Cabrio seats

[Alan c]

I know there has been discussion before but cant find it in the search function.

Thinking of replacing my Cabrio seats -any advice on supplier or type

[Alan c]

Re: Cabrio seats

What i have are OK but just uncomfortable after a hour or 2

[stevejgreen]

Re: Cabrio seats

Try...

http://www.marlinownersclub.com/forum/search.php?searchid=720705

[Alan c]

Re: Cabrio seats

Thans Steve but link just dead ends at No Matches

[scott h]

Re: Cabrio seats

You could try going on google and doing a search that begins "Marlin owners club forum " followed by whatever you are looking for. I have had more success with this method than the forum search.

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Cabrio seats

I have written the odd forum on this subject over the years; frankly I was amazed you lasted for an hour or 2 as IMO a bed of nails would be preferable.

I've been researching replacement however the main draw back is that fact that they are so narrow so that pretty much excludes standard seats without serious modification to either the seat and/or the transmission tunnel; that's particularly galling as recently I did find a really nice pair of early MX5 seats for sale. I know there's a guy in the MOC who's replaced his with some S-Line seats out an Audi but that did require transmission tunnel surgery. Looked good mind.

Europa Spares do a range of seats, I've been tempted with the following as I like a recliner:

https://www.europaspares.com/interior-parts/seats/custom-classic-kitcar-seats/recliner-seat.html

Workng on my house excludes me from following this up at present but they are in my long term plan.

I'll be interested to hear where you eventually go with this.

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Cabrio seats

I'm also amazed as I found them to be one of the best seats I've ever had [later high back style]. The best in my opinion are those in Saabs but of no use in a Cabrio.
At the end of the day if you're of generous proportions I doubt that a change of seating is going to help that much due to the none too great internal dimensions of a Marlin. Just my two penny worth!

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Cabrio seats

Fortunately I do not lean towards the "generous" proportions, not the tallest out there either, hence I find the rest of the Marlin set-up to be pretty bang on, I have tweaked the gearstick a tad to suit me, other than that no problems. My other car (TVR Chimaera) also has limited internal dimensions but it does benefit from having seriously good seats, just a shame they are also too wide for the Cabrio otherwise I'd be slotting in a pair of those pronto.

As ever its a case of one mans meat is another mans poison.

[copperleaves11]

Re: Cabrio seats

If you can fit MX5 seats in, I'm sure they would be a good choice . My Sportster, being short wheelbase , was too narrow for the standard seat, so I dismantled them and took 1.5inches out of the width and had them re-covered. Very easy to sit in for 2-3hours at stretch. What fits one person won't nessesarily fit another.

[cabrioman]

Re: Cabrio seats

The seats from a suzuki cappucino fit in the cabrio (just) and are fantastic but difficult to find. They only came in faux black leather and nearly always have splits in the drivers seat when they are found used. Last pair I bought I paid about £100.00 for and then you have to factor in having them recovered. Mine are currently in storage until I finally get my hunter back on the road this year after completly rebuilding it. Oh and by the way if you go down the cappucinno route fit the ns in the os and vice versa, they fit better in the Cabrio like that.

Cheers

John

[chris_cussen]

Re: Cabrio seats

I have these http://www.cobraseats.com/monaco-pro.asp
Pros: Comfy, fabric so you don't get too sweaty
Cons: Tight fit, need to fabricate subframes, non adjustible back and a bit upright, don't match 'authentic' 1950 style vehicle.
Still I did a 200 mile trip and they were fine.

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Cabrio seats

Just to clarify. My first Cabrio had a pair of 'aftermarket ' seats of indeterminable origin which were terrible. I replaced those at great expense with a pair of Marlin's own seats which were the later high back type.
My second Cabrio came with the above mentioned seats already installed. I can't comment on the earlier style Marlin seat fitted to Cabrio's.


If I had a Chimaera I wouldn't bother with a Marlin , but garage is not big enough to house that itch!

[wiggiesworld]

Re: Cabrio seats

Just to clarify. My first Cabrio had a pair of 'aftermarket ' seats of indeterminable origin which were terrible. I replaced those at great expense with a pair of Marlin's own seats which were the later high back type.
My second Cabrio came with the above mentioned seats already installed. I can't comment on the earlier style Marlin seat fitted to Cabrio's.


If I had a Chimaera I wouldn't bother with a Marlin , but garage is not big enough to house that itch!

Ah there's a little story on the Chimaera. Back in early 2010 I was originally in the market for a Marlin Cabrio, I had just sold my old Dutton Melos (a family member called Daisy) as an ongoing disability was hindering my wife's ability to now get into that car, I was gutted but part of the enjoyment of kitcars is the sharing. So the search was on for a car with doors, namely a Marlin Cabrio.

After struggling to find one and being told by someone in the MOC that they liked to vet who they sold them to (this bit is true, surprised me too and initially put me off joining the MOC) I kind of went off the boil trying to find a Marlin. A friend of mine owns a Chimaera 4.5L and suggested I take it for a quick drive. Lovely car and long story short I bought a 4L in March 2011. A great car that contrary to the urban myths has been very reliable, I took it to the Spa GP in 2016 and its always been a very comfortable car for long trips. Goes ‘nicely’ too. A definite drawback when driving it is that it seems to attract every d#ckhead on the road, I’ve lost count of the number of times someone in a BMW or Merc has just had to try to race me, I ignore them and let them zoom off into the distance as the safety of everyone else on the road is far more important and I’ll let them get the penalty points.

At the end of 2015 I decided the time was ripe to sell off another of my toys, a ’78 bay window Westfalia camper, and this left a free spot in the garage, yep the hunt was back on. This time I was fortunate to make contact with Danny N who happened to have a nice Nightfire Red Cabrio LWB available, the rest as they say is history.

Driving the Chimaera and Marlin are both enjoyable in their own way. Its nice that I rarely get the boy racers when I’m in the Marlin, through the odd BMW/Volvo driver still tends to have the odd rash moment. This always surprises me as the Marlin isn’t a car that usually invokes these d#ck waving acts, I guess some people just can’t help themselves. The Marlin would be even better if I can just:

a. Find some seats that’s as comfortable as the Chim’s
b. Get time to upgrade the exhaust to reduce the amount of popping/banging on the overrun. Need to tune the engine a tad to help with this.

On a final note, the MOC has turned out to be a great club, nothing like that first introduction. Shame the same can’t be said about the TVR one………

[milliemarlin]

Re: Cabrio seats

... being told by the someone in the MOC that they liked to vet who they sold them to …

If only we had vetted that member.

The seats in Millie are from a BMW Z3. They are very comfortable. I try not to drive more than 2 hours without a break or more than 5 hours in a day which is easily achievable. They did need to have an inch or so taken out of the frame to get them to fit. This has left the leather a little slack. They are not appropriate to with the period of the car.

For my Sportster I have similarly modified some Saab 900 seats. It’s going to be a while before I can report on their comfort in action.

In my experience production car seats are more comfortable than any aftermarket seats.
Paul

[Alan c]

Re: Cabrio seats

Thanks all. I had not considered the age appropriate aspect - must keep that in mind. Maybe a refurb is the answer as the side support detriorating padding is the main issue