mk1-forum.net

Hi all,
just an observation for anyone considering bidding on this seat.
As the seller say's,it is all original ,except obviously for the diaphragm,which would have perished long ago.
It is a bit out of the ordinary though,as it still has the welded on tabs mentioned in category# 3. relating to the specified vehicles in section 'B' ,in Mark's 'Restall' price list (see below).The reason I believe they are original and not added on,is that the mounting rails are not drilled in the normal positions to take the detachable subframe /runner set up, as for the vehicles in section 'A'.
I can't say for sure which vehicle in 'B' the seat would have been for,but from experience it is unlikely to be the 'Neu Klasse' models.
Unfortunately ,there is a bit of a misconception surrounding these seats being "tailor made",as you will conclude these seats were readily available for ALL the vehicles in category 'A' and those selected in 'B'.Also from being advertised in the 'John Rhodes' pre 67' catalogue P.7 and here in 'Motorsport 'Jan 68' (see below).However ,I totally agree that racing drivers could/would have their seats "personalised" by visiting 'Restall Bros' for a fitting.Particularly from a regular customer like 'Broadspeed ' ,as it was literally only a 10 minute walk down the road ,between the 2 factories at that time.
HTH
Gareth

BTW.
The last 'Type 5' I looked at for sale,was 2 years ago at 'Stanford Hall'.
£500.00 was the asking price ,in need of a re trim ,with no diaphragm and no subframe/runners .A definite WTF moment
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Very interesting posting Gareth!

It will be interesting to see what it goes for.

M

Hi Mark,
Thanks!
Yes,as the seller had used the link to your archives to enhance the sale,I felt I ought to make interested "parties" aware (in a roundabout way)
that this particular seat could not have come from a 'Mini' ,nor that that it was made for perhaps someone famous.
Obviously still a very rare seat and could easily be "adapted" for a 'Mini' .

You may be interested know why I ruled out it coming from the 'BMW Neu Klasse' cars,well as you will see from the following pic's.The 1800 Ti,1800 and 1800Tisa etc have a quite high and wide floor plinths.In fact they are actually wider than the seats,so 'Restall's' answer to this was to weld on 3 short tubes each side,splayed out and welded to a length of angle iron to take the runners,as shown on these 'Type 1' 'Alpina' seats.

WAKE UP AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS I'am not finished yet

This metalwork was latterly hidden by a trimmed ,fibreglass valance ,for the 1800Tisa model.(see pic)

My own theory on this seat for sales origin is,I believe it came from one of the other 2 door vehicles(so also ruling out 'Triumph 2000') listed in section 'B',purely because (this next bit may sound strange) the welded on tabs at the back would serve no other purpose than be platforms for height adjusting blocks ,often seen on cars where the seat tilts forward,on a "scissor" type runner /subframe arrangement.As on the 'Herald/Vitesse'.
Which brings me onto something on the 'price list ' that confuses me a bit
The 'Bond Equipe GT' is a "sportscar",yet is in section 'A' and utilises exactly the same set up as the 'Herald/Vitesse'.
Cheers Gareth
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I think that it is interesting that, from the John Rhodes earlier than 67 catalog, the pricing for the Type 5 is over 20% greater than a Type 1.

I always figured the recliner would have been more costly to produce, but I guess the low production volume of the Type 5 increased costs?

Johnny

The splayed leg look is not great is it!

As I said above Gareth, you are a mine of fascinating info on these 60's seats.

Johnny wrote:I think that it is interesting that, from the John Rhodes earlier than 67 catalog, the pricing for the Type 5 is over 20% greater than a Type 1.

I always figured the recliner would have been more costly to produce, but I guess the low production volume of the Type 5 increased costs?

Johnny

Good point,I hadn't noticed that.
I can tell you from my perspective the 'Type1' recliner is far more time consuming and costly to re produce,mainly because of the engineering/fabrication work for the internal mechanism. Compared to the simple construction of these 2nd generation/Mk2 'Type 5's.
As they were manufactured over a 3 - 4 year period ,I can only assume they warranted a higher price because ,they were being sold here at 'Wooding's' for a specialist market.Translating as,"Particularly suitable for racing purposes" and "We use these seats in our racing Mini's".
It would now be interesting know ,what 'Restall Bros ' openly sold them for themselves,in comparison? As the 'Type 1' sold for around the £19.19s.0d mark at that time.
Cheers
Gareth

mk1 wrote:The splayed leg look is not great is it!

As I said above Gareth, you are a mine of fascinating info on these 60's seats.

No,not a good look at all ,but I bet they felt very secure compared to the normal 'Type 1' fixtures.
I imagine it would have been difficult to know what else to do in 1963. As those plinths were all carpeted.
Cheers
Gareth

I reckon that ended at a very fair price.

Just shows that every rare part doesn't go ballistic.

M