MGB Help needed from new 65 MGB owner

[bighealeysource]

Help y'all,
I have just purchased a nice restored 65 MGB and looking to change out the incorrect black vinyl seats for the correct
for this car red with black piping leather. Owned a lot of
Brit cars over the years and went to take out the seats and
not as easy as I thought. Is the only way to get the seats
out is by taking the entire seat frame assembly out ? Plus
I have one 1/2 inch bolt that is turning but not loosening
on the right side passenger seat rail so that has me stumped
as it is not accesible from underneath - covered by a frame rail. Any help would be really appreciated or looks like I stay with the black vinyl !
Regards,
Mike

 

[1965_MGB]

It is true that you have to take out the entire frame to get the seats out. The bolt you are having trouble with is covered by a frame rail. You may need to hack off the head of the bolt, or do as some here have, and drilled a hole in the crossmember to get at the capture nut.

Are the current seats in good shape? If so, there may be someone here (like me) that is looking for a good set of seatcovers

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Ron,
Semper Fi to you too !!!! I live in Beaufort, home to
Parris Island so have a lot of Devil Dogs as friends.

I wasn't one myself, I was an Air Force puke !

As to the seat covers, they are actually brand new, from
Moss. If I can get them off I am trying to get this car
back to original of red with black piping and red with black
piping on the panels ( actually still have some of the originals) If I can get them off, I will make you a great
deal on them. Don't know about hacking off that bolt head
as think I would have to use plastique to get it off but
worth a try I guess. If I'm successful I will get back
to you about the black vinyl seat covers.

Semper fi,
Mike

 

[DrEntropy]

MIKE!!! A Dremel with a cut-off wheel and patience!!


...just some advice from a fellow USAF puke... :wink:


Sounds as if the PO grabbed anything he found to anchor the seat. 1/4-28 was original. There are aircraft fasteners around to allow you to drill out the bugger'd captured nut and insert a 1/4-28 in its place. It may be necessary to "hole" the cross-member to remove the spinning nut, tho.

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey,
Thanks for the advice about a demel, I've got one so that
sounds like a winner. Next question, I get the front ones
off, how in the world do you get to the rear ones without
being a contortionist. I move the seat as far forward as
it will go and still can't get to them.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[kennypinkerton]

there's a small square of metal inside the track (toward the front of the track) that can be unscrewed, it will allow you to slide the seat farther forward. I completely left mine off when I installed my seats.

 

[DrEntropy]

Or use this as an excuse to acquire MORE TOOLS! A 7/16" GearWrench works a treat. :wink:

 

[1965_MGB]

I have to look into these GearWrenches I keep reading about. I see Lowe's carries them. I guess I am going to take a ride out there and pick up a few of the wrenches.

 

[jackq]

I have one tool box that has a few drawers dedicated to gear wrenches...standard and metrics, regular lengths, stubbies, offset head types, don't know how I went so many years without them.

 

[1965_MGB]

I picked up a couple of the gearwrenches today. Just a 7/16, 1/2 and a 9/16 to give them a go. I only used the 1/2 today to put my high note horn on, and it worked pretty well. Time will tell though. But for the price, I find that they will come in handy.

 

[19_again]

I buy my at Sears, made in the USA! I really look for reasons to use my swivel head 7/16th, They don't mark the visible, painted nuts and bolts like valve covers, etc.

 

[Steve_S]

The Craftsman version of these wrenches are far nicer than the Chinese Gearwrench version and imho are worth every penny. The head flexes and locks into any position which is a feature that will pay for itself in no time. If the extra bit of money isn't a problem, you will thank yourself for the rest of your life for buying them! And I do agree, these are the best tool for removing MGB seats.