Microcell seats

[AWOODY]

Hi Guys , my name is Grant from Sydney I have been registered on this forum for some time and look in regularly but as yet have not posted . I have owned minis since 1974 including 3 cooper s , gt , 850, etc etc I presently have a cooper s replica where I get the benifits of an S but not the expense and worry of wrecking a genuine one. Ever since owning both a Sunbeam Tiger and Alpine , both since long gone when kids came along, I have liked the Microcell seats , I have now just installed a set in the mini, love them, I no longer slide into the passenger seat when cornering with enthusiasm!! What I would like is some more information on them eg: where they were available from as an after market accessory in the 60's , the years they were available (63 to 68?) how much they cost , etc etc you get the picture . Also how many of you have them in your cars , I tried to find some at the IMM last year in Kent but didn't see any. Thanks.

[mk1]

Hi AWOODY,

Welcome to the forum.

Your question is a bit of a "How long is a piece of string" type question.

If you look through many of the old adverts & articles on the Main site you will see many ads for Microcells of one type or another. Microcell were a company that made a huge variety of seats, not just ones for Minis. I suspect that the seats you are asking about are either the Microcell recliners that were used in soem speedwell cars & the Cooper car Co Traveller.



These type of seats came out in the mid 60's are were popular until the mid 1970's.

Then there was the Microcell Contour range of seats. these were available earlier & underwent a number of design changes over the years.



This is a very short answer to a question with a potentially very long answer, but I hope that it is of interest.

M

[AWOODY]

Thanks Mark , Yes my seats are microcell recliners out of a Alpine/Tiger one of the reasons I am trying to find out more info is that my car is on a concessional registration and the car is meant to be kept in a period style with only period accessories allowed ,in order to put them in I have to prove that they were available in the correct time frame, as you would imagine these seats are very very rare in Oz in fact I have only ever seen 1 other mini here with them in and that was about 16 yrs ago and I have not seen it since . So any info I can obtain is of great help I will try to find the references on the main site however I may have to call upon your expertise again if I can't find it .

Thanks

[mk1]

The brochure for the Cooper S Traveller above is dated January 1967 if that helps.

M

[Nick W]

slightly off topic ,but I was told the microcell seats in the sunbeam alpine were of such good quality, as microcell prior to making car seats, made seats for the air craft industry?

[Pete]

All I remember about my old Sunbeam Alpine recliners was that they weighed a bloody ton! And caught the rear companion box. They are the easiest ones to find it seems.

[contour51]

Hi Guys , my name is Grant from Sydney I have been registered on this forum for some time and look in regularly but as yet have not posted . I have owned minis since 1974 including 3 cooper s , gt , 850, etc etc I presently have a cooper s replica where I get the benifits of an S but not the expense and worry of wrecking a genuine one. Ever since owning both a Sunbeam Tiger and Alpine , both since long gone when kids came along, I have liked the Microcell seats , I have now just installed a set in the mini, love them, I no longer slide into the passenger seat when cornering with enthusiasm!! What I would like is some more information on them eg: where they were available from as an after market accessory in the 60's , the years they were available (63 to 68?) how much they cost , etc etc you get the picture . Also how many of you have them in your cars , I tried to find some at the IMM last year in Kent but didn't see any. Thanks.

Hi,
No ,they were not initially sold as an aftermarket product,only produced for 'Sunbeam Alpines'(Pic1) and 'Tigers' (pics2+3),therefore the reason you will find virtually no advertisments/prices for this era and primarily none by 'Microcell' themselves. I say "virtually" as I have a record (pic4)of them being offered for sale both in Nov '1965 .I guess 'Motortune' put their name to these seats just the same as 'Les Leston' did his,I am totally unsure though about the circumstances surrounding the production of the 'Southern' seat .
The "Sunbeam pattern" seats were later re incarnated for the 'Reliant Scimitar GTE'(pic5).These seats also provided the skeleton for the leather trimmed 'Radford De Ville' seats(pic6).
However ,'Microcell Contour Seats Ltd' did bring out an aftermarket recliner(circa 67') ,known as the 'Traveller'(pic7) ,
although the back section was similar to the '"Sunbeam" seat,it is slightly wider and has provisions for a slot in headrest.The base though is entirely different ,as it does not have the offset rails ,they are made universally, so as take a specific subframe for each marque.They also have detachable base cover.
The 'Traveller' was the forerunner this seat(pic 8) ,extensively used/supplied by 'Ford' 68'-75'.

slightly off topic ,but I was told the microcell seats in the sunbeam alpine were of such good quality, as microcell prior to making car seats, made seats for the air craft industry?

Yes,'Microcell Contour Seats'Ltd was actually an offshot of their avitation buisness and continued in parrallel

Cheers
Gareth
.


.




[URL=http://s183.photobucket.com/user/CONTOUR51/media/Microadd2.jpg.html]

[AWOODY]

This is GREAT this is exactly what I was looking for I really apreciate it.

[Cables]

I have a set of alpine seats, paid the pricely sum of £40 for the pair but they need alot of refurbishment, but i saved cause alot of people read microcell and it increases the price.
I also have a similar pair that were fitted to somekind of 70's or 80's TVR with head rests, do people reckon these could also be microcell's?

[contour51]

I have a set of alpine seats, paid the pricely sum of £40 for the pair but they need alot of refurbishment, but i saved cause alot of people read microcell and it increases the price.
I also have a similar pair that were fitted to somekind of 70's or 80's TVR with head rests, do people reckon these could also be microcell's?

Impossible to say without seeing a photo.
If you have trouble posting pictures on here you are welcome to email me one via the link and I will post it up for you with an answer.
Cheers Gareth
Gareth_Richards1@Hotmail.com

[evonaut]

Just read this thread and then came across this page in the Paddy Hopkirk brochure on the main site..... What a coincidence! Thought it might be useful in compiling a picture about period availability of your microcell seats?

[foxy52]

slightly off topic ,but I was told the microcell seats in the sunbeam alpine were of such good quality, as microcell prior to making car seats, made seats for the air craft industry?

...Like Recaro,s on the latest 319,s... I flew on one by Aer Lingus from Knock last week and noticed the seat name ...a bit roomier than a 320 to !!!... foxy52