Bogus seats!

[Boomlander]

Hi all,
Changing the seats currently fitted in Willum as they are not Minor units and although they have sliding adjusters they are bolted onto the floor with wooden blocks to bring them up to height and lean back at an uncomfortable angle.
Does anyone have the correct sequence for fitting the covers i.e. seat first with back cover last?
I will post a picture of the non original seats as someone may recognise them or be able to make use of them.

[philthehill]

Back cover first and then the seat.

[Boomlander]

Many thanks, much appreciated!

[ManyMinors]

You don't say what age or model your Minor is and Minor seats vary quite a bit over the years.
A version of the Minor 1000 was produced for disabled drivers and these were fitted with different seats mounted on wooden blocks with sliding runners. Possibly these are what you have?
You also don't mention what type of seats you are trying to re-cover? If these are the standard Minor 1000 seats, I would have to disagree with Phil and say that you must fit the seat base cover FIRST followed by the back cover. The opposite would be impossible.

[Boomlander]

Willum is a 1966 saloon and was previously owned by a doctor so it's possible he had these weird seats fitted although I have a full documentary account of all repairs with no record of seat replacement.
I had no idea that seats with sliding runners were available let alone being fitted with wooden blocks. Surely that would compromise the safety of the vehicle in a collision?
The replacement frames are fixed back units with the normal front bar fittings to tilt the seats forward.
So I should be fitting the seat cover first and the squab cover last?
Thanks for the info.
Kind regards Dave.

[geoberni]

I had no idea that seats with sliding runners were available let alone being fitted with wooden blocks. Surely that would compromise the safety of the vehicle in a collision?

You do realise that it was the 60s and you're in an era with unprotected fuel tanks*, no crumple zones, no collapsible steering column, seat belts weren't even mandatory fitment to new cars, etc, etc, etc

*Although the Minor fuel tank was at least under the boot so had some limited protection from the car structure in a rear end knock, several models of the era e.g. Ford Escort, Triumph Herald, had the fuel tank in a rear wing.
The Herald's concession to safety was to put it in the nearside, the Escort however placed it rear offside.

[ManyMinors]

I had no idea that seats with sliding runners were available let alone being fitted with wooden blocks. Surely that would compromise the safety of the vehicle in a collision?
Kind regards Dave.

What do you think a Morris Traveller is made of?

[ManyMinors]

We are just guessing if you cannot post a picture of your car but the seat you describe sounds like the seats fitted to the disabled cars. I have photographed a picture of one taken from Ray Newell's "Original Morris Minor" book. Hopefully Ray won't mind! It is a publication that anybody interested in these cars should have. These seats have a long range of fore and aft adjustment to assist entry and exit from the car.

As I said earlier, if you are fitting new covers to a standard Minor 1000 seat (with a fixed back) you would have to fit the cover to the base cushion FIRST and the cover to the seat back LAST. The back cover goes over the top of the base cushion cover

[Boomlander]

Having difficulty posting pictures of the seats at the moment but they look very much like the ones you have posted.
Many thanks for your help and advice as always.

[Boomlander]

I had no idea that seats with sliding runners were available let alone being fitted with wooden blocks. Surely that would compromise the safety of the vehicle in a collision?
Kind regards Dave.

What do you think a Morris Traveller is made of?

Lol

[Bowie69]

they don't attach safety-critical items such as the seatbelts to the timber though ;)

[geoberni]

they don't attach safety-critical items such as the seatbelts to the timber though ;)

But since you're not restrained in the seat, it's just a bit irrelevant, you're going through the windscreen anyway, it just depends on if the seat follows you....

[Boomlander]

I suppose a modified Minor was quite an improvement over the old AC Invacar or, God forbid, the Argson Victory. Both machines probably filled the role at the time but were quite rightly outlawed due to safety issues.
Anyhoo Willum's seats will be replaced with original types which will sit us at a more comfortable angle and the disabled seat frames may be of use to someone who needs them for their Minor as there doesn't seem to be any available on fleabay.
Let me know if you are interested.

[geoberni]

The Invacar was a practical vehicle for many.
Good short article here from 2018 on one that has survived.....
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... xceptional

[les]

All electric sports model.

99402149-C138-4DFE-875D-52079F3BF9F6.jpeg (485.09 KiB) Viewed 4462 times

[Mick Lynch]

An electric bankruptcy model

0A668F46-76EF-4E36-95E5-94BC019E35BE.jpeg (210.4 KiB) Viewed 4460 times

RIP Sir Clive

[Boomlander]

New old seats repaired, painted and fitted with rear height adjustable legs.
Now comes the "simple" job of upholstery!

[philthehill]

Very good.
Could you please post a link for the supplier of the adjustable feet.

Also have a look at this from 2.32 onwards. The whole film is well worth a view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY2jvzAWR2k

[Boomlander]

Interesting film clip.
The adjustable feet and rubber caps are available on Ebay from loads of suppliers.
I used M10 size for strength and they were fitted through captive nuts welded to short sections of angle steel welded in turn to the bottom of the rear tubes.

[Boomlander]

Had a few enquiries about the sliding seat frames so these are the only pictures I have at the moment. Should have more when they come out of the car next week. I will then post them in the for sale section for your perusal.