MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - MGF seats are in the Midget

MGF seats do fit in the midget, and they are so comfy compared to the original seats that came out.
If anyone wants a pair of Midget seats with the runners, make me a reasonable offer. The foams are somewhat worn but they would do as a donor pair or for a rebuild.



S Langston

They look good! Now you just need to respray your car in BRG to match the piping on the seats. Ha.

I've seen only one MGF here in the US, and as it's in a museum, chances of obtaining its seats are somewhat remote. We can dream...

Cheers,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

They look quite big in the car, do they decrease leg room by much? I'm 6"3', and broad too, so I can't afford to lose much in the way of leg room, but I would be tempted.
S Overy

When i first got the seats i measured the originals and the F seats. They are in fact the same height off the floor to the top of the seat cushion. They are the same width. Obviously the overall height to the top of the squab is greater than the Midget seats, and even more with the headrests fitted.
When i first got in to drive there was a noticeable difference. There is slightly less legroom, and because you dont sink into the seats you sit on them because of the foam being firmer you do sit higher. I went for a 50 mile round trip in it yesterday and it was like driving a different car. Overall comfort has improved, and in corners you are held firm. The only critisism i have is this, my right arm was a bit to close to the door. I never noticed this before probably because the old seat foam was worn so you tended to lean to the left anyway. So it is a bit like driving a Land Rover Defender, arm out of the window style !
I am happy with the new seats, i am 5'11" and find it snug so at 6'3" you may be a slight cramped.
S Langston

Nice to see the picture of them in the car. I won some on ebay last week, so I should get them any day now. Any hints for me? I know you have to put them the other way around, MGF drivers seat to the midget pasenger side. How did you go about fitting them? Did you just drill new holes in the floor of the midget to put the MGF seats in? Any help would be great. Thanks.
n Allen

N - you have to change the passenger seat to the drivers and vice versa, and yes, you do have to drill new holes in the floor.

If you look in the Archives, then I believe it was John Collins who did a really useful guide to putting them in.

S - they are more comfy, however, you will find that they sit "higher" in the car, so, getting in and out is a tad more difficult. If I was you, I would try and see if anyone locally has them fitted and would let you try first. If you're ever over this direction, you'd be welcome to try, depending on when it was.

Chris Vernon, who is doing the trip to South Africa thought about fitting them, and, after trying mine, decided against it, even though they are actually alot more comfortable. He's not 6'3", but, found them too tight.
rachmacb

I fitted mine 2 years ago, and they are more comfortable and supportive side to side. However I still intend to raise the fronts of mine as I find you do not get so much support under the thighs as you do when fitted in the mgtf, even at 5foot 8in.

Colin
C Martin

We fitted some to ours about 10 years ago, they've been great. Definitely more comfort and good support. But we are all short-ish!

The MGF seat back is deeper (front to back) than the originals and that limits how much you can move the seat backwards, at least an inch, possibly two.

We also noticed the lack of support under the thighs, and raised the front of the runners an inch to compensate. Perfect!

If we hadn't cut off the stepped-down lug from the front of the MGF runners then the packing wouldn't have been necessary. However, our motorsport regs require all sorts of drama if replacement seats are'nt secured through the original mounting points on the body, so off the lugs came for overall simplicity!

I have also fitted MGF seats to my MGB rally car as my crappy back can't handle off-the-shelf race seats (needs more cushioning and more back rake). Well, sort of fitted MGF seats. Used MGB base frame and rake mechanism with MGF back frame grafted on and MGF cushions. (Oddly enough the B floorpan is a little narrower than a Midget, hence the "merge"). They have given good support under track and rally conditions.

What is interesting is that I had them trimmed in the original H style (see attached) - and many people who see them think the are original seats with a bit of extra padding!

I'm now contemplating whether I can get the same effect with the current Midget project, horseshoe-style trimming (close as possible to the original '61 style) on an MGF seat. And also thinking how the back frame could be modified to lose that extra room it takes up and allow the seat to go further backwards.




Paul Walbran

I have recently fitted TF seats to my F - and they are slightly smaller and lower than the F ones, with less bulky backs. Might be a thought if anyones thinking of changing.
I did grab a spanner and start edging towards the F, with a view to seeing how they'd look in the Midget - but managed to slap my hands away. Had to buy a new (second hand new) interior for Fidget to dissuade myself though!!
Ally

Glad you like the picture. N Allen, here is what i did. I removed the rear brackets off the runners and fitted a thick piece of steel across between the two runners picking up the holes that remain from removing the brackets. This piece of steel will be where you drill holes to like up with the original fixings.
I left the front brackets in place, doing this means you dont have to remove the cross brace from the runners as they will be slightly off the floor.
Just be aware of where you are drilling. I had to move the fuel pipe as it was directly under wher the hole was to be.
Yes you do have to fit the opposite n/s on the o/s etc
Have fun and enjoy.
S Langston

For what it's worth, I refurbished my interior a few months ago, using all new seat covers and cushions from Moss. I'd already replaced the rubber webbing in the seat bottoms, so I left that as is.

I was surprised at how much firmer the replacement cushions are. Old seats tend to go squashy anyway, so maybe the difference is to be expected. But now the seats are quite firm and supportive, and more comfortable than I expected. They're still not bolstered much, but they're considerably better, and naturally they look factory-spec.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

I'm with Gryf too - biggest difference is when you replace the rubber diapragm on a seat I've found, replacing the rubber webbing should be similar but not quite as stand out as diaphagm

these coupled with the seat cushion make a big improvement

the MGF side bolsters and the fact that the seat's rearward movement is slightly restricted does make me wonder if entry and exit of the car, especially with the hood up, would be more difficult for those of us with beer bellies, not me of course ;)
N Atkins

S Langston, thanks for the advice. So is the only reason you put a thick bit of steel across the two runners is so you can use the original fixings? Many thanks Neil
n Allen

Nigel - I think you might get your answer to that question in the thread you declared you wore a skirt :P

I wouldn't know about the beer belly, but I do know that with big feet, it is more difficult, however, for the extra comfort and support, it is worth it.

Of course, it takes away the chance of concours, but, since I can never be bothered with all that polishing, I can live with it :)
rachmacb

too late for me I had my seats reupholstered to standard a couple of years ago - 6 months later the seat frame broke through the new vinyl cover so I now have a patch

yes I did ask for the frames to be checked before starting the work - have I ever mentioned my bad luck with cars :)

and the fun and games I had with having sports seats made for another car which end up with a complete rebuild and re-uphostering of the two existing seats very shortly before getting rid of the car - have I ever mentioned my bad luck with cars :)

my wife and I re-upholstered the seats in my first classic, a BGT, and it went slightly wrong causing probably the worst row we've ever had so never was it attempted again

N Atkins

Neil. I fitted a piece of 1 1/2" flat steel strip between the two runners. It was easier to do this and use the original fixings than to drill two more holes in the floor. also there is room for manouver doing it this way and it is easier to get in a phisically do it. There isnt a lot of room for slight errors in fitting. The rake adjuster is practically touching the centre tunnel is where you want to be when the seat is fully back. Fit the bolts in the rear fixings before you drill the holes fot the front fixings. Make sure the seat moves for and aft before you proceed. I used 10mm bolts for the front mountings with spreader plates underneath.
You can fit over the carpet, or do as i did and fit first then trim the carpet to fit later. My carpet is still in the shed !
Hope this is usefull.
S Langston

This thread was discussed between 23/07/2011 and 26/07/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.