Different types of MX-5 seat ?

[rfs1957]

Can anyone throw any light on the suitability of various models of MX-5 seats ?

The most useful accounts provided here by John Scott seem to relate to a "separate-headrest" model, I think he calls this a Mk1 car.

I'm going to do the MX-5 conversion to my Series 1, and am waiting to take delivery of a pair of what I think are from Miata or NA (?) models, these have the integral head-rest

My intention is to use these for my Mini Van, check that I like the ergonomics, and then go looking for a separate head-rest set - I'd rather re-trim for the Jaguar with no headrests at all, and am guessing that it makes more sense to do that to the early type of Mazda seat.

Any info about model years and names would be most useful, even if it probably throws up that we never had the separate-headrest models in France, just to complicate matters !

Rory

[Heuer]

You need the seats from the early MX5 (or Miata) which was in production up until 1995 I think.The later MX5 seats have more bulky all-in-one headrests and they get weirder as production moved on. Some also had integral speakers.

(The ones on the left look like the headrests are removable but they are not.)

Unfortunately Mazda offered several special editions and optional trim levels (leather, cloth, speakers) which also varied by market so the only way you can be sure is to look at the seats. If you check out eBay there are usually a few hundred seats on offer covering all styles. You need to find the ones with removable/adjustable headrests and they are fairly easy to spot. These are on eBay at the moment for ?80 and ?120 respectively:



The real reason to fit these seats is because of the headrests - if you are rear ended in a car with the standard seats your E-Type driving days will be over! The removable head rest seats do give you the choice of having them on or off the car depending on your mood or aversion to risk.

[rfs1957]

Thanks David, that's much clearer ; are both the lower pairs the type with removable-headrests, or just the lower RH set ? I'm interested in the comfort and the reclined position, the head-rest bit is another debate and I want them to be removable.

[Heuer]

Both the last two pictures are the removable headrest versions as can be seen by the narrow tops of the back rests (similar to the 3.8 bucket seats). If you look at the first top picture you will see the difference in shape. Both styles were fitted to the Mk1 MX5's so you need to check carefully.

Here they are side by side. First picture is fixed headrest seat (usually with speakers) and second is removable headrest type:

[jonr]

The real reason to fit these seats is because of the headrests - if you are rear ended in a car with the standard seats your E-Type driving days will be over!

Does anybody know how the S2/S3 seats with headrest will help me in case I am rear ended? I am 175cm tall. Are the headrests to far down?

Jon

[PeterCrespin]

I can't comment on your own situation because two people the same height could have quite different torso:leg ratio and spine length. However, it has been shown to be more dangerous to have a headrest which is too low than no headrest at all.

The headrest must support the back of the skull. If it sits lower in the nape of the neck, it gives a pivot for the neck to bend around under the inertia of the heavy skull. Think of it like kinking a tube if you bend it too sharply at one point. With no headrest at all and the seat ending at shoulder level, the inertia and whiplash are not so concentrated at one point and the neck doesn't snap back as acutely - the shoulders and upper spine take some of the bending too.

You don't sound too tall at 175 but the S2/3 headrests are very low, even fully raised and firm, which many are not.

Pete

[kingzetts]

Returning to the question of which MX5 seats fit, I don't think it is as simple as sticking to the removeable headrest types. If you look at pictures of Mk1 MX5s (which were badged Miata in the USA and were badged as Eunos roadsters in Japan) you will see them fitted as original with both the removeable and the early fixed-headrest types.

A substantial number of Japan-market Eunos roadsters have since been imported into the UK and you see them for sale regularly. Most of them seem to have the fixed headrest type of seat. I think that some of the special-edition UK market MX5s also had this style of seat.

Any seat which will fit a Mk1 MX5 should fit the E-type in the same manner as the removeable headrest types.

I did a bit of trawling on some MX5 forums. They call the three generations of MX5s the NA (89 to 97), NB (98 to 2005 but with a substantial facelift in 2001) and NC (05-current). It seems clear that the seats in the NA and the NB are bolt-in interchangeable in both directions. The NB seats up to 2001 are generally held to be less comfortable than the original NA seats, but the post-01 NB facelift seats are better.

This does not guarantee that the brackets needed to use NB seats in an E would be identical to those needed for NA seats, as it is possible that the NA and NB seat bases are different, using different sliders but with their sliders fitting identical floorpan holes in both cars. However I suspect that it will be found that the seat bases are the same, as the NB seems to have been more of a cosmetic makeover from the NA than a complete redesign and many parts are interchangeable so why bother changing something as basic as the seat sliders.

The NC seats are not bolt-in, and require adapters fabricating to fit NA or NB shells. But it seems they do fit.

So I think the choice of seats is wider than simply sticking to the removeable headrest type. Having said all that though, I still think the removeable headrest type is preferable as it looks more "original" and has the option of removing the headrest. Also it is the only type I have personal experience of fitting.

[Vegard]

Hi guys.
Is this the type of seat that we're after? :)



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX5-MK1 ... 41901d5f0a

[Heuer]

Yes.

[MarekH]

Dear Jon,

The headrest for the s3 seat is height adjustable.

kind regards
Marek

[JaggyWag]

Regarding the comments from Pete on the series 3 seats, I had been thinking about putting some alternative seats into my 2+2 due to headrest height and comfort issues. I know this will not be for the perfectionists but I am more concerned with safety and comfort for longer runs (Classic Le Mans etc.)

I had read somewhere that early XJ-S seats fit, possibly XJ6? Is there any issue with height?

Please could anyone enlighten me, particularly if you have done it!

Regards

Pete