'Cobra Classic' Seats

[GeorgeHurst]

Hi there,

Has anyone ever fitted Cobra Classic bucket seats into a Morris? I'm fairly certain that they'll fit in size wise, but am a bit stuck on the mounting.

Click the link below if you're not sure which seats I'm on about:
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p4242 ... _info.html

There are subframes available for Mini's and a universal subframe, but I imagine this will require some modification to the floor pan of the Morris in order for the frames to fit. Has anyone installed these seats, and how?

I wonder if the JLH sub frames could be modified to accomodate them? Jonathon?

Also, as I have a 2dr folding forward of the passenger seat would be beneficial, any ideas as to how this could be acheived?

I'm in the process of contemplating changing my seats to these at the moment, so any pictures would be great if you have fitted these seats in your Mog. I'm not sure if I'm going to do it yet, but I have literally loved these seats for as long as I can remember, from the age of about 7 whilst poring over Mini magazines and Demon Tweeks catalogues in my fathers factory

Any help/pics/thoughts greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
George

[dunketh]

Universal frames and some box section or even blocks of wood.
I used blocks of wood for my old metro seats.
Doesnt solve the tilt problem though.

I wouldnt buy 'new' seats - thats a lot of money for something you can usually get on ebay for next to nothing.

[GeorgeHurst]

Hi Dunketh,
Thanks for that. I have a feeling the Mini subframes have a tilt function, perhaps mini subframes could be mounted onto box section bolted to the floor pan, or to a JLH seat base.

When bolting to the floor must one weld in a captive nut to the floor pan, a bit like the seat belt mounts? i.e. is there any specific safe way / MOT requirement for mounting seats?

Cheers, G

[alainmoran]

The MOT manual just states that seats (where fitted) must be securely bolted down ... I'd follow along from the way that the minor seats/seatbelts are mounted though and create a strengthening piece to spread the load from the nut ... there is undoubtedly a good reason why they added these extra bits of metal ;)

[GeorgeHurst]

ok cool, that makes sense
thanks for the help chaps

[dunketh]

When bolting to the floor must one weld in a captive nut to the floor pan, a bit like the seat belt mounts?

In short, no.

I used huge square washers under the floor (the type used when fitting seatbelt reels), and bolted through the seat frame, the wooden blocks, the floor and washers. Obviously with a nylock nut underneath the car.

MOT is very vague when it comes to seats. Though common sense dictates you need to re-inforce the floor or use some kind of load spreaders like I did.

[Kevin]

Sounds a different choice george, I would check that they will mount high enough in a minor, if I remember correctly in mini's they were quite low slung, and I cant remember seeing any fitted into a moggie recently.
Are you going for the classic tuned look with your car.

[GeorgeHurst]

Hi Kevin,

Yeah, that was something that came to my mind... thats why I was thinking the JLH seat bases might be an option, as a means of raising the height somewhat.

I am indeed looking to go for the classic tuned look... a degree of hot rod but without losing too much of the essence of the minor's shape. Generally, aesthetic mods as opposed to serious mechanical alteration.

As you can see in my signature image I have changed the grille, added a front spoiler and Minilights. My future plans (money permitting) are thus:

• Tuned 1098cc engine (12G295 head, HIF33/44 carb, alloy inlet, lcb)
• Engine tart-up with lots of chrome and colour co-ordinated hoses
• Big bore straight through exhaust with cherry bomb back box (or side pipe exhaust if I can afford it)
• 1.5" lower at front and rear
• Suspension overhaul (standard, not modified)
• 8" drums at the rear
• Anti-roll bar at front
• Remove rear seats to create luggage area
• Subwoofers in boot and larger speakers where the rear seat back was
• Possibly replace the front seats with Cobra Classics
• De-bumper rear

Hopefully it will have a little more grunt and look pretty much like a standard Morris, just with a little twist of boy racer

[Kevin]

Hi George sounds interesting, not sure I would use a cherry bomb back box as they can make it very noisy exhaust wise (very 70's I know but its your ears ) as for the 8" rear drums, why as that's not the weaker part of the system.

[GeorgeHurst]

Thanks Kevin, hopefully it will turn out well

You are right with the cherry bomb but I am quite keen on the noise to be honest, that crackly popping roar, I imagine the sound will be drowned out by the soundsystem anyway!

I was under the impression that 8" rear drums would increase braking power (or is it the front that is 7" as standard?!). As I'm only planning a small tune of the engine I thought this would suffice instead of a disc brake upgrade.

'that's not the weaker part of the system.' - what would you suggest is?

Cheers,
George

[MarkyB]

Something worth noting with bucket seats is that they seem to wear very fast on the edge where you get in.
Like high mileage cars do where you slide across into the seat.
If you can get leather or vinyl covered ones they should last better but the ones covered with heavy duty nylons type material really suffer badly.

[GeorgeHurst]

Thanks for the heads up MarkyB. I was planning on vinyl, white with dark green piping to offset the dark green paint job