Seat Options? Ideas?

Hi, I have a CMC car that needs to be completed. I have the original fiberglass seat shells but want a more stock look. I believe that someone mentioned that early ghia seats can be modified and look close to stock, is this true? Other options? Thanks!

James

what year car are you trying to copy?

The shells are period correct for 1955-1958/early 59

The Ghia seats won't fit, stock 356 seats don't fit either.

I had the same problem I took a pair of 1984 Honda seats and narrowed them 3 inches and reduce the rear seat base frame 2 inches in the back get a pair of Drauzs look alikes. That do fit

They set very good but it takes a skilled ulpholster to make it work and look perfect. I could walk you through the process but its too tricky.

If I had it to do again... I would have boxed of the rear tunnel sides to use any kinda seat I wanted.. But that would have had to been done during the pan build..

The clutch tube and throttle tube would have had to been moved and adjusted . that re quires cutting and drilling off a section of the bottom of the tunnel to gain acess...

A lot of work for sure!! but well worth it if you wanted to make the pan look completly real. like a porsche.

Barry,

I'm really glad you got the light over your keyboard now and can see the keys!

Now !!!! If I could just learn to type. OUI!!!

Oh back to the honda seats it works out that by narrowing the seat you lose a spring in the seat base .

And simply shorten the springs in the seat back and do a simple spring bending tweek for the back springs to look and fit right.

I did not cut down the seat and back foam to narrow them down the middle.

but i did narrow the back end of the seat base foam a smug. to clear the tunnel ..on the tunnel side of both seats.

Here is a pic . I'll let you guy judge to quality of the seats. But me ! with a bad back .I can ride for hrs before i have real problems.

Barry, Where did you get your arm rests?

James:

The two easiest seats to use in a CMC that I've found are either Porsche 914 or Mazda Miata. Either ones drop right in. They measure about 15" across and are narrow enough to fit in the chassis space provided.

If you get some from a salvage yard, make sure you get the slide adjusters and with the 914 seats get ALL of the floor mount and tilt-back adjustment gizmos, too.

gn

i have the Mazda MX5 miata seats in my speedster - fits perfekt
sits very low so headroom is no problem.
it also have a thin seat back profil so there is good room behinde

they are very comfy to sit in, driving all day is no problem at all.

Arm rest were removed from my 1996 Geo tracker when I put electric windows on it

I made differnt armrest that also held the switches for the windows on the Tracker. they and it are long gone SOLD!!!

But i also liked the arm rest and added a polished aluminum wire as a trim on them

They fooled ya !! didn't they?? I bet you thought they were 65 Ghia's

Jesper I like your seats But go look at a real 58 roadster and see how close i got it Darn close!!

@barry

yes u r correct - yours are more time correct, but i didn't go for originality, as i already "ruined" that with special backseats and windup windows :-).
I just went for comfy ;-)

But you really got some beautiful made seats

Im not kidding I dooooooooooooooo..

like your seats . The head rest especially!!


What I did was stll no bargan. But yes they could easly pass for the real thing. and are period corect. and yes they are comfy.

But still,, lot a work..

Barry,

Kudos (?) to you MGM, as the seats you show are pretty damn close to the real ones I had in my B coupe, so many years ago. Excellent work.