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Surrey top & MX5 seats - again


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With the car away for painting with a mate (so it'll be gone a few weeks, then !) I was going to attend to the seats, a new set of vinyl seat covers and trim panels having come with the car.

 

But then I thought: if I'm going the Surrey top route, perhaps I should fit MX5 seats, the type with separate headrests. If they come in leather, they could be re-coloured to match the other blue trim. I think if I don't have a surrey, then I'd use the original seats so that a tonneau could be used and the line of the car not spoilt.

 

Am I right in thinking that the general view is that MX5 seats are a good idea ? Keeping the originals with the car, of course.

 

I think Surreys look great, but in actual use and in varied British weather, is the car more pleasant with one, or with a hood & tonneau ? I wasn't thinking of spending 3 grand on an original, rather a Honeybourne or Moss setup (are these one and the same, by the way ?) for a fraction of the cost, and there's the saving of not needing a new hood and tonneau.

 

What do members who've had both surrey and soft tops think ? I expect the car will be used mostly locally (country area), but with the occassional 80 mph motorway bash as well.

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Mine came with a tin lid and a busted surrey in the boot.

As part of the refurb i bought a Moss surrey. Eventually I stretched it enough, and moved the screen back enough, to get it on.

I put the tin lid on for winter or when mrs LJ is coming along.

When the top is off (not winter) the surrey is in the boot just in case I get the forecast wrong.

(Don't forget the robber's cap for the open top bit - a peeling nut otherwise.)

Edited by littlejim
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Plastic seats are a pain to drive because it keeps the moisture in summer.

MX5 seats can be custom made in leather with same tubes in the middle

and punched leather that they absolutely look stock and give a nice

driving comfort. Would not miss mine because we travel from Germany

to Italy from time to time and need that comfort to leave the car happy after hours.

 

http://shop.ma-carstyle.de/Belederung-fuer-Sitze-Mazda-MX-5-NA-Europa-NB-Echtleder-Bordeaux-Bordeaux-Rot

 

Change the red to the required blue and you are quite close to what

I would recommend to be a perfect TR replacement seat

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Thanks, Andreas. Seems as though the MX5 seats are more comfortable as well as being a bit safer due to the headrests.

 

And thanks as well, LJ., that's pretty much the same as I would be doing. And bear in ind that most TRs aren't used much in winter anyway.

 

But still would like to hear the pros and cons from those who've used the 4A with both Surrey and soft tops.

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I can't fulfil the criteria of your request fully but I have had a TR6 with soft top and standard seats. Comfortable for short to medium runs. My 4A has MX5 Mark 2 seats and a backlight/hardtop/surrey and it far better suits my requirements for long distance comfort and it's used year round.

Edited by peejay4A
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I have a hood and tonneau, [it was either an overdrive or a surrey.]

MX5 seats are way better than the original TR types and do recline and even slide back and forward easily. Which brings me to point of writing and a small tip:

You can use a plain toneau with MX5 seats. Just recline them - may need to be slid forward a little. I don't fully recline mine so they put a little tension on the tonneau lifting it to stop puddle forming if it rains.

 

Mike

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I'm a big fan of the MK1 seats for their very sensible speakers in the headrests. With these one can do away with any other speakers in the car; no unnecessary holes and/or loss of space, extra wiring, etc...

post-11469-0-04697100-1447834397_thumb.jpg

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Aaaagh ! Just typed out a reply then went to look at Geko's thumbnail pic, closed it and reply had vanished !

 

So many thanks, everyone, for the further replies.

 

Those seats look nice, Geko, and thanks Mike for the tip about reclining them for the tonneau - never thought of that ! So with what Pete says as well it looks as though MX5 sets are a no brainer - will keep an eye open.

 

I can still defer the Surrey v hood question, but have yet to hear as to the pros and cons from anyone who's had both.

 

Anthony

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Hi, My 4A started out with a hood, I now have a Surrey with both Tin Lid and Soft Top.

The hood the car came with had a near opaque rear window, so I spent a hot Saturday changing it for a new Don Hood, it fitted perfectly, the window was crystal clear, the car looked great and two weeks later I had stupidly left a sleeping bag on the rear seat, came out to the car parked in a London street and found the window slashed from side to side and the manky sleeping bag gone (the zip on the bag was usless!!). The patched up hood lasted for 18 months but it now leaked so I started looking for another just as the Surrey Top option started to appear second hand (this was the early '70's) and I found one with both hard and soft top options for £75 (don't know how this compares to today but it was a fair old whack back then.

 

So, Hood, :- car looks great great when down and tucked in the half tonneau, wind in the hair motoring but above 60mph you need something to keep your hair on (this was the 70's, shoulder length was in!!).

Above 70 mph the wind noise becomes obtrusive, and above 100mph forget about the radio you wont hear it at any volume!!

On a hot day be careful of sunburn, on a very hot day during a camping tour of Southern Italy, we put the hood down and then very quickly put it back up again as a sun shade, it was simply too hot!!

 

Surrey :- gives the car a more solid feel and of course no leaks to the rear of the car, window is lovely and clear and baring scratches will remain so, not quite so struck on the looks of the car with the tops off.

Without the tops you can travel at any speed you like but you tend to get an updraft from behind so hair once again needs to be contained, and the wind noise is not too bad. Open top motoring is ment for cruising down quiet back roads on a warm sunny day!!.

