Fitting headrests to Plus 2s seats

[berni29]

Hi There

I want to fit headrests to my Plus 2s seats. I used to have a 70's MG that had them on a chrome stem that you pushed into a hole at the top of the seat. I have never seen the frame of a plus 2 seat (has anyone got a picture) but would it be possible to weld the tube arrangement into the seat I wonder.

Has anyone got any solutions on this front?

All the best

Berni

[simon.mitchell]

Hi Bernie,

Why not fit MX-5 or (if you can find any) X1/9 seats? The latter look good in a Plus 2 in my opinion and have been designed to have a headrest incorporated.

Simon

[elansprint]

I used to have a +2 on a J plate which had the federal seats which already had headrests incorporated

regards

Ian

[berni29]

Hi Simon

That would be the thing to do, and get them recovered to look as close to original as possible. I do like the idea of modifying the standard seats though. I saw a pair of Mazda seats in a TR6 that had been done really nicely. Not the ones with the integral headrests though, they look a bit strange to my eyes.

I am wondering how high the fedral seat backs are. I somehow think that they do not come up high enough to make a real difference. Also I have only seen them in the early style seats, never in the later. Do they exist in both forms?

When I do my "other" plus 2 I will not have any problems with it being unoriginal.

By the way, How is your car running. I was very impressed when I saw it.

All the best

Berni

[simon.mitchell]

Hi Bernie,

I have federal type seats in mine I think - they look as if they have head restraints but you're right in that they're not high enough to actually restrain your head.. Should keep them really as they're just about the only 'original' things on the car, but I'm on the look out for some X1/9 seats to recover.

The cars running great thanks - I'm using it every day at the moment and enjoying it very much! Funny because when I first drove it I was amazed at how quick it was but now I think it could do with a bit more power sometimes. The handling is superb though. I had a 205GTI for a while last year and enjoyed the way that I could throw it into corners and it would 'stick', but this is on a different level altogether. I must get along to another track day now I've got the feel for the car (I only finished it the week before Castle Combe) as there's no chance to properly find it's limits (and mine) on the road.

The only slight niggle is that the speedo has just packed up. On the MT75 gearbox there's an adapter held by a circlip into which the angle drive fits. The housing on my 'box was slightly damaged when I got it, but I thought it would be OK. It wasn't so now I need another solution. I might try an electronic speedo with a sensor that fits to the propshaft - has anyone successfully fitted one of these?

[niallf]

Hi Berni,

I've just uploaded some pics of my MK1 MX5 seat fitting.

See http://community.webshots.com/user/niallf18

Simon, I need some help to get my car running, if you get a chance can you drop me an e-mail.

Thanks,

Niall.

[berni29]

Hi Niall

thank you for the link and pictures.

It looks like it it is all coming together nicely. You will have one hell of a car when you are finished! How much did you pay for the seats if you do not mind me asking. The MX5 ones do look good. I prefer the ones with normal headrests personally, but having said that yours look very good. Have you had them recovered?

All the best

Berni

[niallf]

MX5 seats cost me about 150gbp for the pair from e-bay. These ones have speakers built into the headrests, that increases their price and desireability. I thought this was a cool idea, but having seen the speakers it's a useless gimmick.

They are currently in standard MX-5 grey cord material finish. If I have the money I'll have them leather trimmed (450gbp !)

Car's painfully close to finished, but I've got a big problem getting it to run properly. It will start, but it pops & bangs a lot and there's virtually no throttle control. It's probably something obvious, but it's eluded me so far.

Cheers,

Niall

[berni29]

Hi Niall

Fantastic news that you are close to being done. I do not know much more than the basics about tuning, and very little about fuel injection, but if it is popping back through the throttle bodies I would say that something somewhere is wrong with the timing. Maybe go through the whole process realy slowly again. If you get the same results then get someone else to do it with you as an observer only. That way if you are missing or have gone "blind" to something it will be found.

Best of luck

Berni