Miata Seats

[DSwanson]

Have any of you put Miata seats in a Spridget with a street roll bar?

I have a set I was going to put in my Sprite mkII with a street roll bar (mounts to the floor behind the seats) and with the seats pushed back tight against the roll bar there is barely any room and my knees hit the dash if my feet are on the petals.

Any suggestions?

 

[jlaird]

Only thing I can think of is to shorten your legs.

 

[bugimike]

or tip-toe through the petals!

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I'll respond shortly to that very question. Miata Seats about to be installed in my '68 with a roll bar. Adding the roll bar did decrease the amount of seat recline due to headrests interfering with roll bar. If I was to remove headrests, seats are from a 70+ Spridget BTW, I would return to original seat back room. Fortunately my legs are substantially shorter than yours.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

OK DSwanson had me extremely worried and I went outside and pulled my Miata Seats out of the Mobile Spridget Parts Storage Vehicle( A Chevy Suburban 2500 ) and placed one in the DS of my '68 with a Roll bar. It is possible depending on seat placement to get far more room and seat recline than with stock seats. When Miata seat is positioned properly, front feet of seat 2 1/2 to 3" behind cross member, headrest back will fit between vertical bar on Roll bar and press against the 45 degree brace. When in this position, the seat back of the Miata Seat is resting against the parcel shelf behind the seat. The seat physically cannot recline and further anyway, not due to the rollbar but due to the parcle shelf and seatback. Yes it is a tight fit but in just the trial fit I am much more comfortable than with stock seats.

Welding up a proper set of mounting brackets, and I have a set of blueprints available that adapted Miata Seats to a Flat Floored Spitfire if you want a copy, will need to be done which will raise the seats perhaps 3/4-1" higher off of the floor. Or I may just opt for drilling a new set of mounting holes being careful of brake lines underneath the floorboards.

After seeing a friend's Spridget T-Boned by a Buick that ran a Stop Sign, and the Rollbar that provided side rigidity to allow the Spridget to slide sideways and kept the Buick out of the driver's side,and driver to walk away, I'll keep my rollbar. It may provide a false sense of security but I know I do feel safer because of it.

 

[Morris]

Pictures please!!!!!!

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Morris after I have them installed. Need to see if anything cnages once I get mounted permanently.I do have a print of the mounting brackets I can send to anyone who wants. May go with that solution or try another Idea I have in mind. Miata Seat bases are at a 45 degree or so angle. I can probably figure out a proper angle for a collar to go around the bolt cut at the same 45 degree angle so I can get the bolt at 90 degrees from the floorboard without a whole lot of modification. Set up a piece of luan 1/4 Plywood as a template for hole locations and drill new holes in floorboards with proper backing and reinforcements of course. Hey sitting here thinking Ijust worked out an alternative solution to seat mounting. And no welding and minimal fabrication required.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Link for Spritfire /Miata Seatr Adapters

Since Spitfire floors aren't completely flat they need this sort of adapter.

https://ye-beast.com/Spitfire/Beast_Folder/Beast_Tech/Seat_Talk.html

A metal or wood dowel sliced / cut at what appears to be 39.5 degree angle could position a bolt at a 90 degree angle to the floorboard. Use dowel above and below and you can precisely align the bolt. Now with a lathe could precisely machine a collar...., no seek a simpler and easier solution.... Hey I just may install these seats this weekend.

 

[DSwanson]

Here is a link to some photos of the Miata seats set in place:

https://home.earthlink.net/~swanson.systems/images/

I have taken off the Miata seat adjusters/rails for test fit-up and replaced them with 2"x2" (1-1/2" x 1-1/2") wood (about the same thickness as the rails). The seats contact the verticle roll bar tube when they are 3" from the parcel shelf.

Jim,
What kind of roll bar do you have?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Dean,

Not sure of brand of rollbar but 45 degree brace on mine os definitely much higher up and does not interfere. Camera is acting flaky and I don't have time to send pics tonight. Let me see if I can do it in the AM.

 

[DSwanson]

Jim,
In my car the seats are hitting the vertical upright from the floor of the roll hoop, not the 45 degree rear brace (see photo DSCN0054).
https://home.earthlink.net/~swanson.systems/images/DSCN0054.JPG
Dean

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Dean,

On Bugsy, center of front bracket mounting foot is positioned 3 1/2" behind frame member and shoved as far as possible towards the transmission hump. Are you sure you are as far towards the center as you can possibly get. I can get plenty of recline and even needto pull seat an inch forward to get optimum driving position. All I can figure is a slight difference in rollbar shape on the vertical bar. Bugsy's rollbar is designed to accommodate the seat and seems to fit around them. Let's see if I can upload a pic or two and if that will help. Darn,

Pics are too big let me see if I can e-mail directly to you.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Dean,

Send me your e-mail and I'll send some pics.

thistle_3619@yahoo.com

 

[Branson]

pictures please


I think I have a similar rollbar installed on my car and have thought about using miata seats.

Thanks!

 

[DSwanson]

Jim,
The one big difference I see is that the vertical pipe of the roll-over hoop on my rollbar goes to the floor and yours only goes down to the rear shelf.
That’s why your car would have more seat travel.