 

Soft Top;- car looks good but needs careful fitting at the front (same method as TR4) the Moss replacement kit is thicker and stiffer than the original and works well or adapt the later, over centre hood catches.

Good up to 60mph, above 70mph becomes very noisy and obtrusive ( reduced a little by closing off the air vents and scuttle vent).

Great for those days when sunny, but a chance of rain, easy to take off, but fiddly to put on, and will leak a bit but hey it's a soft top what do you expect!!

 

Hard Top:- Fitted carefully with a bit of mastic at the front, virtually leak free, this is what I use for trips to the Alps in the winter.

Car looks good and solid.

With reference to modern car side window sealing rubbers and using a black silicone mastic (release agent on the windows, set the mastic in position, close windows and leave to set) I have greatly reduced the annoying wind whistles that the original fit where they touch rubber seals produce.

Like this you can travel at 100+ on the Autoroute and still hear the CD player.

As it happens I've just finished re furbing my tin lid ready for refitting for the winter. The Moss headlining is tricky to fit, needs some time to tease in to position, but when fitted looks really good.

These are my experiences with the 3 options, others may feel differently.

Cheers Rob

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If you have the TR4 type screen capping, a lot of open car wind roar can be eliminated by pushing a length of suitable neoprene glazing gasket into the gap where the front of the Surrey soft top (or hood) goes (remove before fitting soft top!). I also use rubber bungs in the 2 holes in the top of the rear frame to cure an annoying whistle "at speed".

 

Mike

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Hi, My 4A started out with a hood, I now have a Surrey with both Tin Lid and Soft Top.

The hood the car came with had a near opaque rear window, so I spent a hot Saturday changing it for a new Don Hood, it fitted perfectly, the window was crystal clear, the car looked great and two weeks later I had stupidly left a sleeping bag on the rear seat, came out to the car parked in a London street and found the window slashed from side to side and the manky sleeping bag gone (the zip on the bag was usless!!). The patched up hood lasted for 18 months but it now leaked so I started looking for another just as the Surrey Top option started to appear second hand (this was the early '70's) and I found one with both hard and soft top options for £75 (don't know how this compares to today but it was a fair old whack back then.

 

So, Hood, :- car looks great great when down and tucked in the half tonneau, wind in the hair motoring but above 60mph you need something to keep your hair on (this was the 70's, shoulder length was in!!).

Above 70 mph the wind noise becomes obtrusive, and above 100mph forget about the radio you wont hear it at any volume!!

On a hot day be careful of sunburn, on a very hot day during a camping tour of Southern Italy, we put the hood down and then very quickly put it back up again as a sun shade, it was simply too hot!!

 

Surrey :- gives the car a more solid feel and of course no leaks to the rear of the car, window is lovely and clear and baring scratches will remain so, not quite so struck on the looks of the car with the tops off.

Without the tops you can travel at any speed you like but you tend to get an updraft from behind so hair once again needs to be contained, and the wind noise is not too bad. Open top motoring is ment for cruising down quiet back roads on a warm sunny day!!.

 

Soft Top;- car looks good but needs careful fitting at the front (same method as TR4) the Moss replacement kit is thicker and stiffer than the original and works well or adapt the later, over centre hood catches.

Good up to 60mph, above 70mph becomes very noisy and obtrusive ( reduced a little by closing off the air vents and scuttle vent).

Great for those days when sunny, but a chance of rain, easy to take off, but fiddly to put on, and will leak a bit but hey it's a soft top what do you expect!!

 

Hard Top:- Fitted carefully with a bit of mastic at the front, virtually leak free, this is what I use for trips to the Alps in the winter.

Car looks good and solid.

With reference to modern car side window sealing rubbers and using a black silicone mastic (release agent on the windows, set the mastic in position, close windows and leave to set) I have greatly reduced the annoying wind whistles that the original fit where they touch rubber seals produce.

Like this you can travel at 100+ on the Autoroute and still hear the CD player.

As it happens I've just finished re furbing my tin lid ready for refitting for the winter. The Moss headlining is tricky to fit, needs some time to tease in to position, but when fitted looks really good.

These are my experiences with the 3 options, others may feel differently.

Cheers Rob

Pretty much the same Rob, I had a very good softop that fitted tight as a drum but after nearly 20 years it had shrunk a bit and was starting to let in water when parked down hill so I converted to Surrey using a fibre rear and a steel roof and I actually really like the car as a closed coupe with the roof on especially for high speed long distance touring.

Stuart.

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Now that, Rob, is an absolutely brilliant reply ! Many thanks indeed for your trouble, and to you as well, Stuart and Mike.

 

So it looks as though the Surrey will be worth a try. I've got a fully open car as well anyway, so plenty of scope for wind in the hair with that.

 

Stuart, do you know if the Moss backlight is in fact a Honeybourne and, if not, what are the pros and cons ? Honeybourne appear to offer a 'drop on' product, whereas Moss seem to prefer you to buy hundreds of little bits and assemble it all.

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The Moss one is the Honeybourne version and they do also offer it as a built version I believe. I just made mine up from the parts list as I altered it to be an exact copy of the original whereas the Honeybourne one is obvious as it has a different rear window seal arrangement.

Stuart.

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Edited by stuart
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