Tuscan Seats

[RobXjcoupe]

These used to be fitted to Griffs and Chimeras a lot when the parts weren’t so expensive, over the years are they still a good swap for the original Griff seats? Are they a simple bolt through the floor like the original Griff seats?
Any advice please is gratefully received

[mk1fan]

Personally, I find the original Cerb seats better in everyway. Indeed, I think they are the best seats TVR made.

Tuscan seats are bolt in. You can fit the runners from the out going seats or use the Tuscan double locking ones which may require new holes drilling in the grp floor. Which ever runner you use, I suggest a spacer between the runner and the carpet. If you use fully threaded bolts then a couple of regular nuts on each bolt is fine. Then 50mm penny washers either side of the tub. Then a nyloc nut. Stainless steel is fine for nuts, bolts and washers.

[RobXjcoupe]

mk1fan said:

Personally, I find the original Cerb seats better in everyway. Indeed, I think they are the best seats TVR made.

Tuscan seats are bolt in. You can fit the runners from the out going seats or use the Tuscan double locking ones which may require new holes drilling in the grp floor. Which ever runner you use, I suggest a spacer between the runner and the carpet. If you use fully threaded bolts then a couple of regular nuts on each bolt is fine. Then 50mm penny washers either side of the tub. Then a nyloc nut. Stainless steel is fine for nuts, bolts and washers.

Sounds simple enough , my originals are ok but they look British Leyland in design.
The fitting I’ll make something a bit natty to keep them safe and secure.
Just looking at Cerbera seats, they look easier to re-upholster but more expensive than the Tuscan seats. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
Are diamonds still the look? I’ve noticed the more recently upholstered interior pictures are sticking to a standard look but with different leather colours

[mk1fan]

This might help - https://matthewpoxon.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/cerb...

Last set of Cerb seats I saw for sale were £700 had runners and undamaged. Not sure I've seen Tuscan seats for cheaper than that for a while.

[QBee]

With a bit of measuring and careful drilling, plus 4 inch long bolts, you can bolt the front fixings for Tuscan seats straight through the floor and into the chassis. Mine I think bolt through the corner triangles at the front.
I had a body off restoration of my Chimaera a few years ago and had a strip welded across the chassis where the rear bolts go, so mine are now bolted to the chassis at all 4 corners. I think you could weld such a strip in without removing the body.

Tuscan seats fit well and give you a head restraint that is actually behind your head.
For track days, if you take the seat base pad out your are held in the seat much better.

[RobXjcoupe]

QBee said:

With a bit of measuring and careful drilling, plus 4 inch long bolts, you can bolt the front fixings for Tuscan seats straight through the floor and into the chassis. Mine I think bolt through the corner triangles at the front.
I had a body off restoration of my Chimaera a few years ago and had a strip welded across the chassis where the rear bolts go, so mine are now bolted to the chassis at all 4 corners. I think you could weld such a strip in without removing the body.

Tuscan seats fit well and give you a head restraint that is actually behind your head.
For track days, if you take the seat base pad out your are held in the seat much better.

Regarding fixing, this is similar to how I was thinking to find the chassis and secure through the body and to the chassis.
I’ve also seen a few pictures of the seat base pad removed. So would you be sitting on the rubber straps? Visually it looks better but for comfort would that be compromised?

[mk1fan]

Assuming you are going to get the seats retrimmed you can get the base pad 'thinned' and shaped to lower you in the seat.

If you scroll down Mathew Poxon's page I linked too you will see what they did to reduce the base cushion of the Cerb seat. It is essentially the same process. If I recall correctly, the trimmer he used now offers the cushion foams as a direct purchase.

I'd add heating elements as part of the retrim

[RobXjcoupe]

mk1fan said:

This might help - https://matthewpoxon.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/cerb...

Last set of Cerb seats I saw for sale were £700 had runners and undamaged. Not sure I've seen Tuscan seats for cheaper than that for a while.

That makes a good read. Bit of a heads up to see what the seat components look like under the covers.
I rebuilt a pair of old triumph seats recently. Making new covers and fitting them.
TVR seats are constructed a little different so it’s getting a minds eye of what needs doing before making any new covers.

[QBee]

RobXjcoupe said:

Regarding fixing, this is similar to how I was thinking to find the chassis and secure through the body and to the chassis.
I’ve also seen a few pictures of the seat base pad removed. So would you be sitting on the rubber straps? Visually it looks better but for comfort would that be compromised?

Mine has a cover over the rubber straps. It looks counter intuitive at first, but once you start track driving you find you are much better held in the seat with the pads removed.
With the Chim seats, I used to have to brace myself with my knees while track driving. The Tuscan seats, with the base pads removed, reduce the amount of knee bracing substantially. On a normal road journey I would leave the seat base pads in the seats.

[RobXjcoupe]

mk1fan said:

Assuming you are going to get the seats retrimmed you can get the base pad 'thinned' and shaped to lower you in the seat.

If you scroll down Mathew Poxon's page I linked too you will see what they did to reduce the base cushion of the Cerb seat. It is essentially the same process. If I recall correctly, the trimmer he used now offers the cushion foams as a direct purchase.

I'd add heating elements as part of the retrim

The modified seat cushion does look better aesthetically. Easy to fit a heated element. The Tuscan seat however not so easy if the base pad is to be removed.

[RobXjcoupe]

QBee said:

RobXjcoupe said:

Regarding fixing, this is similar to how I was thinking to find the chassis and secure through the body and to the chassis.
I’ve also seen a few pictures of the seat base pad removed. So would you be sitting on the rubber straps? Visually it looks better but for comfort would that be compromised?

Mine has a cover over the rubber straps. It looks counter intuitive at first, but once you start track driving you find you are much better held in the seat with the pads removed.
With the Chim seats, I used to have to brace myself with my knees while track driving. The Tuscan seats, with the base pads removed, reduce the amount of knee bracing substantially. On a normal road journey I would leave the seat base pads in the seats.

The base pad on the Tuscan doesn’t look very thick to start with. So with the pad removed is there a layer of something covered to sit on the strapping?

[QBee]

RobXjcoupe said:

The base pad on the Tuscan doesn’t look very thick to start with. So with the pad removed is there a layer of something covered to sit on the strapping?

There's no padding as far as I remember, but there is a proper fixed durable cover over the seat construction, you aren't sitting on bare elastic. It feels quite comfortable and certainly suitable for track day driving.

You don't have to remove the pad, but it you do it deepens the sides of the seat, makes it more of a bucket seat, and makes the seat hold you in place even better when throwing the car around bends at over 100 mph.
They are not race seat spec, and if you want to be properly held in place you will need to fit harnesses as well, but it is a lot better than the Chimaera seats, which are like sitting on a comfy bar of soap at race track cornering speeds