in my case, comfort comes before looks .... If I am to get some real enjoyment from driving the Roadster :o

Naaaaaaa they are contoured and thos emidland jobs fall apart in no time at all, besides which get them wet and they take an age to dry out

[twinturbo]

They have no stock on the yellow piped ones..

TT

[davidimurray]

Has anyone tried these -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200424665387&ssPageName=ADME:X:eRTM:GB:1123

Width at the shoulder is 46cm and the base is 39cm

[Peter-C]

It seems that with the seats, like a bed, its not easy to try out. The manufactures are all over the place and so a show is the only place to try a fitting. The only seats that I have tried so far are the triton in the Saturn car. These I could not fault. Are there any critical measurements regarding the seatbelt fixings on the roll bar.

Cheers

Peter