Customer Query: What Seats Are Suitable for My Marlin Cabrio?
Customer question: kit car seats
A customer asked us about seats for their Marlin Cabrio. They had tried Mazda MX-5 seats, but they were too big for the cabin: the lower part of the base and the recline handle caught on the sides of the cockpit. They needed something smaller, and the car also had to pass its IVA test.
Small roadsters and kit cars come up a lot, and the answer is always the same: measure the space first, then find a seat that fits inside those numbers. Here are the seats we suggested and what makes them work in a tight cockpit.
- Mazda MX-5 seats were too big for this Marlin Cabrio's cockpit
- Measure the cockpit width at floor level and at shoulder height first
- Corbeau Sportsman: a recliner just 41.5 cm at its widest, on a 40 cm base
- Cobra Roadster 7: a 400 mm base, shaped for seven style cars
- Narrow fixed back options: the Sparco Sprint and the Cobra Monaco
- Check the seat and its mounting against the IVA requirements before buying
What is on this page
Why the MX-5 seats did not fit
MX-5 seats are a popular choice for kit cars because they are compact for a production car seat and easy to find. But they are still a road car seat, with a recliner mechanism and handle on the side of the base, and in a narrow kit car cockpit that is where they foul. In this customer’s Marlin Cabrio, the lower base and the recline handle caught on the cabin sides.
The width that matters is usually lower down than people expect. Measure between the sides of the cockpit at floor level, clear of the transmission tunnel, then again at hip and shoulder height, and note the height from the floor to the roll bar or hood. Garreth’s advice is to send us all of those numbers; it is much easier to check a seat against them before it is ordered.
The seats we suggested
Corbeau Sportsman. One of the smallest reclining seats we sell: just 41.5 cm at its widest point, on a 40 cm base. Corbeau’s own figures give a base depth of 54 cm, an overall height of 79 cm with the headrest, and 37 cm across the shoulders. It has a steel frame, comes in cloth, leather or vinyl with a choice of piping colours, and suits a classic car or kit car with a narrow cockpit. It still needs the right base mount brackets or sliders for the car.
Cobra Roadster 7. Designed for seven style cars, where the rear bulkhead is the problem. The back is shaped to use the angle of the bulkhead, and the space that saves goes into legroom. The key figure is the 400 mm base, measured at floor level; most sports seats sit on a 500 to 560 mm base. It is 750 mm high, 460 mm across the shoulders and 720 mm front to back, at 7 kg, and harness holes are an option when ordering.
Sparco Sprint. A narrow, steel framed FIA 8855-1999 bucket seat for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist, and it can be base mounted or side mounted. The Sky version is trimmed in vinyl.
Cobra Monaco. A steel plated bucket with an integral head pad, which can also be base mounted or side mounted. The Monaco Pro is FIA 8855-1999; for a very narrow cockpit, the Monaco Sport Narrow is cut for a 28 to 32 inch waist.
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From £468.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £569.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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IVA and fitting
A kit car going through IVA has its own requirements, and the seats and their mountings are part of the inspection. We are a seat retailer, not a testing body, so check the seat, its frame and the belt arrangement against the current IVA requirements, or with the builder of the kit, before you buy.
In practice, the easiest route in a narrow car is usually a base mounted seat on a simple frame, because it keeps the width down and makes the mounting straightforward. If you need adjustment, allow for the width of any runners too.
Why do MX-5 seats not fit some kit cars?
The recliner mechanism and handle on the side of the base can catch on the cockpit sides in a narrow car.
What is the smallest reclining seat you sell?
The Corbeau Sportsman is one of the smallest, at 41.5 cm at its widest point on a 40 cm base.
Which seat suits a seven style car?
The Cobra Roadster 7, with a 400 mm base and a back shaped around the rear bulkhead.
What should I measure before choosing a kit car seat?
The cockpit width at floor level, at hip and shoulder height, and the height to the roll bar or hood.
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Our suggestionCorbeau Sportsman
A proper recliner that is only 41.5 cm wide, for cockpits where nothing else fits.
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