Changing Seats

Hi all,

I would like to change the look and feel of the seats in my car, I am writting from Spain so buying new ones would be real costly only in shippment, therefore I wanted to ask if it is possible to go from the red seats shown below (the ones I actually have installed at the moment) to the brown ones (the desired ones) just by upholstering. I mean are the inner fiberglass shells the same?

The ones I have right now (the red ones in the picture) seems to be kind of "empty" in the center part of the back.

I'm not sure if it is the same seat frame, other members will chime in about that.
You could call or email Vintage Speedsters about this, it sure looks like a VS seat.
Or you could go with something else. My problem is the lack of headrest in the classic speedster seats, but I love that style seat. Put a headrest on it and its perfect.
Just found these seats that are pretty nice w/headrests from Texas http://www.classiccarseats.com/solitude.php
Not really what you asked for but an option. There are some great seats being made in England and shipping to Spain might be very reasonable?
http://www.interiorsseating.co.uk/worldclassseating/

Or you can go my route and modernize a little with Miata MX-5 seats which are very common in Europe (read inexpensive)and fit in a pan based speedster. The MX-5 seats in Europe have the adjustable headrest which are scarce and hard to find in the US.

Good luck,
Dave

Thanks for your input but I am really only interested in the original look. Thanks anyway

Ignacio,

I am betting that you can not morph the first seat to be the iconic speedster seat. You mention the cost of shipping seats to Spain is very expensive. How about just shipping the seat shells or seats without upholstery to save on the weight and having the seats done at home?

I have some seats for sale

To answer your question... They are totally different seats and the red seats probably don't have an inner shell where as the tan seats do have an inner shell.... From the looks of things, the red seats probably have a metal frame with springs and the tan seats have a fiberglass frame with foam as the suspension medium.

The red seats do have an inner fiberglass shell, this is a picture of the last time I took them out of the car to clean them, it is only possible to remove the bottom cushion...

Your original photo's are deceiving. They look like a tubular steel frame with springs.. However, I still think they won't end up looking like the tan seats. But, without seeing the base fiberglass seat, it's still difficult to tell.

I had my original fiberglass eats modified, widened, raised...at a shop that does car interiors. He thought that widening about 2" and raising 2" would be more comfortable. He riveted hard plastic on the sides and top, cut and formed foam and sewed a leather cover.... all for $200.00 each.

Mike---I think that your seat is really attractive--I like it!

I too need to do some work to my own seats. My wife made some nice cushions covered with a heavy canvas that matches my top for our drive from Hot Springs, Ar to Carlisle. The cushion helped some but I thing a mod like you did would be the solution to the fit of my backside to my seats. The fiberglass shell is just too narrow where the seat bottom fits into the shell. The hard sides do a number on my a** after a 600 mile day.

What make were your seats before you made the changes? Do you have any "before" Could you please measure the distande between the left and right side of the shell where the bottom cushion goes.

Many thanks, Mike!---Jack

Mine were like Ignacio's picture on the right. The car was an early 80's FibreFab so I guess CMC as well...

Like the one he posted: http://speedsterowners.com/files/view.asp?sf=me61ic&f=Copia+de+Seat17.jpg

The guy widened them, made the front longer and more padding, raised the back 2" and all the foam is nice and soft but holds you in at the same time.