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Glynparry25



Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015
Wales 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green
More comfortable seats at a budget
Good evening ladies and germs,

With a whole lot of preparation for a 3 month overland trip and leaving my job so training for my next direction of career money isn't hugely available. But with back issues (thanks to current job job) seats have been on my pretty high on my list of 'Must haves' for the journey.

Unfortunately, nice seats come with a price- I LOVE the Sheelman seats, but at over £1,000 a seat plus runners, plus postage I would be looking at the best part of £2,500 Shocked

There are cheaper options such as the Killer specials, but unfortunately the postage would be more than the seats themselves and bump the price way over £1,000 and would take a while to get here.

I decided to see what I could get on Island. Most places could offer 'Cheap' bucket seats for about £500 a pair- not too bad, but they had the support of a gym ball and the fake leather should have been called slippery PVC!! Then there were Sparco bucket seats.. £1,000 for the pair with runners- these were in the possible price range but they could only come in BRIGHT red and the bolsters would have been a nightmare to get in and out with........

Things were looking bleak!!

Then a friend who does all the drift/ racing/ cruising over here linked me to a bookFace group where all the racers on the island buy/ sell cars parts etc. Not much race stuff but loads of 'take off' parts where they have converted cars to full race seats.

A few Impreza and Evo seats were coming up but most would need a complete rebuild as the bolsters were destroyed, and they still wanted £300 for them. Then a set of Mitsubishi Mirage MIVEC (ZR special edition) seats came up- they are Recaro so thought they will be worth a look.

They were still in the car and the guy wanted 200 Euros for them. Due to bank problems here I thought I would try my luck and offered 150 Euros expecting him to say no.... he was a bit iffy about it- so I said 150 cash and I would even remove the seats there and then- he agreed. THis is what I bought:


Click image to enlarge

A little shabby around the edges but it would do. I checked to make sure they would fit before getting too excited about them:


Click image to enlarge

Perfect fit, and the bolsters didn't make it difficult to climb in Thumbs Up


I was then casually chatting to a friend who I do a fair bit of business with about the find and how they aren't perfect but they will do. He got me in contact with a shop that re-covers anything from couches to car seats. 1hr later and a quote for 250 Euros for half leather and I was set............ I picked these up today:


Click image to enlarge

Picture isn't great, but the material patterns are similar to LR XS trim.......... I am VERY happy with the result.

All I need now is to make the brackets to attach them to the LR runners. I am making something similar to the NAkatanenga ones, but will be custom fit for angle/ height etc. Estimated cost for these will be 30 euros in materials and will take me a few hours to make.

So, half leather Recaro reclining bucket seats with tipping mounts for the total price of 430 Euros (about £350)

Glyn Dog Sheep

(Will update when fully fitted :thumbsup:

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green
Post #224394 3rd Apr 2013 7:11pm
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Tiger



Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Wales
Posts: 2265
2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Thumbs Up
Post #224397 3rd Apr 2013 7:14pm
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VeeTee



Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1512
Netherlands 
Looking great! Lucky you! Thumbs Up
Are you making the mounting quick detachable, and if so, how? Cheers, Vincent
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Post #224399 3rd Apr 2013 7:21pm
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GUM97



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3555
United Kingdom 1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Stornoway Grey
Looks great, and very cheap Very Happy Thumbs Up An engine to TDi for!
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Post #224400 3rd Apr 2013 7:22pm
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CR



Member Since: 28 Jan 2010
Location: Ireland
Posts: 947
Ireland 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Santorini Black
look good Thumbs Up
Post #224405 3rd Apr 2013 7:34pm
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Killer90
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Shocked they look really nice, are they Recaros Question CSK Automotive
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Post #224407 3rd Apr 2013 7:36pm
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Glynparry25



Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015
Wales 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green
VeeTee wrote:
Looking great! Lucky you! Thumbs Up
Are you making the mounting quick detachable, and if so, how?


I am making something similar to these:


http://nakatanenga-tours.de/shop/article_K...DKLKO-L%26

But will be height and angle adjustable. Will bolt between the Land Rover runners and the seat base. Just pull out the pin at the front will come up and the seat will pivot back.

I would just order Nak ones in but then I would have to wait 4 weeks to get them Sad (plus about £30-50 postage).

