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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - New seats

I am considering changing the seats on my 78B. I know that the fiero seats work, but what about the Miata seats? I thought I heard someone mention that they fit also. can anyone help me out?
Larry Embrey

Miata seats fit well. Modifications needed are obvious. I paid $100 for cloth set.
Dick Porter
Richard Porter

I am looking at similar pricing. compared to $150 for Fiero seats, I think it is worth the savings..

What modifications are needed?? just new holes to bolt them in I assume?
Larry Embrey

Also the early RX7 seats will work with some minor mods to the mounting. These seats come in several styles and leather. I got a set for $50 they have the side support botton support, adjustable lumbar, and adjustable head rest, they came on a LS RX7 model.

Bill Guzman

Bill, how do you find the seat hieght on the RX7 seats? Being 6'4" that is a large concern for me. I have stock MGB seats now with worn and broken webbing which drop me down...
Larry Embrey

There is a guide somewhere on the net about Miata to MGB. I drilled out one of the rivits on each rear slider so the mounting points could pivot and fit existing holes in the MG floor. I welded square tubing to the front floor and bolts as studs for the front mounting holes on the Miata sliders. May need to bend the front Miata mounting points. Attach rear with existing bolts and front wiht new nuts. I removed all of the seatbelt mounts and used the existing MGB seat belts.
Dick Porter
Dick Porter

Are there any substitute seats that look more or less like the originals? I think the Fiero and Miata seats are OK but to me they look comPLETEly out out place in an MG, or at least a chrome-bumpered one! I am sticking with rebuilt stock seats until I figure out something I can live with. NB the MG seat-back foams they currently sell are much more curved than the OE foams and they do hold you in quite a bit better. Plus if you rock the seat back a couple of degrees, using shims etc., the OEs are much more comfortable. The OE seats just look, to my eye, by far the best.
Terrence

Larry,
I installed the Miata seats in my 77 RB and they fit me very comfortable. I made a new frame in Alu to match the mgb boltholes in the floorpan but you can drill new hole if you want to do that. My "B" will ubdergo some cosmetic work this coming summer(rusty sills, etc) and think on bolting the miata frame to the floor with the miata pattern. The seats are black cloth and found them at a "junkyard" for $50 a piece.
For the purists it is a sin to put anything else than original in a mgb but I drive this car very extensive and sit in it for the whole day sometimes.(try to find some MGF seats for the die hards) Average miles per year is 20.000 miles!(Glad I have that V8)
I can sent you some pics with the new seats installed
if you want.
werner
Werner Van Clapdurp

yeah sounds great Werner, send me those pict, also send me some of the overall car and tell me something about it, I will give it a page on my site... How tall are you? I am 6'4", thus my concerns..

http://www.larryembrey.com/mgb
Larry Embrey

Hey, all, some new information..

I LOVE club meetings, you get to see all sorts of hew things. Lastnight one of our members brought his "new" GT, he just got it and it has Miata seats in it. I have heard about it before, but also heard people saying to swap sides when installing (driverseat on passenger side). His car DID NOT do that, I sat in it and it felt nice and secure, like it was molded to me almost.. I know I am now looking for miata seats as they fit well and are less $$ than the fireo seats I see around. I also heard of 2 guys in the club that have them as well, one of them had fiero seats, but installed the Miata and likes them better.
Larry Embrey

I also am looking for a way to either alter the existing seats or re-upholster something else so it looks like an MG seat. I want to create a one-off look...like something that came from the factory, but didn't. I plan on racing the car in SCCA's E-Mod class, so I need something with support. I was thinking about a more vintage-looking race seat as well. If I come across anything, you folks will be the first to know, and hopefully you'll do the same :-)

Joe Pitassi
Joe Pitassi

I am also planning to do a "one-off" with my seats. I am not a fan of leather seats, so the cloth of the miata is nice..

I will let you all know what I find.
Larry Embrey

While I put Miata sets in my GT I have nothing against the original seats I just like the Miata ones better. I have seen advertised for years in the Moss catalogue from England what they call Executive seats as a replacement for the originals Very nice but I bet very expensive to get here. I drove an MGF last year and while the seats were ok the Miata seats are better.
Dick Porter

For Joe Pitassi -

Look at the seats from Cobra or Corbeau - they offer a nice looking seat that is of the early lowback style that you might be interested in.

www.corbeau.com
www.cobra.com

regards,
Bryan Ayers
determined1@bww.com
Bryan Ayers

Bryan,

Thanks for the tip...I wasn't even thinking about Cobra's seats. I had already looked at Corbeau's, but Cobra has a couple that would go with the vintage look perfectly, and are available in vinyl. They may be more expensive than miata or fiero seats, but they look good (if they fit).

Joe Pitassi
Joe Pitassi

You might want to check these seats out. I have a set in my B V8 and highly recommend them.

http://www.beardseats.com/streetl.shtml
PED

This thread was discussed between 26/02/2001 and 16/03/2001

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