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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Fiero seats ...

I think I'm going to swap in a set of Fiero seats. I sat in an MGB with 'em and they are so much more comfortable it's not even funny ... I hadn't realized how great the difference was. What type of covers have you guys found that look the most appropriate? ... I'm a bit concerned that they will just look wildly out of whack in a chrome bumper BGT. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that these can be made to simply bolt in with no mods whatsoever to the car -- that is the key to me persuading myself to actually do this.) Is there any reason not to just go for the speakers-in-headrest type? ... is there any particular year of Fiero that I should be looking at?
Ted

Ted,
I just picked up a set of fiero seats from an 85 fiero that were damn near in mint condition. They sat in a warehouse, and I got them for 120 bucks! Mr Mikes makes a nice leather seat cover, and they can even have the MG emblem embroidered on them. Personally, I'm converting my entire interior over to a cream colored leather with wood trim (dash and all) so I'm having the company who makes all the prototype seats for Ford recover my seats in leather. (It's nice having the big 3 in town) =) Here's a few links I keep bookmarked so you can see the Mr Mikes seats in mgb form:

http://members.aol.com/goneguy/seats.jpg
http://members.aol.com/goneguy/in-car.jpg
http://www.mrmikes.com

Do they look a little out of place in a chrome bumpered car? Maybe, that's up for debate. Are they more comfortable, and will they do a better job of holding us in place? Yes.

Hope this helps!
Justin

p.s. Fiero seats were the same for all years of production. They all seem to have the capability to have speakers in the headrest, but not all of them do....

p.s.s. The president of the company who makes all Fords prototype seats drives a 67B!!!!
Justin

You should give it a whirl. I purchased a set from Tony Barnhill under specific direction that they fit the original captive nut holes w/o mods, and they go in there just dandy -- if it were possible to screw up, I'd surely have done so. I have a '74 chrome bumper, with an otherwise bone stock interior, and they look just great ... the interior of the car is beige, and the seats are black leather (the plainest Mr. Mike pattern), and it sounds like it would not look so hot but it looks absolutely smashing with the black dash, console, and footwell mats. The beige MG logos really help make them look right. I haven't had the car out as it's the salty dead of winter here, but from what I can tell they are about 200 times more comfortable/supportive than my MG seats, which were in fine shape but at 6'-2" I just could not get comfortable in them. I opted for the kind with speakers in 'em in case I ever spring for a radio -- it will be nice to be able to actually _hear_ the radio! Not cheap but seemingly quite worth it. I'll just hang onto the original seats in case the car's next steward isn't of the same mindset.
David

HI guys

Am thinking of this swap for my 72 BGT, does anyone know of a source to get Fiero seats in the UK (not a car we had over here), or indeed a good contact your side of the pond who would ship?

TIA ~PHIL
Phil

... also, I should add that my car is a GT. Head room is obviously crucial in a GT when you're fairly tall and I was relieved to find that the Fiero seats, while extremely firm, put you in a nice low position (about as low as you get with MG seats with shaved lower foams and the wooden spacers removed). Or at least Tony's do ... he fiddles around w/the seat rails and it's not clear to me how they come stock.

Just in case anyone wonders.
David

ted, i have a set with speakers in my rdstr, bought from tony b and covers from mr mike, i had a set in my gt that i got in the same place and went with no speakers, big mistake, having the speakers that close to your ear you can hear them using the stock radio with no amp, very worth wile, i have a set of mazda miata setas that i put in my wifes midget and even though they fit the car well and have speakers i do not like them because they are very thin up top, iwear a 48 to 50 long jacket and for my build having the shoulders on something is a lot nicer, phil, i would think in the uk you have many other good options, like mg metro turbo setas , i have sat in these in a mini and they are very nice, lastly on a different note; i have a set of gray cloth fiero seats, speakers in them, in almost perfect shape in bags in my shed if anyone is interested, jim
jim m

If you cannot find Fiero seats, Miata (MX5) seats also fit...

With either brand, installation is easier if you swap sides driver and passenger.


rick
rick ingram

I was just going to chime in as well about the Miata seats. I was going to go Fiero until a bunch of locals got Miata seats and said they were more comfortable. I lucked out and scored a tan leather pair out of a 91 LX Miata, color is nice and light and matches the door panels pretty well.

I am not sure I can agree with the swapping side issue. I had a friend say he swapped the sides for his miata seats, but looking at his car is is obvious he had not. I physically pulled my seats out and he has his installed as normal with the seat back adjuster on the outside of the car. I have mine sitting in place and have checked movement and it seems fine, even all the way back for my long legs. Seems to have a much longer travel than the old seats as well, and much smoother.
Larry Embrey

The Fiero seats are a bit more complicated to modify than just switching from side-to-side...the rear feet on the Fiero seats have to be modified & rewelded & then the seats swapped from side to side...I use the slides/feet from 4 seats to make 1 pair of seats fit the factory holes in an MG...
...&, '84 Fiero's were the only year w/speakers even though any seat can be modified to take speakers...
...I do about a dozen sets a year using Mr. Mike's leather kits...I also have them in my personal cars & am doing a radically upholstered set for my V8 car (5-point harnesses through the upholstery on each side of headrests, extra 'Ferrari' style lumbar, etc...
...for my money, the Fiero's feel more comfortable than the Mazda's.......
anthony barnhill

Anthony...My Fiero seats are not yet installed...I based my information on thae knowlegde of a friend who installed same on his 1974 GT....and another friend who put Miata seats in his 1969 tourer.

