Cobra MX-5 Mk1/Mk2 Bucket Seat Fitting Kit Explained
Seat fitting guide
Cobra do not make a full subframe for the Mazda MX-5 Mk1 (NA) or Mk2 (NB). Instead they make tailored adaption bars, which let a Cobra base mounted, fixed back seat bolt onto the car's original seat runners.
That keeps the car's own sliding runners and floor mounts, and it is a tidy way to get a Cobra bucket seat into an MX-5. Here is what comes in the kit, which seats it suits, and how it goes together.
- Cobra adaption bars fit the MX-5 Mk1 and Mk2 (NA and NB, 1989 to 2005)
- They adapt the original runners to take a Cobra seat
- For Cobra base mounted seats with a 292mm by 330mm hole pattern
- Driver and passenger bars are different lengths
- No drilling on a standard floor; the car's own seat bolts are reused
What is on this page
What the adaption bars do
The adaption bars are brackets, not a complete replacement frame. They sit between the new seat and the MX-5’s original runners, so the car keeps its own sliding runners and its own floor mounting points. The seat bolts to the bars, the bars bolt to the runners, and the runners go back into the car on the original bolts.
Because they rely on the original runners, the runners need to be present and in good order. If they are missing or worn out, tell us what is still in the car and we will say what you need.
Which seats they suit
The bars are made for Cobra base mounted, fixed back seats with a base hole pattern of 292mm from left to right and 330mm from front to back. Cobra brackets are made for Cobra seats; a seat from another maker may work, but we will only say so once we have checked it.
The Cobra Monaco family is a popular choice for the MX-5. Our Monaco Pro MX-5 package pairs an FIA 8855-1999 Monaco Pro with the MX-5 fitting kit, and it has been tried in the Mk1 and Mk2 without catching on the interior trims.
What is in the kit
| Part | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Adaption bars | 2 |
| M8 x 20 bolts (shorter option) | 4 |
| M8 x 25 bolts (longer option) | 4 |
| Nuts | 4 |
| Spacers | 4 |
The bars are sold for the driver side, the passenger side or as a pair. The passenger side bars are shorter than the driver side bars, so check which side you are ordering.
How it goes together
1. Bolt the adaption bars across the width of the new Cobra seat, using the four Allen head bolts supplied with the seat. They screw into the captive nuts already in the seat base.
2. Remove the original seats from the car, complete with their runners.
3. Remove the runners from the original seats. They are reused, bolted to the new seat in the same plane as before.
4. With the new seat upside down, place the runners (also upside down) on its base.
5. Put the bolts through the original holes in the runners and fasten them to the adaption bars with the nuts provided.
6. For the best seat height, use the longer bolts with a spacer between the runners and the adaption bars.
7. Refit the seats in the car using the original bolts.
Garreth’s advice is to tighten everything properly and check that the seat belt buckle still clears the new seat before you drive, because a bucket seat often moves the buckle. If sitting lower is the aim, our guide to sitting lower in an MX-5 Mk1 or Mk2 covers the options, and the biggest seat that fits an MX-5 helps with sizing.
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Do Cobra make a full subframe for the MX-5 Mk1 and Mk2?
No. Cobra make adaption bars that let their seats bolt to the car’s original runners.
Which seats do the Cobra MX-5 adaption bars fit?
Cobra base mounted, fixed back seats with a 292mm by 330mm base hole pattern.
Are the driver and passenger bars the same?
No. The passenger side bars are shorter than the driver side bars.
Do I need to drill the floor?
No. On a standard floor the original runners go back in on the car’s own bolts.
What are the spacers for?
The longer bolts and spacers sit between the runners and the bars to set the seat height.
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MX-5 seat swapCobra seats on the original runners
Adaption bars keep the MX-5's own runners and mounts.
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