Chimaera Seats

[Harald1974]

Hello Guys ,

Trying to refurbish my TVR Chimaera seats( '97 spec model ) , and as a lot of people , I have a sagging bottom ( the seat that is :-)

Leather is in excellent condition , but the drivers seat has sagged a little , because of the weight of the last owner .
I think changing/replacing the seat foam / cushion will solve it . ( done the mod with the rubber mat between the metal rods underneath already ) .
Does somebody know here I can buy the OEM preformed/precut seat foam separately ? ( I know a trimmer can stuff some extra foam , but i really want to have an original so it matches 100% the shape of the passenger seat which is almost like new ) .

Ps. tried already TVR Central but no luck .

Thanks for the help ,

regs , Harald

[phillpot]

I think Adrian @ has some seat foams but possibly only earlier cars, not Chim/Griff?

[ianwayne]

You can buy it by the block on ebay and other upholsterers I'm sure. It's a matter of then cutting it to shape. Perhaps use the old one as a template? Foam no doubt comes in several specs though, firmness etc.

[Engineer1949]

i have a pair of seats spare the drivers like yours is a little worn but the passengers is like new they could be yours.


john

[Andav469]

I have a NOS lower foam for a Chimaera seat, I think it is the mk1 seat, not much difference though

[QBee]

Try D&C Trim in Blackpool

[900T-R]

Have you had the driver's seat out yet? Your body weight is being supported by about twenty steel wire rods suspended over the width of the seat, and on mine (149,700 miles, mind) about half of them were broken. The wire is spring steel of about 1.3 mm diameter, the closest I could get was 1.6 mm from a modelling shop which was good for firmness, but a pig to bend the ends of...








(pic added for clarification)

Edited by 900T-R on Thursday 21st June 12:22

[phillpot]

900T-R said:

The wire is spring steel of about 1.3 mm diameter, the closest I could get was 1.6 mm from a modelling shop which was good for firmness, but a pig to bend the ends of...

Lots of big tie wraps did it for me

[Harald1974]

Hi Guys ,

Thanks for the many replies !

@ 900-TR : I have already checked the steel rods underneath ; all fine and dandy . Did the mod with the rubber mat between the foam and rods as well .

@ Andav469 : thx for the offer , but MK1 style chimaera seats have 'low' side bolsters , so unfortunately will be of no use . Thx for the offer though !

@ Engineer1949 : Are these for free ? Chimaera pre 97 or post 97 ?

@ ianwayne : Sorry but looking for a 1 on 1 OEM replacement to make sure fitment is as per original

@ phillpot : I tried Adrian but nothing available

@ Qbee : I have sent D&C a mail . Waiting for response .

Pls keep the suggestions coming

Cheers Harald

[Seandenyer]

Andav469 said:

I have a NOS lower foam for a Chimaera seat, I think it is the mk1 seat, not much difference though

If for sale how much would you like for it as mines a bit saggy on the side

[geeman237]

I just re did my early Griffith seats after suffering the same issue. I’ll post some more photos later but here’s how they ended up.

[ianwayne]

Engineer1949 said:

i have a pair of seats spare the drivers like yours is a little worn but the passengers is like new they could be yours.

john

Mine were like that. I stripped them to the frames when I refurbed the leather and swapped over the side mechanisms so that the adjust levers are on the outsides. They seemed identical to me apart from this and the small raisers on the front of the runners on the driver's side.Not easy but doable.


The only thing is the driver's seat now squeaks a heck of a lot. From 21 yrs lack of use on the passenger side I expect.

[geeman237]

As promised, more photos of my early Griffith seat base refurbishment. Happy to answer any questions.

[Steve_D]

geeman237 said:

As promised, more photos of my early Griffith seat base refurbishment. Happy to answer any questions.

Can you give us your source for the webs and their fittings?

I've repaired seats by making up new wires but it is very time consuming and therefore expensive for the customer.
Those webs are a perfect solution bearing in mind cable ties would not be an acceptable repair to a customers car.

Steve

[geeman237]

Steve_D said:

geeman237 said:

As promised, more photos of my early Griffith seat base refurbishment. Happy to answer any questions.

Can you give us your source for the webs and their fittings?

I've repaired seats by making up new wires but it is very time consuming and therefore expensive for the customer.
Those webs are a perfect solution bearing in mind cable ties would not be an acceptable repair to a customers car.

Steve

Hi Steve. The webbing is called Pirelli webbing and is 2" wide and available by the foot. The clips are known as Osborne No. 239-S clips or maybe end clips. Woolies sell the webbing. This place also sells it and the clips, https://www.upholsteryshop.co.uk/shop/webbing/end-...

The trick is getting the webbing cut to the right length to give some tension. A bit of Googling will yield some help, also YouTube. I made the hooks myself from bent wire. That is time consuming. Happy to send you a dimensioned sketch if you PM me. I think I had to drill a couple of extra holes in the seat frame for one or two of the straps, otherwise I used what was already in the frame.
Also there are some fabric hooped strips sewn into the leather seat base covers. These are supposed to provide the seam definition and pull the cover down to the frame if you catch my drift. Mine were rotted out and I got a trimmer to sew me new ones in, but it wasn't easy. Again, PM me for more details on how I overcame this. Apart from using the Pirelli webbing, everything else was a like for like construction to the original seat. You will also need hog ring pliers and hog rings to re-attach the leather cover.

Hope this helps, but feel free to PM me.

[Sardonicus]

Out with the old in with the new , ,,, well one is in anyway noticeably lighter too one of the things that as bugged me for ages the stock seats are awful ...

Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 31st July 00:07

[TV8]

Sardonicus said:

Out with the old in with the new , ,,, well one is in anyway noticeably lighter too one of the things that as bugged me for ages the stock seats are awful ...

Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 31st July 00:07

Are they MX5 Seats Simon? I think 987 Boxster ones will fit as well, at least widthways.

[Sardonicus]

Yes Graham later MX5 rather than MK1 tombstone style etc the weight difference was a surprise every little helps and all that......

[TV8]

Sardonicus said:

Yes Graham later MX5 rather than MK1 tombstone style etc the weight difference was a surprise every little helps and all that......

Thought so Simon. Did you just re-drill the holes and use the Mazda runners or something more involved!

[Skyedriver]

I've fitted an MX5 seat to the drivers side, using the (slightly modded) Mazda runners but for some strange reason, the passenger side interferes with the roll bar part of the roof....super comfy though.