Miata Seat Install [Attn MIO]

[bill_powell]

The install is progressing fine, but there is one issue I thought I would bring to your attention.

In my case, 1969 Midget, 1991 Miata seats, note the seat track:

There is an offset, circled in yellow. This is the passenger seat, with the offset on the outside track. No problem. Note that the inside track has no offset, so the mounting holes can remain within the Midget's reinforced area. I will be using the existing rear hole, and drill a new one for the front:

On the driver side, however, this offset is on the INSIDE. If you use the Midget's existing REAR/inside mounting hole, this offset will require either that the seat be canted right in order to keep the FRONT mounting hole within the reinforcing, or canted left to gain enough clearance for the bolt.

In my case, I decided to also drill the front hole within the reinforcing strip, and bolt a plate in (from the top, within the passenger compartment) with an additional, offset hole for a seperate seat mounting bolt. This allowed me to use the car's reinforcement, and keep the seat straight. (Sorry; I did not think to photograph the plate, and it was a PAIN to line up and tighten, so just go with your imaginations, if you would.)

Overall view at this stage. Using a wide-angle lens, so things are a bit 'bent' looking:

I know, I have a "black and tan" thing going on, but that's okay with me for now. Besides, I got the seats for $125, so what the heck. Off to work now; updates as needed/requested later...

 

[tosoutherncars]

Dang, that looks sharp...

 

[Mio]

Hi Bill,
Very well done! Thanks for the pics. The seats definitely look like they would be vastly more comfortably than the OEM ones.

Mike

 

[RickB]

That's awesome Bill - I have been thinking about that for my Frank as well.

Now, please tell me about the scoop on your hood?
Is it active, as in does it scoop in outside air?
What's under there? Is it a matter of not being able to close the hood without the extra room?
I too have that problem, so I'm very interested in your solution.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I took the approach of cutting off that alignment pin. I used the existing rear inside mounting hole and drilled 3 new holes. I used a approx 15 1/2" long 1 " Square Tube under rear mounts to raise up the rear, this puts seat rails level. Seats are different widths back there on the mounting points BTW, don't ask me how I know. I was able to mount using 3 5/16 x 2" bolts. New holes were drilled as 3/8". Even though Miata Seat foot is at a slight / when rear is raised 1", I can almost go straight down with a 5/16" bolt. I used large fender washers and backing washers to center the bolts in the Miata mounting points. On inside rear, 1 was able to use a 1/4-28 x 2" bolt to the existing mounting hole. This orients the seat within DS and PS cockpit and I can use the back of the seat for alignment.I added an additional backing nut and washer to the captive nut for safety purposes.

From a seat mounting standpoint, I am planning on adding a piece of 1" angle iron under the outside bolts to provide added reinforcement under the body. Goal is to keep the seat firmly attached to the car at all times.

I am able to get the Miata Seats to fit comfortably, including using a rollbar, far more comfortably than with the stock Spridget Seats. I can get far more recline to the seat back tan I could previouly. I also do not need to have the seat all of the way back as I did previously.

 

[bill_powell]

That's awesome Bill - I have been thinking about that for my Frank as well.

Now, please tell me about the scoop on your hood?
Is it active, as in does it scoop in outside air?
What's under there? Is it a matter of not being able to close the hood without the extra room?
I too have that problem, so I'm very interested in your solution.

Rick: having owned seven (7!) Minis over the last 25 odd years, I got hooked on the 1275/HIF6/LCB setup. I simply had to have it on this Midget. I was aware that the intake manifolds were different by a 10 degree angle, but I decided to run with what I knew, and solve the clearance issue with a hood scoop. What the heck, you know?

I cut out a small area just above the HIF dashpot, and found an amusing scoop on eBay. (It is an air-intake from a 1957 Beechcraft Bonanza. Yes. The airplane.) I like to think that the scoop helps provide nice cool airflow to the carb:

Besides, I get the freaking greatest 'wooshing' sound from the intake/K&N combination now. Of course, I only hear it when I stop laughing...

 

[RickB]

Bill,

That is so much cooler than the 'scoop' that came with my car - the DPO seems to have fashioned one himself out of fiberglass.
Man it was ugly.

I've got a teardrop shaped cover that was designed for some kind of Harley - since I have two spare hoods I decided to go ahead and mount it to the hood with the hole in it. This way I can use a nice K&N air filter.

I can post a picture later today, so far it's turning out pretty nice.

I mounted it with epoxy and then used bondo to make it seem to be welded on. I've been painting it all to match the car (Rustoleum has a color that matches exactly) :wink:

Right now it doesn't have a whole in the front, if I could locate some kind of cover (maybe with just a screen) I would go ahead and cut in a hole for airflow but I want it to have a 'finished look' to it.

This is just until I locate a side draft manifold for the Datsun head so I can mount a pair of SU's. Then I'll put one of the other hoods on the car.

 

[bill_powell]

Excellent. Photos when you have a chance.

My scoop install was just a quick bolt-on for now. I will have it done properly later, since I am not competent when it comes to body/paint work.