Killer90 wrote:
Shocked they look really nice, are they Recaros Question


Yeah, they put this type in many cars before they got all fancy (including the Escort Cosworth)

Glyn Dog Sheep
Post #224412 3rd Apr 2013 7:42pm
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sparkylee



Member Since: 06 Nov 2010
Location: surrey
Posts: 1455
2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 DCPU Santorini Black
Top job Thumbs Up It's good to be back from the dark side


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Post #224434 3rd Apr 2013 8:54pm
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rossy



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Co. Roscommon
Posts: 1296
Ireland 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Stornoway Grey
wow thats impressive Glyn just shows what perseverance can achieve.

How do you mean 'leaving your job'? I thought in your line of work that was 'desertion' ! Laughing
Post #224448 3rd Apr 2013 9:49pm
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DarrenJ



Member Since: 07 May 2012
Location: North Beds
Posts: 312
United Kingdom 2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Spot on Thumbs Up Darren
Post #224451 3rd Apr 2013 9:59pm
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dgardel



Member Since: 30 Nov 2008
Location: Veneto (Heart & Head)
Posts: 3586
Italy 
Glynparry25 wrote:
VeeTee wrote:
Looking great! Lucky you! Thumbs Up
Are you making the mounting quick detachable, and if so, how?


I am making something similar to these:


http://nakatanenga-tours.de/shop/article_K...DKLKO-L%26

But will be height and angle adjustable. Will bolt between the Land Rover runners and the seat base. Just pull out the pin at the front will come up and the seat will pivot back.

I would just order Nak ones in but then I would have to wait 4 weeks to get them Sad (plus about £30-50 postage).

Killer90 wrote:
Shocked they look really nice, are they Recaros Question


Yeah, they put this type in many cars before they got all fancy (including the Escort Cosworth)

Glyn Dog Sheep


Good choice


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Post #224487 4th Apr 2013 8:42am
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spudfan



Member Since: 10 Sep 2007
Location: Co Donegal
Posts: 4807
Ireland 
Glyn both my self and the Mrs, find the standard Puma seats to be really comfortable.Each to their own I suppose. 1982 88" 2.25 diesel
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Post #224553 4th Apr 2013 11:49am
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XS Pete



Member Since: 13 Jan 2011
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 632
England 2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Good result that Glyn Thumbs Up

Pete
Post #224554 4th Apr 2013 11:52am
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Glynparry25



Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015
Wales 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green
Update:

Started on the brackets today........ Not quite happy with them yet though- made one side pretty much complete so will play around with it a bit and then it will be time to rub them down and paint:


Click image to enlarge


Click image to enlarge


Click image to enlarge


Click image to enlarge

After measuring they are sitting pretty much exactly the same height, angle and distance from the dash as the original seats.

Hopefully I will be cruising around in style by the weekend Thumbs Up

Glyn Dog :sheep:

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green
Post #224600 4th Apr 2013 4:28pm
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Glynparry25



Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015
Wales 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green
spudfan wrote:
Glyn both my self and the Mrs, find the standard Puma seats to be really comfortable.Each to their own I suppose.


I agree that the seats are quite good especially for Defenders, but I find that they don't support my legs, and it is like I sit on top of them, and not 'in' them, if you know what I mean. I also find there is a serious lack of lower back support and I am constantly slouching in the seats- when I drive for more than a couple of hours I find it takes its toll on me.

rossy wrote:
How do you mean 'leaving your job'? I thought in your line of work that was 'desertion' !


Good old Army 2020 took care of everything for me. My trade got cut back massively in the redundancies. Due to it being a money saving exercise they decided to not make the following people redundant:

- Personnel either going on, on or just back from Operations (fair enough).
- Personnel who are medically downgraded (they would have to give them a medical pension).
- Personnel who have done over 18 year (they would qualify for a full immediate pension).
- Personnel who have just joined (they are on the lowest pay scale).

So in the end they are making all the people who are fully fit but not on tour redundant. That means the shift in the Army is now towards- Old, young and medically unfit for Operations.

On the plus side for me, I was considering leaving due to many other reasons and also wouldn't want to go back to a regular unit after this one..... and this way I get a payout 7 times more than I would have got if I signed off Whistle new FFRR here I come Rolling with laughter . I do see this as a huge opportunity for me to move forward and upwards (will be nice to have performance related pay too!!).

Just for the record- 14.5 years in the army and not a single day off sick Thumbs Up - the doctor doing my discharge medical thought my records had been lost as there is pretty much nothing but vaccinations and a couple of injuries in there.

Glyn Dog Sheep
Post #224602 4th Apr 2013 4:46pm
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