Triumph TR4/4A, TR250/5, TR6, Mazda Miata Seat Conversion Step by Step Installation

[@TR4Ajim]

Dave I put MX5 Limited Edition leather seats in my TR4A. Those limited edition seats came with separate headrests. The mounts I used were from Patton Machine and they worked great! 👍 BTW - in my humble opinion, having headrests are important safety additions that the stock TR4A seats cannot provide.

[@EconoboxGarage]

It's amazing what a seat upgrade can do for a car. I installed first generation Toyota MR2 seats in my '93 turbocharged Festiva. They made the car very comfortable for long road trips.

[@indyme2]

Frost? None here yet. Awesome video and just in time. I have been looking for some Miata seats for my 6. Tush to the rescue once again.

[@philtucker1224]

Nice work Dave, I think enjoying a more comfortable ride is more important than how the stock seats may look in say a static exhibition. Going out with friends and enjoying the car would be my priority. Nice work 👍

[@bodieb.1239]

As always your videos are so helpful. Well I'm only 5' 9" so that shouldn't be an issue. My TR 6 is a 1969 so as you said before the 69 has the most comfortable seats of the three types but my impression of the Miata seats you have are the side bolsters and maybe a bit more rigidity on the lumbar. I plan on purchasing the seat material from Moss to get them re-covered in the Blue and have a local shop do the actual stitching and covering. I do believe they'll be a very nice addition. Once again all your videos are the best and so helpful. Keep them coming and I'll keep spending the money. Thanks,

[@cheftush]

Thank You for the kind words. Good luck with your seats.

[@wtbm123]

Cool . they look nice in there .

[@darrellwalker1934]

I had Miata seats in my TR8 for a while, and found a few things to help with the height issue (which is even more of an issue with the Wedge). The first is a "foamectomy" on the bottom seat cushion. There are extreme versions of this, but all I did was to cut away the area of foam that goes into the depression in the seat pan. This leaves the seat looking stock, but lets you sink down just a touch more. The other thing is grinding away the roll-over lip on the holes in the seat tracks. This will only give you an eighth or so of an inch, but every bit helps. I did get custom Mr Mike's covers, and can't say enough about him. But I eventually went back to stock seats on my TR8.

[@DavesTR4A]

Hi Chef! Congratulations on your Miata seat purchase. You’re going to love them. Dave

[@cheftush]

Thanks Dave, what was the name of the guys that supplied your covers?

[@rsvp-realscalevehiclesproj6965]

I like the white hard top. That looks great! 👍😎👍

[@cheftush]

Yes, I think these cars look great with the factory steel hardtop….that’s not often the case with a lot of models…..

[@daviddeal6321]

Great video David. I have a set of Miata seats I recovered waiting to go in to my 71 TR6. I recovered mine with a set of eBay cheapie upholstery and was quite surprised with the quality. Thanks again for all of your videos. With your and Elgin’s help I hope to have mine back on the road in the spring. Stay warm!

[@tomhughes9107]

Looks good, safer and more comfortable. Sounds like a win to me! You know this project is somewhere on my list Chef.

[@cheftush]

Yeah tough call for you in the future…repair your stock seats or “ upgrade” to the Miata seats.

[@tomhughes9107]

@@cheftush Easy decision for me since I don't like the original seats with useless headrest. Just need $$$! And fit it on the priority list.

[@cheftush]

@@tomhughes9107 I’m in for around $400 including the brackets and the seats.

[@jamcdona]

I finally watched this. Bold choice! I'm 6'1", and noticed that I was sitting higher right away. My worry gave way to happiness pretty fast though, as I am able to compensate by moving the seat slightly fwd and tilt it back. I haven't tried with a top up! You got me thinking. I haven't had the hard top on in years, as it leaks like a sieve from the window seals in the rain, but I'm going to install it this year. Hope I'm not too uncomfortable. I drive my cars all year around in the US PNW, so once in a while they get wet. My only regret: I used a seat cleaner that has a cheap cologne-type stank, and seems to be hanging on for dear life in my garage LOL :D

[@jamcdona]

BTW, I agree 100% with you on the 73+ seats. The other earlier one piece seats look great. These always looked funny to me, as I could tell the backs were really low.

[@kevinblume2976]

Good job on the seats, Chef. Thorough explanations as usual. Enjoy!

[@grahamjohn331]

looks great David. I just missed out on a set last week.

[@cheftush]

They are quite comfortable!

[@pucman1]

Looking good and probably more comfortable….

