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 TD TF 1500 - New seats, more legroom!

To follow up on a prior post (which I can't find now) about various seating options to obtain more legroom for us tall guys, here is how my new bucket seats turned out. They were from a friends parts TD, not standard of course, maybe from a Toyota.
I just had them rebuilt and they give me about 5" more legroom plus a place to put my right elbow! I'm going to add a simple arm rest out of the same material when I get time. And matching leather straps for my luggage rack.
The old girl is much more drivable now! I'll keep the old seats for the next owner (someday).
Ed




efh Haskell

Another...


efh Haskell

They certainly look comfortable.
-David
D. Sander

I guess I need to ask how do those seats provide the extra legroom?
Geoffrey M Baker

Geoffrey, the extra legroom is largely because the seat back is about 4" thinner than my standard TD seat back. I've also mounted the seat all the way back and touching the front panel of the storage area behind the seats. (I know you can do that with the bench seat but these just do it better.) I also built my own seat "risers" out of steel tubing which lets me sit higher and put my left arm in a much more comfortable position. Doesn't sound like much but the devil's in the details as they say. Not sure a shorter guy would like it, but, hey, it's my ride.
Ed
efh Haskell

Ed, at 6.2" I'm needing every inch I can get...
Geoffrey M Baker

I'm 6' 2" as well Geoff. My size 12.5 shoes still don't fit in the pedal area. I drive in socks with my left foot behind the clutch pedal and my left leg almost straight, right leg about 20 degree angle on the gas. I may look into a "normal" gas pedal rather than the "ball" to help that?
Ed
efh Haskell

The inner fender doesn't interfere with moving the seat back like it does on a TC?
Gene Gillam

I have just had a pair of Triumph TR2 seats restored in leather for my TC. Far more comfy (no sliding across the bench back) and more leg room. The inner guard does restrict full rearward location but still far better than original.
Peter
Peter Malkin

Gene, I don't have a TC (mine is a TD) so I'm not sure what you mean, but the seats' backs go all the way back, and touch, the vertical panel of the rear storage area (I think some call that area the "boot"?)

I forgot to mention that I had the upholstery shop build up or "bolster" the outer portions of the seat and back rests just a bit. Because of that (and LaVerne's help installing the anti sway bar) and the "faux" non-slippery leather I choose I now have great lateral support cornering! New springs in the seats also help the ride and my butt!

Peter, would love to see your seats. Can you post a picture?
Ed
efh Haskell

Thanks for posting, Ed.
I had posted some weeks back about possibly using period bucket seats in the quest for more leg room.
As a more immediate measure I figured I would try a local mom and pop upholstery shop nearby.
My seat back was pretty much a "slab," with as you note a thickness upwards of 6 inches. I had him squish the center of the seat back by putting more tension on the cover at that point, just pulling it in and re-nailing it to the wood. This resulted in a couple more inches of leg room - enough to get my right knee from rubbing on the bottom of the dash and from pressing against the gear shift lever. My left knee stopped riding against the knob on the door latch.
It has made for a more comfortable ride. I remain open to at some point putting in buckets since it appears that the space gain is even greater. It's really worth it in terms of enjoyment of these little cars for us taller guys.
BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Ed,

Can you post a photo of the back of the seat tilted forward, please?

Tks,
Gene
Gene Gillam

Ed,
I was going to ask about your seats when I saw the "Drivers Ed" photo posted a while back, with the two steering wheels,,,, I can't seem to find it now,,,

Steve
Steve Wincze

Ed
I'm not too good at uploading pictures - but here's #1
Peter


Peter Malkin

Ed
Here's #2.
Peter


Peter Malkin

Could you post a pic showing how the seats touch the back (removing the cover sheet you have so that the rear box frame is visible? Thanks!
This is definitely making me think about what can be done to alter the bench profile on the standard seat back...
Geoffrey M Baker


Very nice Ed. What kind of door locks are you using?

Bill
TD24570
Bill Brown

Here is a shot with the seat folded forward taken from above. The blue tool bag is sitting on the back deck. Sorry about the quality. The seat is about 1" from all the way back. This allowed me to tilt the seat back aft which lets me almost straighten my arms out when driving. The top bow rubs little against the seat back with the top down. I pad it with some foam. It does the same thing with the bench seat in so I can't blame the new seats.

Fyi, these seats had runners that fit outboard of the old runners bolted to the floor at 2 places. I removed the old runners and got a piece of 1/8" steel plate cut to 17x12", drilled 2 holes in it and bolted it the same 2 holes. The new seat posts I built then bolt into 2 other holes in the steel plate from the bottom up. The end result is that the new seats are fixed to the car exactly as the old ones were and I didn't have to drill any more holes in the floorboards! The reason I did this is because the new seat is further aft and there are cross members in the way under the car.

Bill, good eyes! Those are marine cabinet latches I got on the web with a hitch pin from the hardware store.


efh Haskell

Peter, looks great! Sort of like some Cobra seats I looked into. Enjoy.
Ed
efh Haskell

Ed those seats look perfect in your car. Any way to determine their source so others can chase down a set? Like short legged me! I have the direct opposite of all the tall guys with my bench seat. If I am close enough to drive even with pedal extensions, a taller passenger has no leg room.
Jim Merz

Jim, no. Upholster thought maybe a Toyota but we'll never know.
efh Haskell

Thanks Ed.
Jim Merz

Too bad, it would be great to pin down a good replacement seat from a modern car. Thanks for the pix and info, Ed.
Geoffrey M Baker

Jim, Geoff,
There's nothing really holly about them. They are just a simple bucket seat with a tilting back rest. Of course you can only "tilt" it a few inches in a TD. I would think a good junk yard would have lots of them but I've never been to a junk yard.
efh Haskell

This thread was discussed between 02/11/2014 and 06/11/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.