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Triumph TR6 - Help With Seats

Hi,

I have a 1972 TR6 and I'm considering replacing/altering the seats for a few reasons.

First, the leg room out of the box seems to be a little restrictive; This is my second 6. All told I've been driving Triumphs for almost ten years now, and I have a permanent callous on my right knee where it rubs up against the console....

I'm pretty sure I've got the seats as far back as the guide rails permit. I do have a roll bar installed that could possibly be restricting the seat travel, but I doubt it, since my previous TR had the same problem, sans roll bar.

Second, It seems like the seat proportions are optimized for the British physique cerca the Roman occupation, before vitamin companies appeared on the scene. I find that the nominal head rest of the seat plants right between the tops of my shoulderblades, safely clear of my noggin. And I'm only about 5'10".

Lastly, I'd like to be able to tilt the seat angle further back than I can presently. This is obviously related the travel problem above, and here the roll bar probably would into play.

I wonder if anyone here has any advice about all this. I've looked through the archives on the site, and I notice that some people install Miata seats in their TRs. I also saw a post that suggested a modification to the hardware to lower the seat closer to the floor. I'm also wondering if it might be helpful/possible to re-install the roll bar further back on the shelf- but then I wonder about allowing enough space to store the top when down, and having the bar interfere with top when up.

Finally, I seem to recall seeing an ad in some magazine or catalogue for a British company that makes new TR seats, (the whole enchillada, not just reupholstry). Whether they'd be an improvement over the stock seats or not, I don't know. Unfortunately, its academic for now, because I cant remember the company name or where I saw the ad. I'm beginning to think it may have been a hallucination brought on by undo pressure to the spine... Has anyone else noticed this ad?

Any thoughts and ideas would be much appreciated!

-Bill.
Billhound

Hi Bill
I fitted MX5 [Miata] seats about a year ago, and it's probably the single best improvement I've made to the car, particularly if your back's suffering from too many winters spent under old cars!!
Ron
R. Algie

Hi Bill,

Moss Europe has new seats to fit TR's. Look like what you're looking for.

Link: http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/MossUK

Download first pages of TR6 catalog.

I Think Moss USA can order them also.

Good Luck

Eric
Eric de Lange

I think TRF or Moss has new seats in their catalog--I've seen them in one of the two. You apparently get a little more range in the front/back slide with the new seats, but have to drill some new holes in the floor. Unless, of course, there are some conveniently located rust holes!

Bill, I'm 6'3" and don't have a major problem in my 71 TR6. It might just be the roll bar, because I've got my driver seat all the way back, and then the back tilted back a bit, and I don't have any real problem. I think you might try driving somebody else's car, without a roll bar, before you go to the trouble and expense you are talking about. Those new seats, as I recall, are in the $1300 ranger for a pair, which is pretty pricey given the value of our cars.

John
JL Bryan





Eric, thanks for pointing me to the Moss Europe catalogue. At least now I know I wasn't imagining things.

JL, I don't think its Moss, so maybe its TRF that has the seats in their catalogue. I've ordered a new catalogue so I'll soon see. Unfortunately, having taken a closer look at my rollbar, I think you're right. I think no matter what seat I have in the buggy, my rollbar is going to limmit how far back I can move/tilt to what I've already got now. I guess the choice is safety vs. comfort here. And you're right, if new TR seats from England are priced that high, its not really a hot idea to spring for them, given the total car value.

R. Algie, I think I'll go try out a friend's Miata to see what the seating is like in it. Even though I reckon that my rollbar is going to be a problem for improving tilt/travel back, they still may beat the stock seats in terms of basic proportions and comfort. I'm definitely going to have a look.

Thanks very much for your comments, everybody.

-Bill.
billhound

Bill
Keep in mind you are only trying out the seats for comfort. Do not look and feel the leg room as you are in a wannabe sports car ( sorry). I think your role bar is limiting your back travel especially if your style of role bar is floor pan mounted.
I have seen role bars mounted on the shelf with the top down...do not think it was an issue with top up.
OK now the IMHO thing. I think role bars take away from the looks of a TR6. Also A shelf mounted role bar is for looks only and would be useless in a role over. It sounds like yours is floor pan and shelf mounted...the proper way if you want it to attempt to do what it is suppose to do. If one got themselves into the situation where a role bar was to do its function then I do not think the role bar would make a difference if it was there or not in a stock TR6.
John makes a good point about trying someone elses TR that does not have a role bar in it. The Miata or MOSS seats I do not think will give you more leg room..more comfort...probably.
Rick C
Rick Crawford

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2004 and 17/06/2004

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