[@cheftush]

Way more comfy.

[@RustyBeauties]

Nice conversion and some nice video editing tricks here :)

[@cheftush]

Only took me 12 hours 😉

[@jamcdona]

Elin, check your son's car for missing seats... ;)

[@rickdaniel8478]

Great job Zoom zoom

[@DavesTR4A]

Hi Chef! In the video you mentioned your roll bar and I was curious if you installed it and if there’s a video on that. I was thinking about installing one so I can incorporate a Lexan windbreaker to calm down the wud turbulence. Thanks, Dave Connitt Nice video by way👍

[@cheftush]

Hey Dave, I don’t think I have a video of the installation….yes, I did install it myself. I probably didn’t do one as you know, adding a roll bar can be a touchy subject…or course you get guys saying that if it’s not frame connected then it’s not a roll bar etc. etc…I didn’t want to get into that discussion. Mine isn’t frame connected, but it is fully plated on the bottom shelf of the car and bolted in 6 locations.

[@DavesTR4A]

@@cheftush right, I would just like a mounting structure to add a wind dampener. We are planning on driving the TR4A up Pikes Peak in June, then on to see Mt. Rushmore, then through Yellowstone and finally heading east through the bad lands and on home. My wife is traveling with me so we’ll see how that goes😂. I may be buying a one way ticket home for management but we’ll see.

[@philipavery8465]

Hi Dave, good video I brought MX5 seats for my Spit 6 restoration do you know if they do kits for spitfires?

[@cheftush]

Hi Phillip, I haven’t seen any personally in my searches but I’ve been primarily looking for the TR6…Sorry I can’t be of more help!

[@DavidPlass]

I know these seats can also be installed in a GT6 but I don't know which brackets are available or required...

[@alanm.4298]

If/when you recover the seats, you may be able to modify the cushions to sit a little lower, if needed.

[@cheftush]

There is one video on KZbin about doing a “foamectomy” to make them a little shorter. 😉

[@jamcdona]

@@cheftush I saw that one also. Best left to guys like you and Elin, in my opinion. But, worth a try!

[@joshhensl]

Nice seats, thinking of doing that upgrade too. Curious about your roll bar.. Custom or do you have a source for it? Nice car!

[@cheftush]

Hi Josh, the roll bar is custom. There was a guy who did a run of about 20 of them about 15 years ago. I wish I had another one for my TR250 actually.

[@ralphcap2476]

I put them in my car also recovering is easier said than done .

[@cheftush]

Can’t be any harder than the Alfa seats?

[@tomhughes9107]

I'm ready to do my install. Rough idea on #hours required?

[@cheftush]

A couple of hours per side should suffice as long as the captive nuts in your floor are in good shape. Good Luck.

[@MrWaalkman]

I just snagged a '72 TR6 for a song (the owners are moving to Alaska). It needs a lot of work though...

[@cheftush]

Awesome. Congratulations.

[@BruceBoschek]

Wow! Lucky. We will be awaiting videos! 🙂

[@MrWaalkman]

@@BruceBoschek Just for you! :) kzbin.infoWoWBkbO2yz8

[@MrWaalkman]

BTW, has Elin's kid figured out where his seats went to yet? :)

[@cheftush]

Lol, I was looking at those….😉

[@scottdrysdale9903]

Chef … are you familiar with the air intake system that I have in my 75 ? Can I simply take it all off without impacting engine/car performance ?

[@cheftush]

Hi Scott, yes you can remove it. You will have to do some plugging off of things like the air rails in the exhaust manifold and the egr valve etc but it can be done.

[@cheftush]

Maybe some useful information here. www.triumphexp.com/forum/tr6-tech-forum.2/74-tr6-emissions-removal.747382/

[@scottdrysdale9903]

Thank you Chef …

[@mikestrang6229]

SO now that the 3 , 250 and the 6 are in storage does that mean-------------------------------------------tr3 time ????????????

[@cheftush]

Yes Sir!

[@BruceBoschek]

I saw Mazda Miata conversion, but missed the word "seat." I thought, why would you put a Miata engine in a... oh, never mind.

[@cheftush]

Lol I’m not that crazy (yet 😉).

[@markaluge]

Sorry Chef, but they don’t look as good as the original seats to me. Just as well that we are not all the same.

[@cheftush]

Yes, I said they wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea…I’d prefer the stock seats as well but I don’t find them comfortable or supportive.

[@Richard-uj6dt]

🙌 p̳r̳o̳m̳o̳s̳m̳