1500 midget seats

[BobS76]

This has probably been discussed before, but I did not readily find the search engine.

My recently acquired 76 Midget came with a bad tear in the driver seat, front to rear. I know where to get the parts, but getting the seat out is troubling me. The MGB that I had for many years was "sort of" straight forward, but the midget looks much worse. Is there a trick to getting to the four mounting screws under the seat, sepecially when the seat movement is VERY stiff on the rails?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Morris]

I used a long 2X4 to lever the seat forward.

 

[tosoutherncars]

Hi Bob,

Some of the bolts are from the inside, down through the floor... Others are up through, from underneath, IIRC. Perhaps someone can confirm, I can't seem to find a picture on the Moss site.

Best,
Duncan

 

[JPSmit]

It's been awhile but I am almost certain it's a "move the seat forward for 2 and back for 2 job) they do all loosen from the top and are welded nuts below - I know I broke one thinking it should turn

 

[jlaird]

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[1976Midget]

Great thread i need to know this too. i have 3 MG and all of them have atleast one seat loos and the other one wont move

 

[jlaird]

Mostly an open end wrench is required.

 

[tosoutherncars]

Nope, some of them aren't captive, or go in the opposite direction... aww c'mon guys, don't make me go outside and look! I'm pretty sure, I just did this last week.

 

[jlaird]

I think the 1500 seat mounts and the 948/1275 midgets are different. The 948 and 1275 are indeed four captive nuts.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

No on my 68 there are two captive nuts for the back two bolts behind the seat. Need to remove those bolts from inside the car. Front bolts are not captive.

 

[jlaird]

Gesh, well the 948 cars are all captive nuts for sure.

 

[rulle7]

My 1500 does not have captive nuts (anymore?).
Easiest for me is to put a vice grip on the bolt from inside the car, sliding the seats back/forth as needed and loosen the nuts from below the car.

 

[neilh]

Slightly off topic, but if you don't have to keep original seats, try a pair of 2000 Miata seats. Around $150 a pair used, and easy mod. See attached.

 

[Morris]

That looks good!

 

[Guest]

bump, already answered.

 

[BobS76]

Thanks for the feed back - it did help in figguring this out. The 1500 does have two captive screws attached to the front of the seat rails and two captive nuts attached to the underside of the floor board for the rear of the seat rail. Getting the seat out was fairly easy - the previous owner never bothered to attach the rear of the seat rails. Re-install may be a different story.

BobS76