High back seats?

[alolympic]

I have a dilemma about which seats to fit to my Rochdale Olympic.
I have currently been running Lotus Elise seats which hold well but just don't look period enough.
Older seats that would be in more period keeping all seem to have low backs.
How much should I consider the safety aspect when thinking low back or full height?
Anyone got any seat recommendations beyond the typical Cobra and Corbeau classics?
Thanks

[AceOfHearts]

I was wondering this about my MG, as most classic bucket seats don't even have a headrest!

ETA

I used to have Cobra 7 bucket seats in my TVR, but maybe still not period looking enough? Comfy and supportive though

ETA Pictures

Edited by AceOfHearts on Sunday 7th April 13:16

[Elderly]

How about low backs plus headrests for safety, such as:
http://www.ridgardseats.co.uk/PRODUCTS_RS4.html

[PoshTwit]

I have XJS seats in Tango1. Very comfy and look pretty period.

[alolympic]

Thanks for the responses.
I have sat in the Cobra 7 seats in Demon Tweeks and thought them really comfy, but I think they are more 70's than 60's I guess.
Sorry, I was more interested in people's opinions about the safety aspect, as opposed to other options...

[Riley Blue]

Have a look at the Suffolk seat from Newton Commercial.

[interloper]

I don't think there is much to argue about safety wise, "low back" seats are not good if you are rear ended. Its just a question of odds, partly dictated by your own driving style as to whether you will ever get shunted up the @rse!

[vx220]

IIRC the vx220 seats look a little more period and should fit your existing runners/subframes

Some of the low back classics only come to just above my shoulder even with the headrests!!!

[LordFlathead]

Slightly off topic

When I was unfortunate enough to roll my Anglia 105E, the ONLY thing which saved us both was the high-back Corbeau seats. The roof folded in but did not go further.

Very, very lucky!

[ashway]

LordFlathead said:

Slightly off topic

When I was unfortunate enough to roll my Anglia 105E, the ONLY thing which saved us both was the high-back Corbeau seats. The roof folded in but did not go further.

Very, very lucky!

makes me wonder if that's how you got your username

[Bull1t]

interloper said:

I don't think there is much to argue about safety wise, "low back" seats are not good if you are rear ended. Its just a question of odds, partly dictated by your own driving style as to whether you will ever get shunted up the @rse!

I'm not sure a person's driving style influences their chances of being rear ended aside from more time on the road increases the risk as does randomly standing on the brakes for no reason. Most of the time being rear ended seems to come down to luck or lack of it.

I've owned a couple of classics with low back seats but I'm abit more wary about it seeing a friend of mine's father just survive being rear ended in an Elise which he wouldn't have stood a chance in with low back seats.

[LordFlathead]

ashway said:

makes me wonder if that's how you got your username

[Jon Brown]

I know they are Cobra, but how about the Cobra Classic RS.

http://www.cobraseats.com/-ClassicRS

I had one of these in my mini, very comfy and the headrest adjust too. I liked the material in the middle, no cold back in the winter.

[interloper]

Bull1t said:

I'm not sure a person's driving style influences their chances of being rear ended aside from more time on the road increases

I think it does and I am basing this on observation. The only time I've been in a car that was rear ended I was a passenger, my driver was in my opinion too close to the car in front and put him self in position were he had to brake quite hard , he was also being tailgated and the guy behind didn't react in time.

Although not his fault, if he had left a bigger gap, he wouldn't have had to brake so hard and would be less vulnerable to being smacked up the rear. Fairly simple defensive driving.

Also drivers who dither are a bit more prone to being hit.

So yes your driving style can make a difference IMO.

[G600]

Mk1 mx5 seats cloth front with vinyl backs, they tilt forward enough to get in the back of a 4 seat 2 door vitesse as well. Haven't got a pic of them in the car but here are the leather versions http://www.mazda-mx5-shop.com/index.php?main_page=...

[Tony427]

Another vote for MX5 seats here.

I use them in Cobra replicas having been shown them in Rouen hotel car park following a Le Mans Classic fitted in a Triumph GT6. My co-driver and myself were complaining about the traditional but uncomfortable Cobra style low back seat and the GT6 owner suggested we try his MX5 sorced replacements he had fitted. We were sold, and our next Cobras have had MX5 seats fitted, albeit with modifications re seat base width.

Supremely comfortable and supportive. Other Cobra owners thought them a complete travesty, until they had a sit in the car, and now there's other Cobras than ours with MX5 seats.

Cheers,

Tony

[chad valley]

I understand your concerns re low backed seats. The car I was driving was once rear-ended and my and my passenger's heads were both forced back against the headrests. I was actually stationary at a red traffic light at the time and my car was shunted foward 10 feet, almost into the flow of traffic. I even had the handbrake on at the time!

So yes, I'd always fit high backed seats for safety.

[Electron]

These, whilst being low back, are "period" ..

https://www.europaspares.com/140/SEATS/CUSTOM_CLAS...

I think the other thing on an Olympic is getting spreader plates for both the seat and the safety belts so they don't just rip out the fibreglass ??

On the Fairthorpe we added in steel rails between the outriggers to tie the seat and the safety belts to the chassis ...

[PH5121]

Another recommendation here for the Ridgard range.

I had some in a mini 20 years ago and they were great seats. Compact, comfy and period looking.

Edited by PH5121 on Tuesday 16th April 13:47

[Yertis]

I've been hit from the rear in low back seats and it's not something I'd wish to repeat, especially as I clonked my head very hard on the roll-over bar I'd fitted for safety purposes. Fortunately I'd had the foresight to cover said roll-over bar with pipe-insulation otherwise I think it might well have been curtains. I often see other sports car drivers with bare steel roll-over bars and no head restraints - don't do it!

When I get round to it I'm replacing my low back TR seats with the later CR type which have head restraints (in the loft at the moment, not much use there I know).