I am interested in your 5 point harnesses....did Mr.Mike provide openings for you in the upholstry? I have 3" belts (Y-harness) and would be interested in doing the same.

Looking forward to your input.

rick
rick ingram

Hi guys - good comments, thanks.

I know the miata (MX-5 to us) seats fit, but to be honest i prefer the shape and fit of the fiero seats to them, and in the interest of being a bit different (Which i like) i would prefer the fiero seats, hence my query.

Jim, i would be interested in your seats, i can post my email address if you like or send you an email off line, no probs (i only dont post it here, so as to avoid the spam)

I did not think of the possibility of MG Metro seats fitting. I do find it maddening that many seats (including the rally type bucket seats, such as sparco etc) do not fit the B, especially considering its racing heritage. I have found that you are restricted in width really and i would prfer to keep an adjustable seat rather than bolting direct to floor.

Moss and the MGOC sell leather seats in the classic style, but to me they do not look either comfortable enough, or grippy enough to warrant their price tag, and thus cannot justify spending the cash on a set i am ultimately not happy with.

If you have any more info on obtaining other seats that might be worth a look, id be interested to hear.

Kind regards


~PHIL
Phil

Interesting conversation on seats. I own 4 mgb's and know about the Miata conversion, but didn't know about the fiero seats fitting a "b". I like the Fiero seats alot, as I also own a Fiero G.T. and it is comfortable to go on longer drives (on rainy days only lol) I will try a set from my parts fiero in the "b". If they work in my 1800 mgb, then I will recover them for the V-8 project. Thanks for the suggestion.
Peter
Peter Humphrey

Ok, here are my Miata seats in my GT:

http://wishfamily.org/mg/74mgbgt.html

Scroll down to see the seats. The picture was taken during the process of re-wiring the car, so the interior is apart inside.
Michael Wish

Rick....yes, Mr Mike did the leather for me & I modified the seats to fit the 5-point harness....Mr. Mike also does the embroidered MG logo on his seats because I asked him to do them (I've ordered several sets of them from him)...&, he now has the 5-point sets on his web site....
...the harnesses will attach to the custom chromed dual hoop roll bar (aka BMW Z3) Kirk Racing will be making for me in March
anthony barnhill

Phil,

I am most interested if you find a source for the MX-5 seats and/or Fiero seats in the UK. Am considering this swap myself. Or a set of aftermarket seats, but which one fits? Sparco, Corbeau, OMP, Momo, what model?

Frank
Frank de Groot

I have the fiero seats in my 74 midget and they fit (although a bit snug on the trans tunnel). I would reccomend them to anyone want to replace their seats. I haven't bought the Mr. Mikes kit yet but will soon as the fabric is getting a bit tattered and the inner foam is starting to show. I have seen an add-on seat heating kit but can't seem to locate it. Does anybody out there know where to find the butt heaters?

Tad R.
Orlando, FL
69 MGC GT
74 RWA Midget
Tad R.

Rather than swap the Fiero seats side to side, swap the tracks. Most of the side to side seat swaps I have seen leave the seat backs tiled, not straight up. I have put Fiero seats in 3 cars by swapping the tracks only, & then doing a bit of modifying, as Tony mentions.

After putting in a set of leather Miata seats with speakers, I would not go back to the Fiero seats, however, the Fiero seats give better latteral support- very important if you autocross.
Jim Stuart

Jim...swapping tracks won't do anything...tracks are tracks are tracks....once I remove them from the seats, disassemble them & make my modifications to the rear feet, they become 'side immaterial'...thus, Fiero tracks are the same regardless of onwhich side of the car the seat goes...the reason you have to swap the seats side-to-side is because there's no room for the seat back adjuster outboard in the MG like there is in the Fiero...MG has sills, Fiero doesn't!....so, you have to put the adjusters inboard...
...I've built well over a dozen sets of Fiero seats for MG's & have never been able to put a set in an MG with the adjusters outboard...so, I'm guessing you either (1) don't use the adjusters meaning you have to set the angle initially & live with it like that or (2) don't get full forward/rear movement of the seats on their rails (I can get Fiero seats closer to steering wheel & farther away with my modifications to the slides & still use the original MG mounting points....&, you can tilt my seat backs as far backward as the confines of the car will allow--or pull them forward out of the way to remove the battery!
...to each his own re Fiero or Mazda but I think I've built/installed more Fiero seats in MG's than anybody else in the country & have pretty much perfected moodification of feet to fit MG mounting points, tilt of seat bottom, forward/rearward slide of seat itself, and full seat back adjustment, etc...
anthony barnhill

Fiero seats are OK, I had a set of them in my I-H Travelall for quite a few years, and then put them on swivel bases in the motorhome. Originally they came with a project MGB-V8 I bought and scrapped and I had thought about using them in my MG, but I needed seats in the truck. Having used them 8 or 10 years, and had ample opportunity to compare to the original MG seats, I decided to turn them into passenger seats for the RV instead, and reupholster the MG seats. You might wonder why, and the reason is simple. I found that the upper part of the seat pushes down on my shoulders. I don't recall now if that is a function of the forward tilted headrest but I expect it is, and I found it to be a consistent irritation. So I now only occasionally use them, as furniture. I am 6'2" tall, but apparently I am too tall for them.

There is another reason, well two really. First, I really do like the look of the MG seats with black leather and red piping, and secondly, I don't like the headrests. So when I do the upholstery job, the headrest bungs will be left off.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

This thread was discussed between 05/02/2003 and 09/02/2003

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