CP seat built on CF/CR frame - is it possible?

[JohnC]

OK, this may sound utterly stupid (I'll explain it later), but can anyone tell me if it's possible to build a (UK) CP-series seat on a CF/CR-series seat frame?

The parts manual shows that they have very different constructions, e.g. among other differences, the CP-series has various wire frames to support the side cushions. What is not clear is whether the basic frame is different. Different part numbers, but how different are they really?

Have you, dear reader, ever seen both a CP and CR/CF series frame naked? If so, I'd love to hear from you! Incidentally, I have a pair of both types of seat, but I don't want to destroy the covering in the process of investigating (and the covers will certainly tear if I try to remove them).

You may well ask why I'd want to something so apparently pointless. Well here's why. I have a CP-series TR6, and way back in the mists of time I decided to 'upgrade' the seats by replacing them with later CF/CR seats, so that I could have a head restraint. I've always missed the more comfortable (to me) CP seats, with their deeper bucket/side supports. What I really want is a CP seat with a CF head restraint. The obvious solution is to weld a channel onto the CP seat frame to accept a CF head restraint, but that's illegal here (at least without paying a registered auto inspection engineer an exhorbitant ~USD400 to approve it), and would invalidate my insurance if ever discovered. It is legal however to fit the later seat to the earlier car (as I have done), and also to upholster the later seat with different cushions etc. So I wonder if I (or rather my local trimmer) could do this.

Any thoughts? I do know I could (in theory) install MX5/Miata seats, or presumably any number of aftermarket seats. Even so I would like to have CP seats with a head restraint (stamps little foot). Also, non-TR6 seats would *probably* be illegal...

Cheers,
John

 

[Andrew Mace]

OK, this may sound utterly stupid (I'll explain it later), but can anyone tell me if it's possible to build a (UK) CP-series seat on a CF/CR-series seat frame?

The parts manual shows that they have very different constructions, e.g. among other differences, the CP-series has various wire frames to support the side cushions. What is not clear is whether the basic frame is different. Different part numbers, but how different are they really?

John, I really can't help, but I understand what you're trying to do and do NOT think it sounds "utterly stupid"!

Not that I'm recommending you circumvent your local laws in any way (I would never advise that, of course /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nonono.gif ), but let's say you went ahead and did what you proposed to do, got it all together and upholstered, and installed it in your car. How is anyone to know it is not original? (I'm really just curious about this. Do your local inspectors really know TR6s that well?)

Meanwhile, I suspect that the two seat frames are not all that different beyond that part number (which originally could have been due to a single tab or hole in a different spot).

Knowing what I do about Triumph over the years, I suspect that -- primarily for cost reasons -- they reused and adapted such bits as often as possible. Case in point: A small number (only several hundred) Triumph Herald 13/60 convertibles were built to full US safety and emissions specifications for sale in Puerto Rico (US territory) in 1968 and 1969. This was AFTER the Herald was otherwise pulled from the US market. Having seen an original 1969 model, I can attest to Triumph's ingenuity in pulling this off. Emissions were solved by simply dropping in a US-spec Spitfire engine, complete with the dual SU carbs. Most safety-related items were simple bolt-ons, such as side reflectors front and rear; same as used on the Spitfire.

One slightly tougher adaptation was the then-mandatory headrests for front seats. (Keep in mind that Triumph made these special models in their Belgian factory, which was apparently better equipped to do such semi-custom work). Someone figured out a fairly easy way to adapt the US-spec TR6's folding headrest to a Herald seat frame. It looks "factory" because it IS, and it was a very clever solution to both meet the safety standard AND avoid making a very small run of unique tonneau covers with pockets to accommodate a fixed headrest! (If you're really interested in this particular car, there's a link on my web site.)