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Sport seats?

Posted: 08 Dec 2009 11:47
by Triumph TR7V8 coupé
Hello boys and girls,

While the car is in the body shop I’m planning to re-do the seats.
I’m thinking of new upholstery for the old seats or perhaps some more comfortable second hand sport seats.
I’m not looking for very hard racing or rally seats.
Witch (European) cars do you suggest to take the seats from with not too much adapting difficulties?

Regards,J

Posted: 08 Dec 2009 13:11
by jclay (RIP 2018)
I would suggest replacing the bottom diaphragm, seat back straps and the seat foams for the original seats.

http://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/tr/full.aspx?Page=23

jclay

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Posted: 08 Dec 2009 15:16
by John Clancy
Yes, there's nothing more comfortable than genuine TR7 seats. And they look great too (particularly with red tartan inserts!).

<center><b>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</b></center>

Posted: 08 Dec 2009 18:37
by FI Spyder
If you want to customize your car you can use Miata (MX5) seats but I sat in a car with them, thanks but no thanks (don't know what year as I believe there are different types). I replaced the bottom diaphrams in my stock ones and it firmed them up nicely. Probably could use backstraps (the wife complains about seat backs but I don't mind them.)
Picture of old split diaphrams.

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TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra
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Posted: 08 Dec 2009 20:39
by nervousnewowner
i'm in the same boat as you, keep the originals or go with something else, seat swapping would be down to finding something you like i guess and seeing if it would fit, in theory any seat should be able to be made to fit its just what it looks like in the car, i may redo my originals, have also thought of mx5 seats, my son has one and i find them comfortable, with the addition the speakers are built into the headrests so with these fitted the possibility of moving the speakers from the doors is open to you, and i used to own a ford probe and found them to have some of the most comfy seats i have sat in so would love to see how they look too, so really the answer to your question is pure personal choice, and if the car has any sort of historical significance then original would really need to be adhered to....[8D]
there thats probably totally confused you now hasn't it.... [;)]

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the project at birth, watch it evolve...I hope...

Posted: 08 Dec 2009 21:42
by Beans
Just bear in mind that the original seats are very low [;)]

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<font color="blue"><i>1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
1980 TR7 DHC (my first car currently being restored)
In parts a 1980 TR7 PI DHC, 1981 TR7 DHC, 1981 TR7 FHC</font id="blue">
<font color="red">http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/</i></font id="red"></center>

Posted: 09 Dec 2009 07:13
by Howard722
Yep-I agee with Beans. Any change of seat has to take the low seat height into account or you will end up peering under or over the header/cant rail. The seats are fine-just make sure the rubber diaphragm is in good shape and also the straps in the back upright (not quite so critical). Even a newly foamed seat can be a bit `tall` until it settles a bit-unless you`re very wee that is![:p]

Enjoy& regards Image

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 19:38
by slider
mine has red tartan euch' and i am after series'1'mazda mx5 seats,narrow,low and comfy/cheap,[:D]

Posted: 17 Dec 2009 20:20
by zoe
How ever could one ever get rid of Tartan dosnt it scream TR7? !!!!

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Posted: 18 Dec 2009 09:45
by John Clancy
Sounds like you need to sort some replacement red tartan slider. They can fade to a very pale imitation of the original over the years but when new, or looking new, there is nothing more stylish for the car. Every sporting model around the same time had something similar - the Lotus Esprit, the Capri, the Escort RS... even the Mini had a special edition that used the same red tartan from the TR7.

<center><b>[url="http://www.triumphtr7.com/documents/sales/codenamebullet.asp"]Buy the story of the Triumph TR7/8 on DVD here[/url]</b></center>

Posted: 19 Jan 2010 21:35
by nervousnewowner
this months triumph world has a yellow fhc in it fitted with bmw mini seats and this threw up the head height problem..... and i now realise why the name john clancy so familiar....lol

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the project at birth, watch it evolve...I hope...

Posted: 19 Jan 2010 22:20
by birminghamtr7
i have a new set of foam bases and backs going on ebay shortly when i get them down bought from s/s in the summer never been out bag

if you factor in the earth's rotation, we are all speeding

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