Mk2 Vitesse Seats

[ChrisTasmania]

G'day, Chris in Tasmania.

 

I have started work on a pretty rusty Mk2 Convertible imported here in 1997. I suspect it is the only one in Tas. and maybe one of very few in Aus. as they were never sold here. So I have nothing to compare it with, which is why, after buying it and paying both freight and customs on a complete interior trim kit, it is really annoying to find out that the front seats are not Mk2 Vitesse... no idea what they are, except definitely British. I will attach a photo, one is just the frame, the other complete. They have a lever at the side to enable them to tilt forward.

 

I am hoping somebody has a bare frame from a Mk2 that they could measure for me so that I can work out if what I have is usable, or at least adaptable.. The freight on a pair of seats, if I could find them, would be formidable, though I have thought they could be hack-sawed through the bend and 'flat packed'?

 

The basic height, widths etc. would be all I need..

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[Pete Lewis]

Myself  I dont recognise those 

 

do you wish to stay original, ??   there are other seats guys fit  from a range of cars , MGF or MX5 are the most popular  doesnt solve the frame problem but just  or the covers you have but an alternative Im sure youve thought about .

 

never used and cant recommend  but these have loads of seats   http://www.quillertriumph.co.uk/

 

Pete

[Guest]

Hello Chris.

 

I think the seats are from a Ford.

 

Pete has asked the crucial question - stay original or go variation.

 

I had a set of seats in my Vitesse MK2 CV, one was a genuine Mk2 the other from a Herald. They look similar but flute and panel dimension is different; both had seen better days. So I decided to swap and go the MGF route - one of the best mods I have done: comfy, super safe and look very smart. Pretty straight forward to fit.

 

Not sure what the MGF availability is out your way but worth considering. The seats tend to be cheaper than MX5.

 

Only full leather will do !!

 

All the best.

 

Richard.

[ChrisTasmania]

Thanks for those, but I would prefer to stay original. I also have paid quite a bit to have the new original seat covers here!. I have contacted Quillers, but they said they would have to sea-freight them (whole seats) and they had no experience in that area, neither have I.

 

Anybody moving to Australia soon?

 

My best option is to try and modify what I have and I am just curious as to how far 'out' they are.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[TomL]

I think they are from a Toledo.

 

I have seen these same (or very similar) seats in a late Herald; the owner had been told that late in production, a seat with a release mechanism had been introduced to allow the seat to tip forward, unlike earlier Heralds, which had no such feature.  It sounded plausible, and the seats certainly didn't look out of place in this Herald, but it later transpired that they had come from a two-door Triumph Toledo.  

 

As the seats do look remarkably similar to the Herald/Vitesse ones,you might be able, with a bit of creativity, to make the Vitesse covers fit.

 

Tom

[KevinR]

Quillers really would not be my first (or second or third or.....) choice for new or 2nd hand parts.

 

You could try the Spitfire Graveyard in Sheffield, or GB Sports Cars in Leighton Buzzard.

 

Also, both Canley Classics and Rimmer Bros have good diagrams on their websites, where you will be able to see what the proper seat metal structure looks like, so you may be able to convert the frames you have.

[Gary Flinn]

Agree with Tom, they are from a 2 Door Toledo, hence the catch on the side to tilt forward.

 

I had one fitted to the Drivers side of my Vitesse when I bought it.