Morris Minor Owners Club

I have noticed a few posts like the one below suggesting that Saab seats work well in Minors. But no Saab model is mentioned.

I have located some Saab 9.5 seats (nearby--only a few hundred Ks away). They have heating, airbags (no use in the Minor) and attached belt clasp. Before I put my money down, can anyone tell me whether they are suitable for a Minor Van? Or should I be looking for seats from a different model?

Cheers
Don

Hi Don, I think my SAAB seats came from a SAAB 99. The main things to check are, do they tilt forward, the condition and width? As they will take up more space than the minor seats and I am not sure if the air bags will make the seats wider. Also you may need to drill new fixings in the floor and use big washers especially if the seats are your seat belt achors as well.

I also used the seat subframes made by JLH amongst others to fix my seats.

I'm fitting jag XJS seats in mine. They measure 21.5 inches wide at the widest point and fit well. There is plenty of clearance to the handbrake. So i would suggest as long as the seats are no wider than these they should fit. Obviously if they have flat bottom runners tthis will make them easier to fit otherwise you'll have to fabricate a subframe. My seats just need a length of 2 inch box adding to the runners and they'll be perfect height wise.

I have saab 9000 seats in mine...

I have a 9-5, and they're really comfy seats. They tilt (for adjustment, not enough for back seat access) and have rake, lumbar and height adjustment as well as the usual forwards and backwards. They really are nice.

The seat belt catch does have a pretensioner and you're right, they have an airbag built in. They also have the special SAAB headrest that moves to cushion your neck if someone hits the back of the car, but it's mechanical so no pyrotechnics involved. It is effective though by all accounts.

With the seat belt catch being fitted to the seat, remember the seat bolts will then take the stress of a collision, so will likely need backing plates etc. (as Jefftav said).

If you need some measurements, let me know, I'll pop out with a tape as I think they're quite large. I've got over 214K Miles on mine and the seat is still in good nick.

Andrew

Matt wrote:I have saab 9000 seats in mine...

Matt, you couldn't post a pic of these could you? I think we have these seats too but being as I haven't seen a 9000 for ages I can't be sure. Cheers.

Saab 9000 seats are superb - leather, heated, electric adjustment with memory on drivers side, but now I've got a lexus Ls 400, I'd say these are even more comfortable - and with more electrical adjustment - power headrests, lumber, tilt, slide, height etc etc - go on, be first to fit them in a Minor.
Check this ad out for Saab 9000 pics (my old Saab which I part-exed for a Lexus).

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.c ... read=72001


Pete

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Andrew--I would like to take you up on your offer for dimensions. And it would be great if you could take your camera with you. They do seem rather big from the photos I have seen so I would like to see how they are in-situ. As my Morris is a van, I have to consider the step at the back of the passenger compartment, so it is best that the seat isn't too chunky in that area.

Cheers
Don

Measured the seats. A bit approximately. This was with it set up normally, i.e. not bolt upright, but not like a recumbent boy racer.

length, 23" (584mm)
width, 21" (533mm)
height, 39" (975mm)

the height is with the headrest down, but it could be higher with it raised as for a normal person, probably by a further 4-6"

the width is to the edge of the seat and the edge of the seatbelt clasp. The airbag sits below the edge of the seat , so doesn't make it any wider.

It's too dark for pictures, but I'll try to get some tomorrow.

Andrew

Which Saabs came with a 2/3-door variant? The saab 9000 seats look lovely but of course they don't fold (or was there a 2-door version?)which makes it awkward for use in a 2-door minor.

Just one more thing, Andrew...

What was involved in mounting them? Is much fiddling with the tracks required?

Thank you for your patience with all my requests

Cheers
Don

Sorry Don, misunderstanding, I have a SAAB 9-5, the whole car! I haven't put them in the Morris! I (unfortunately) have standard seats in the Morris!

(they're still comfy though!)

I can look under the seats though and try to get a picture of how they are mounted? If I can clear enough carp out of the car to get a clear shot.

I think the 900 and 9-3 came in a 2 door version, the 9000 and 9-5 were only 4 door.

Andrew

Oooops! Yes Andrew--I can see now that I misread your original post.

And yes shot of under the seats would be helpful.

Thanks again for your helpfulness.

I hope Santa is good to you this year

Don

eastona wrote: ....I think the 900 and 9-3 came in a 2 door version, the 9000 and 9-5 were only 4 door.
Andrew

I was thinking Saab 900. But when did you last see one? Roads used to be thronged with them, and the concensus was they would go on for ever!

Rover seats are popular too but Saab are ideal for a van because they are shallower. Rover seats would almost certainly loose you a lot of legroom as they would interfere with the cab back.

The Saab 9000 seats do fold but via a rotating adjuster rather than the normal simple side lever. In a van you will not need this feature anyway.
Cannot give details on the 95 seats but we have fitted many of these and stock several sets. Not sure if our 9000 bases could be adapted, but if you find the mounting positions I'd be happy to see about what mods can be done.

Just fitted Ford Scorpio full leather heated electrical seats in my van, tight but they do fit, Although I did have two attempts as I couldnt get reverse on my first one.
Got the electric adjustment working but didnt bother with the electric heater pads.

Jonathon

I had a look at the bases on your website. I would be nice if they worked with the 9.5 seats.

Saab seats are not easy to find in Oz--certainly not in the rural area where I am. We didn't get the Metros here. So some of the popular UK choices are difficult for us.

Cheers

I've fitted a fair few seats in my Minor before I was happy, I've found that width isn't that important as long as you can still (just) use the handbrake. Front to rear size makes more of a difference - especially if you carry rear passengers a lot. Something that can help with this a bit is to mount the seats a bit higher off the ground so rear passengers have more footroom under the front seat. What the Minor cabin lacks in width and length it makes up for in height.

Also for a van, I think you're constrained by something that stops the seats being mounted too far back.

Some seats are quite square in plan and some are more curved at the front, particularly in sportier cars. A seat that has more of a curve makes it much easier to slide in and out of the car. You can leave the seat further forward and still get out compared to a squarish seat.

Currently using fat Merc SL seats that I got off Ebay and can still just squeeze two uncomfortable people in the back.



Note that the curve at the front helps legs get out the door.

Hi dp

I can see what you mean by the curve at the front of the seats--it would make it easier to get the legs in and out.

The seat I am looking at buying have a nice curve and the side of the squabs aren't too high.

Cheers
Don