Hundreds Of Products Ready Today. Dispatch/Collection Jaguar E-Type with Cobra GT3 Historic Red Edition Bucket Seats
A recent customer brought us something genuinely special. A beautifully restored Jaguar E Type that had clearly been built with care, patience, and attention to detail. The exterior was immaculate, the interior colour scheme had been carefully chosen, and every element of the car felt considered. The one area that still needed the right finishing touch was the seating.
The factory seats in an E Type are part of its character, but when you begin restoring or subtly upgrading these cars, you often want something that offers better support while still respecting the original design language. After discussing the options and carefully measuring the cockpit space, the decision was made to go with a pair of Cobra Classic GT3 40th Edition bucket seats.
Straight away, the proportions made sense. The GT3 Classic has a slim base and compact shoulder profile, which is important in an E-Type where interior space is not generous. The seat sits comfortably within the cockpit without overwhelming the cabin or looking out of place. From certain angles, it genuinely feels like something Jaguar could have offered as a competition option in the period.
What really elevates this version is the 40th Edition Historic detailing. The eyelets in the backrest add subtle vintage motorsport character without being too aggressive. Combined with the detachable headrest, the design balances road car elegance with classic racing influence. It complements the sweeping dashboard, chrome details, and narrow transmission tunnel of the E Type rather than competing with them.
The customer also went beyond standard trim options and chose a full custom red velvet vinyl finish. This was not a random colour choice. It was carefully selected to match the existing interior tones of the Jaguar. The result is a seat that looks integrated rather than added. The red finish gives that proper classic British sports car atmosphere, especially when paired with the E Type’s timeless cabin layout.
Why Choose a Fully Custom Trim?
When restoring or upgrading a classic car like the Jaguar E-Type, details matter. Factory interiors often carry very specific shades and textures, and finding something that blends naturally can be difficult with off-the-shelf options.
Cobra offers one of the strongest custom trimming services in the industry. Through their Signature range, most seats can be built with additional bespoke options. You are not limited to standard colours. Customers can select alternative stitching, piping, centre panel materials, and even supply their own fabric or colour samples.
In this case, our customer provided a specific red reference to ensure the velvet vinyl matched their E Type interior as closely as possible. Cobra trimmed the seats accordingly, resulting in a finish that feels original to the car.
This level of personalisation is ideal for classic restorations, continuation builds, and restomods where interior cohesion is important. It also means you can create something subtle and factory inspired, or something completely individual.
About the Cobra GT3 Classic Bucket Seats
The Cobra GT3 is part of Cobra’s Classic range and has been carefully designed to replicate the look and feel of vintage racing seats from the golden era of motorsport. Built on a strong steel frame, the GT3 provides the reliability you’d expect from a modern seat while retaining the slim shape and detailing that suit period-correct builds.
The trim options play a huge part in the GT3’s appeal. As seen on this Jaguar E-Type, the Historic edition was chosen. This version features the distinctive metal eyelets in the backrest, giving it that vintage competition look. The standout feature that our customer chose is the red vinyl trim that colour matches their Jaguar E-Type interior colour scheme, which is a service that Cobra offers, where you can provide your own colour and material samples that Cobra can then use to trim their seats exactly how you want them. This is a perfect option for matching your car.
Design wise, the GT3 Classic has a slim steel frame construction, making it strong and durable while maintaining a relatively lightweight structure. The seat is trimmed in vinyl as standard, which suits classic cars well due to its durability and period appearance.
Its detatchable head-rest allows you to run the seat in a traditional high back configuration, or remove the headrest for a lower back look that suits early road cars and vintage race builds.
Harness compatibility is also built in. The seat supports up to a 4-point harness, and optional harness slot guides can be added to improve belt positioning and comfort when using performance harnesses.
Key Features of the Cobra GT3 Classic Seat
- Period-correct design inspired by 60s and 70s motorsport
- Slim base and shoulder profile ideal for classic cars
- Optional harness slot guides available
- Strong steel frame construction for safety and durability
- Available in multiple classic trim designs
- Compact dimensions to suit small retro cockpits
- Base mountable with a narrow 291mm bolt pattern
- Detachable headrest for low back or high back configuration
Compact Dimensions for Retro Cars
Fitment is always critical in classic cars, especially in vehicles like the Jaguar E Type where interior space can be limited.
This is a relatively small classic bucket seat. It is not overly wide at the base or shoulders, which makes it ideal for narrower transmission tunnels and tighter door clearances. That is exactly why it works so well in older vehicles like the Jaguar E-Type.
Main seat dimensions:
- Overall height: 725mm
- Shoulder width: 490mm
- Base width: 340mm
- Internal width (hips): 280mm
- Seat depth: 490mm
- Weight: approx. 7.5kg
These measurements show just how well-suited the GT3 is to retro sports cars where space is at a premium. The narrow profile makes it easier to install in cars with slim interiors while maintaining comfort and authenticity.
Installation and Frame Setup for the Jaguar E Type
There are no off-the-shelf seat subframes available for the Jaguar E-Type when fitting seats like the Cobra GT3, so a custom solution is required. In this case, our customer had a frame fabricated to suit the original floor mounting points and ensure the correct seat height and driving position. This is often necessary in classic cars where interior space is limited, and precision fitment is important.
The Cobra GT3 is a base-mounted seat and uses Cobra’s unique 291mm wide bolt pattern. This pattern works with all Cobra fitting equipment, including their universal sliding runners. Using Cobra runners makes installation into a fabricated frame much easier and also allows forward and backward adjustment once installed.
In other vehicles where Cobra does not offer a specific subframe, you may need to use frames from other brands that use wider 345mm or 405mm bolt patterns. These are not directly compatible with Cobra base-mounted seats, which is why adaptation bars are required. We supply both Cobra sliding runners and adaptation bars to help install these seats into most vehicles safely and correctly.
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From £32.50 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Why Choose a Cobra Classic Bucket Seat?
Cobra’s Classic bucket seats have become a go-to choice for enthusiasts restoring or upgrading older cars. They strike the perfect balance between authentic styling and modern safety standards. Unlike many reproduction seats, Cobra Classics are FIA-approved, giving peace of mind for both road and competition use.
They also offer a wide variety of trim options, from basketweave and corduroy to leather and vinyl, making it easy to match the seat to the character of your car. Whether you’re building a period-correct restoration or a retro-inspired track car, Cobra Classics are designed to complement the era without sacrificing comfort.
Our Cobra GT3 Seat Collection
We offer a range of Cobra GT3 Classic Bucket Seat options for different styles and builds. This includes a bespoke listing with pre-applied options that our customer used for their Jaguar E-Type called the luxury velvet Red Edition.
Our Signature variants allow further customisation including tartan inserts, alternative stitching colours, piping options, and other heritage inspired trims. If you are building something unique, this is where Cobra really stands out.
We also display the standard black Historic edition seat in our showroom, allowing customers to view the shape, comfort, and proportions in person. We maintain a paired listing that reflects our active in store stock levels, so you can see what is immediately available.
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From £474.17 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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A Classic Jaguar Deserves a Seat to Match
The Jaguar E Type remains one of the most iconic British sports cars ever built. Fitting a seat that respects that heritage is not always straightforward.
The Cobra Classic GT3 40th Edition delivers the right balance of period style, practical support, and customisation flexibility. With options ranging from standard Historic black through to fully bespoke velvet trimmed builds, it allows owners to create an interior that feels intentional and properly finished.
If you are considering upgrading your classic Jaguar or similar vintage vehicle, speak to us about fitment, trim options, and showroom availability. Getting the seat choice right can transform both the look and the driving experience.