Bucket Seat Fitment in the Classic MG Midget (1961-1979)
Classic car seat fitting guide
The MG Midget is a small British roadster built from 1961 to 1979. Fitting modern bucket seats to one is a challenge, because the cockpit is tiny, but done properly it is a rewarding upgrade.
This guide covers how the Midget changed over its life, why its cabin limits the seat choice, what it takes to mount a bucket seat safely, and the Cobra seats we point Midget owners towards. There is also a section on FIA seats for anyone competing.
- Every Midget, Mk I to 1500, has the same very tight cockpit
- There are no direct fit seat frames, so mounts are fabricated
- Cobra Classic RS and CS use a 291mm x 330mm base pattern
- The Cobra Cub is Cobra's most compact fixed back bucket
- For FIA competition, we have seen a Sparco Rev fitted in a Midget
- Measure the space between the door and the tunnel before you order
What is on this page
MG Midget generations and cockpit space
The Midget went through several versions between 1961 and 1979, but the tight cockpit stayed the same throughout. Every version was built on the same small chassis it shared with the Austin-Healey Sprite.
- Mk I (1961 to 1964): a basic roadster with sliding side screens and no exterior door handles.
- Mk II (1964 to 1966): wind up windows, external door handles and quarter lights. More civilised, but no roomier.
- Mk III (1966 to 1974): the larger 1275cc engine and a folding hood that stayed on the car, with safety updates as the years went on.
- Midget 1500 (1974 to 1979): rubber bumpers and the 1493cc Triumph Spitfire engine, and still no more room inside.
The changes over the years were about comfort and safety, not space. The doors sit close to the seats, the transmission tunnel takes up the middle, and legroom and seat travel are limited. From the earliest Mk I to the last 1500, every Midget needs a compact seat.
Width is the limit
Width is the critical measurement. Anything too wide will touch the door on one side or the tunnel on the other, and you do not want to sit skewed or find the seat will not slide because it is wedged in. Measure the space between the door card and the tunnel at cushion height and at shoulder height, and compare those figures with the seat’s width before you order.
Look at the backrest too. Some seats are tall enough to foul the hood frame when it is folded, so check the height as well as the width. This is why seats made for classic cars suit the Midget best: Cobra’s classic range is shaped for small cars like the Mini and older British sports cars.
For reference, our listings give the Cobra Cub with headrest as 460mm wide and the Cobra Classic RS as 490mm wide at the shoulders. Compare those with your own measurements, or send them to us and we will do it for you.
No off the shelf frames: mounts are fabricated
There are no vehicle specific seat frames for the Midget, so you cannot buy a subframe and bolt it in. The original seats sat on simple runners bolted to the floor. For aftermarket buckets, the usual routes are modifying the original runners, or making adaptor plates or custom brackets to join the new seat to the floor.
Seat mounts are safety critical: they hold the seat, and you, to the car in every situation. We strongly recommend having a professional or a specialist do this work unless you are confident in your own fabrication and welding, and any custom mount should be robust and use high grade fixings.
Height and angle matter as much as the fixings. You may need spacers or cross brackets to get the seat level and at the right height. A bucket often sits lower than the original seat, which helps headroom, but it must be level and slide properly if it has runners. A workshop that knows classic cars, or a motorsport seat fitter, is the safest route.
The Cobra classic seats below use a 291mm x 330mm base pattern, and Cobra include a sliding runner with their seats. Your fitter will use that pattern to plan the brackets.
Recommended Cobra seats for the Midget
Not every bucket will go into a Midget, but these Cobra classic models are the ones we recommend. Each pairs a period look with a compact shell.
Cobra Classic RS and Classic CS
The Classic range has the period outline Cobra have built for decades: deep sides, rounded support and a shape that suits a classic interior. The Classic CS adds an integral headrest and harness slots cut into the sides of the shoulders to the plain Classic, and at 6.1kg it is light for a steel framed seat. The Classic RS has a deeper cushion that gives better support on a long drive, at 8.7kg.
Both are steel framed, base mounted and listed as 4 point harness compatible. Both are Road and Track approved, not FIA, so they suit fast road use, shows and track days. They look right at home in a 1960s or 1970s interior, and Cobra hand trim them in the UK in a wide choice of trims.
Cobra Cub
For the tightest cabins, the Cub is Cobra's most compact fixed back bucket, built for cars where a standard shell is too wide or too tall. It has lower side bolsters and a smaller shell than the Classic seats, which helps it fit a cockpit like the Midget's while still giving good support.
The version with a headrest is 680mm tall and 460mm wide on our listing, and there is a version without a headrest that stands 160mm lower, which keeps more headroom in a car with a roll bar. It is base mounted, Road and Track approved and 4 point harness compatible.
All of these can be trimmed to suit your interior. They give far better side support than the original flat seats, without major changes to the car, as long as they are properly mounted. Browse the full MG Midget classic seat range for more options, including the Classic without a headrest and seats from other brands. For the bigger MG, our guide to MGB Roadster seats covers the same questions.
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FIA seats in a Midget
The Midget was never designed with FIA seats in mind, but with the right compact seat and careful planning it can be done. We have seen a Sparco Rev fitted in a Midget, which shows that the most compact FIA seats can work in this cockpit if the installation is done properly.
The Sparco Rev QRT is a narrow fibreglass seat homologated to FIA 8855-1999. On our listing it suits drivers with a 32 to 36 inch waist, takes 4 and 6 point harnesses, is HANS friendly and is side mounted, so it needs Sparco’s FIA side mounts and a frame made for the car. It leaves very little spare room in a Midget, so it suits smaller drivers.
For hill climbs, sprints or races, check your series rules for the seat and mounting they require, and talk to your scrutineer before you build. As with any Midget seat, the mounting will need fabrication, and it should be done by a specialist who understands competition seat installation, so the seat angle, height and harness angles are right. Garreth’s advice is to send us your waist size and height first, because in a car this small the driver matters as much as the seat.
Are there direct fit seat frames for the MG Midget?
No. There are no vehicle specific frames, so the seats are mounted on modified runners or fabricated brackets, ideally made by a specialist.
Which seats fit an MG Midget?
We recommend Cobra’s classic seats, the Classic RS, Classic CS and the compact Cobra Cub, but measure your car first and compare with the seat widths.
What bolt pattern do the Cobra Classic seats use?
The Classic CS is listed with a 291mm x 330mm base pattern.
Can I fit an FIA seat in a Midget?
It can be done with a very compact seat. We have seen a Sparco Rev fitted, but it suits smaller drivers and the mounting needs specialist fabrication.
Are the Cobra Classic seats FIA approved?
No. They are Road and Track approved, which suits road use, shows and track days.
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Small car, small seatCobra Classic or Cobra Cub
Period looks in a compact shell, mounted properly by someone who knows classic cars.
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