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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - seat runner spacing

I was wondering if anyone could post the measurements of their seat runners between bolt centres (in the floor).
I'm trying to fit my refurbished seats into a new BMH floorpan but there's quite a bit of difference between the seat runners and the holes.
The holes in the pan are near enough 13.5" apart but when I have the runners fitted to the seat rails the bolts are either 12" apart if I have the runners set inboard of the seat rails or 16" apart if I swap them over to face outboard.
I can't find any reference to the seat runners having changed width so is this just another case of the new BMH panels being crap? I've had to fettle every panel I've fitted so it wouldn't surprise me if they've screwed this up too.

Seats are standard recliners with the central headrest post.
graeme jackson

there are differences in seats and seat runners over the years

see Ashley Hinton's seat runners here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-midget-Austin-Healey-Sprite-Set-Seat-Runners-with-nuts-bolts-and-washers-/290909855323?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43bb941e5b

as my car is a '73 there no point me checking for you on mine
Nigel Atkins

I've mailed ashley to see if there are differences on the flange widths between the two types of runners he sells (I have the set with adjuster slots all the way down - the other type only has slots half way down).

I'm now wondering if there have been changes in the seat frames themselves over the years. For the record the bolt centres in the seat tubing are just under 14 inches apart.

Another thought that has just occured is that these could possibly be MGB seats although the padding and covers I bought to refurbish them fit perfectly so I doubt it.

Should the runners be inboard or outboard of the seat tubing?
graeme jackson

see the link to the eBay, it shows -
'... for the MG Midget's and Sprites from 1958 to 1972, part numbers AHA7883RH and AHA7884LH (In the bottom of photo)' - these shows as holes all the way along

whereas - '... for the late MG Midgets 1973 to 1979 a set of seat runners part numbers AHA9946RH and AHA9947LH. (at the top of photo)' - these show as holes only at front

there were two different centre headrest frames IIRC

you do know you can get reprints of the factory Parts Catalogue and Workshop Manual on both on a DVD - very useful for those restoring a car I'd have thought along with Terry Horler's book if you want originality

I'd have thought B seats were bigger, look up the part numbers and compare

in board or outboard, I don't know on a pre-73 as I can't remember
Nigel Atkins

Graeme, while there were minor changes to the runners themselves I don't think the distance between fixing centres changed from '69 through to '80 as the seats themselves were the same with minor variations only in the pattern of the vinyl covers. The distance between fixing centres on a '73 shell is 13 1/2 inches.
David Smith

I have a ashley hinton aha9946b and the measurements are 315mm between centers and the back hole is an elongated 20mm long hole these fit a 1977 midget
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

my '73 - 13 1/2 inches across from one floor runner to the other
Nigel Atkins

Thanks guys. Looks like the seats I got from evilbay aren't from a midget then :-( Now I have to decide whether to move the seat tubing or get another pair of frames. Don't want to put any more holes in the floor.
graeme jackson

Mark - Graeme needed the distance between the runners, not the fore-and-aft distance on one runner.
Graeme - Andy McGee is having exactly the same problem with seats he also bought on ebay, wonder if it's the same source?
David Smith

the measurement is for the bottom runners with their lips facing outwards

perhaps you have earlier seats(?)
Nigel Atkins

just checked car is on lift distance between fixed nuts on underside of floor at back is 340mm
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

so 13 3/8 inches (near enough) for those of us still working in imperial :-) Thanks mark.
graeme jackson

Slightly different problem David, I don't think I explained myself well enough on the phone the other night.

The seats I got are brand New Old Stock items that were ceased in production over 12 years ago and were stuck on a shelf somewhere and they weren't bought off ebay. The seats that I mentioned I'd bought off ebay were the current style of Classic Seats and I found them to be uncomfortable for my back and were put back on ebay and they ended up in Spain for some unknown reason.

I've since found the B type runners (with integral adjustment lever) that have the correct hole centres to mount to the underside of the seat tubing.

As I recall the "track" between the seat tubes is different between a Midget and a B (or at least the seats that I've had over the years).

My road Midget has the first version of the Classic Leather Seat upgrade that Moss sold way back 20 years ago, so I can't measure those seats as being a standard Midget seat. The BGT we're putting together is getting the same style of seat with the same construction so again that will be useless to measure as a comparison.

Sorry I can't be of any help.

Andrew
Andrew McGee

.... and the saga continues. managed to pick up another pair of frames from evilbay and spoke to the seller before I clicked the buy it now. He assured me that the seats came from a midget so I was a lot more hopeful. However, when the arrived on friday they turned out to have different runner spacing to each other. One fits the midget and the other had the same spacing as the two frames i started the thread with.
Rather than mess about trying forever to get something to fit I cut the runners off the offending frame and welded them in place in the correct position then painted them up. Spent most of yesterday re-doing the pads and covers and then getting the runners to line up in the floor. They look pretty smart now...




graeme jackson

just fitting my seats dose the driver seat get rather close to the tunnel when moved forward and passenger seat is close to the hand brake but appears to move ok ,drivers seat very stiff to move is there a knack to fitting or is it a case of grease everything well and play with them until the get free to move.
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

mark.
Both of mine are very stiff to move so I think I'm going to take them out again and open up the slides a little then add some coppaease.
graeme jackson

redid mine last night re-greased all runners still stiff but better than they were not that they will be moved that often.
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

you might find they're stiff because of wear and perhaps twisting in frame that concentrates the contact area the seats and runners unevenly

although obviously the driver's seat gets the most wear it's usually the passenger side that's worse because that seat isn't moved as often so hasn't cut its own path so to speak

unless you want to strip the seats back to frames and check for alignment and areas of wear just keep greasing and moving the seats every time they're used by putting them out of position before you get out of the car (easy for me as I have to move the seat back to get my belly in passed the full size steering wheel and then move they seat forward because of my short (a*se) legs)
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 03/05/2013 and 14/05/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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