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  • Roadster replacement seats

    Current Marlin Seat Measurements.jpg

    Hi I am after some advice regarding replacing the seats in my Roadster. I have looked through ALL the related posts on this to try to find a company that would make a seat that, one fits and two, fits in with the style that I want. I basically want a classic looking seat rather than a sporty one. The closest I have come to finding one is from Intatrim (Saturn seat) as I like the look of it. I have contacted them and they say the seat is 38cm wide. My current seat is 36.5cm wide and is tight in the pan between the transmission tunned and chasis. Is my floor pan unusually narrow? I don't think there is much room between the tunnel and the prop shaft and don't really want to be banging things around to gain my extra 2cm (I know it doesn't sound a lot but could be critical in the fit! Above is a diagram I have made of my current seat measurement ( I am a wiz the paint programme??!)

    I have spent a lot of time on the WWW looking for seat manufacturers and can find nothing really, mainly due to width. I certainly can't find any seats that look like the original ones.

    By the way the problem with the seats is that the base is angled to get the back to recline a bit and the bar along the front of the seat makes my right leg ache during longer journeys and it digs in a bit. So I was really looking for a design that has a foam pad rather than the sprun bed frame type. I have tried re padding the seats with some memory foam to firm them up a bit to try and reduce pressure between my leg and the foam.

    Any help would be really appreciated as I seem to be stuck really.

    Regards

    Dan Cook

    Exeter kit car show 2.jpg

  • #2
    Re: Roadster replacement seats

    Hi Dan,

    The original GRP Marlin seat obviously fits and the squab is a foam filled pad although they arn't the most comfortable seat in the world. A number members recently replied to a wanted ad offering to sell their spares that are in various states from fully trimned to just the bare shell. I dont know what they used to upgrade theirs.
    If you are intrested I can PM you a couple of contacts.

    Or my sons Mk1 has a pair of early Westfield seats that fit quite nicely he got his from the good old ebay..
    Ben Caswell probably not the last word on anything here!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Roadster replacement seats

      Corbeau sportsman seats fit. Available as fixed or recliner, with or without headrest





      Recliner gives improved access to luggage storage.
      MOC member since 05/97
      1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
      1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
      Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
      The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

      Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Roadster replacement seats

        Hi,
        I've been down the same road as you describe and there isn't a simple solution. My original Marlin seats were extremely uncomfortable and needed recovering so I researched seats as you have done and came up with only two. One was the Instatrim which I think could be persuaded to fit and the other was a Cobra Roadster which has a very narrow version but is a proper bucket seat.

        Anyway I took a deep breath and bought a pair. To cut a long story short I couldn't get far enough back without modifying the aluminium bulkhead at the back of the cockpit and sold them at a loss.

        My next move was to make a full width plywood panel for the backrest with ply seat bases raised at the front. I was about to take these to my local trimmer who was going to upholster them with raised ends and centre to give some location when cornering. By accident I saw a pair of very narrow old Corbeau seats in black leather on eBay which had been in a Jaguar special and they fit fine.

        Again with eBay a week or so ago I saw a set of Caterham seat back and squabs similar to what I was making that I hesitated about buying but decided to carry on with the old Corbeaus.

        My feelings are that you don't need conventional seats as the possible range of adjustment in more or less zero and, Heck you're the driver after all. I'm 5ft 9inch tall which is average and find I need the full length of the cockpit with the rear end of the seat cushion on the floor. If you want to make a set of seat squabs I'll happily post the dimensions of the plywood panels I have ready for upholstering. If you live near the South coast I'll sell them for the cost of the ply but would rather not get into packing them up for transport if I can help.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Roadster replacement seats

          Intatrim Gemini fit (what I have currently). I used to have the Corbeau Sportsmans - not a bad seat but they are very narrow and don't make full use of the available space in the car. My Corbeaus wore out/split after a few years so I don't think they stand up to being walked on as is the way with my entry technique for getting in car.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Roadster replacement seats

            Thanks Ben I will have another look on E-bay at Westfield seats.

            Regards

            Dan Cook

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Roadster replacement seats

              Thanks, I take is you were quite pleased with the Gemini seat? I take it your Roadster is a mark 2 is there any cockpit width difference between that and a mark 1?

              Cheers

              Dan Cook

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Roadster replacement seats

                Thanks to everyone who posted it has given me some more options.

                Regards

                Dan Cook

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Roadster replacement seats

                  The seat well is near enough the same width on both cars.
                  Ben Caswell probably not the last word on anything here!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Roadster replacement seats

                    OK Thanks Ben.

                    Dan Cook

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Roadster replacement seats

                      Intatrim sent me out their demonstrator Saturn seat so I could see if it would fit in the Roaster. It fitted a treat so I am going to order a couple of seats for the car.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Roadster replacement seats

                        About 9 years ago I fitted Richfield seats into my Marina based Roadster without any modifications to the tunnel or body. They weren't cheap but are much more comfortable than the original Marlin seats. The part number was RX1100N (N for narrow, presumably). No idea if the company is still in existance.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Roadster replacement seats

                          Hi
                          Richfield seating was bought by interiors seating some time ago. Their website only shows the RX1100 but maybe they are still able to make the narrow version.
                          Have you considered the RX777. http://www.interiorsseating.co.uk/wo...ng/RX777V.html
                          This is a lovely seat and comes with a headrest for added safety / comfort. My mate has these in his car and I have sat on them for many hours on long road trips. Very very comfy.
                          I have the Intatrim ranger seats in my Roadster and they are NOT comfy at all. My arse is numb after 20 minutes. I will be replacing these with RX777 as soon as funds allow. Only thing though is that rx777 have a thicker swab and at 5'11" and 12 stone my SWB Roadster is already a tight fit for me so will probably lower the floor to fit them.
                          Have you considered these??......
                          Online shop and mail order for classic car, vintage, kit car race car and motorsport parts and accessories quality service trading for 40 years.
                          Mk2 SWB Marina Roadster with a 1800 Fiat Twin Cam engine and 5 speed Abarth gearbox built in 1987
                          - I have no idea what I am talking about........ but my advice is always free! -

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Roadster replacement seats

                            Ruby asked if I had the dimensions for a backrest and squabs which i had made and I'll attach these in case anyone else wants to make their own.
                            I can't remember the thickness of foam I was going to use but it was probably 3 inches total including one firm 1 inch layer on the base.
                            The dimensions allow for the covering material to go around for fastening at the rear.Marlin Seat Bases 002.jpgMarlin Seat Bases 003.jpgMarlin Seat Bases..jpg
                            They would be screwed direct to the floor and were right for me with the backrest hard against the rear bulkhead.
                            Only use exterior grade ply (WBP) and use a wood primer or a couple of coats of varnish to keep the water out of the wood.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Roadster replacement seats

                              Hi,
                              Saw these on gumtree whilst surfing. They have nothing to do with me and the advert is 17 days old so may have already been sold. They appear to have some chrome handles screwed to the top of them so may explain why they are so cheap.
                              Attached Files
                              Mk2 SWB Marina Roadster with a 1800 Fiat Twin Cam engine and 5 speed Abarth gearbox built in 1987
                              - I have no idea what I am talking about........ but my advice is always free! -

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