Newer Caterham 7 seats into an 80s Caterham?

[BoxheadTim]

Never got to own a Caterham while I lived in the UK but now that I live in the sunny corner of the US of A I suddenly have a chance to buy a RHD '84 Caterham 7 with a freshly rebuilt engine for not much more than the engine rebuild. Well, it was a rather expensive engine rebuild...

The only problem is that it's got the old style bench seat and that just doesn't work for me. I need more support than 4" of air under my thighs as I've got iffy knees. The same seller also has an early 2000s Caterham with the later, much more supportive seats that's a much better fit for me but not necessarily my wallet. That had me thinking - is it possible to fit the newer style seats into the older chassis without too much fuss and still fit into the car?

Of course another option is to get Tillet seats, but that would be more of a last resort option.

[Gawsworth]

If the car has a long cockpit, then you can fit adjustable seats if it's a short cockpit far more difficult. If the chassis number starts LCS, you have a long cockpit, CS3 it's a short cockpit. There is a company - Axminster panels who make bespoke seats for a reasonable price, it might be worth trying them. The first long cockpit 7 was built in '81 but it was an option initially.

[BoxheadTim]

Thanks. The seller is a local-ish Lotus specialist with a shop full of Caterhams and he's pretty sure it's a long cockpit one. I'll check the chassis number if I go down there again.

It's a little weird, the cockpit feels a little shorter than in the 2001 I also tried for size, but not massively so. Of course the 2001 has the newer seats so that makes a difference.

[BBL-Sean]

I am no expert, but from everything I've read, the long cockpit came into being around 1996, which would make it unlikely for an 80s car to be long cockpit. However, it wouldn't be unheard of to have a new front chassis welded in to replace an original that had been damaged, so I believe it is possible.

[tight fart]

My 1989 car is Long cockpit, I thought they started as an option around 86.

[Angus7]

Yup - Long cockpit definitely 1980's, I am not sure of the exact date.

[Dorchester]

I have a standard cockpit (oops nowadays short)and fitted Cobra Classic bucket seats way back in 1980. I had to modify the outer frames a little for the seat to squeeze in between the tunnel and the side panel but being std cockpit the seat sits snugly without runners or any other mounting paraphernalia.
If my car had been a long cockpit, then the seat would have fitted without mods as the long cockpit version has a much narrower tunnel.
Done at least 200K miles and the seats are really comfortable :-)
Don't know the best place to buy but lots of places sell them (and similar). I think mine cost me around £40 but expect them to be in the 100's now :-( Obviously not the super trendy seats that Caterham now use but...

[BoxheadTim]

Thanks for all the answers.

My research suggests that long cockpit became an option in 1981, which would make a 1984 long cockpit reasonable.

Those Cobra seats aren't a bad idea if I can get them over here. Another option I hadn't thought of before is to have a local upholsterer re-create the seat cushion in a way that fits me better. That should at least be cheaper than springing for something like a Tillet.

[PiersR]

I had a new Super Sprint in 1985 and it was optional to have a long cockpit.

Piers

[PiersR]

Holly Molley David - 200k miles in your 7 - must be a record and the seats must be comfortable.

regards

Piers

[Dorchester]

Hi Piers,
Seats extremely comfortable, masses of side support which is great when cornering at 7 speeds :-)

Car used to be everyday transport for me plus the Swiss trip every year (le mans, south of France, Italy then St Moritz!) Live axle (Ford RS2000) and the whole car is super comfortable :-)

[BBL-Sean]

Oops! Should have been 1986, not 1996! Don't know what I was thinking?

I didn't know it had been an option before that time; good to know.

You might want to try looking for someone with a surplus seat on either the California Caterham Club forum or the USA7s forum. The USA7s forum currently has a "Caterham composite seat" listed for $400 US in a thread within the Parts For Sale section under the title "Caterham/Zetec/Miata parts". Alternatively, you may wish to create a "Seats wanted" thread in either or both of those forums.

Best of luck.


edit -- P.S. - The California Caterham Club will be holding its annual picnic just outside of San Jose on August 8th of this year, if you find yourself in the area.

Edited by BBL-Sean on Wednesday 3rd June 21:53

[jcelee]

I put Tillets into a 1994 car and needed to rivet in updated rails beneath the car in order for them to fit (thanks Oliver!)
You're likely to require some modifications, just get everything measured up and speak to Caterham / Redline about how to make them fit.