P5 rover car seats

[neiltownley]

Can anyone let me know a good contact with regards my car seats I need either new front seats or a contact number of a good upholster many thanks neil

[lagain]

Whereabouts are you ?

This chap at Petersfield in West Sussex/ Hampshire is very good.

www.mtdstrimming.com/

[tonys]

As far as wanting new seats is concerned, it might help narrow things down if you could mention which type you have, ie MK1, MK11 or MK111, and whether bench or individual, unless you're not fussed about originality.

[MK IA Norway Viking]

I have a 1969 P5B SALOON (black) and would like to fit the Coupe seats in it, both front and rear.

Will the COUPE SEATS fit the SALOON model ?


I am intrigued by the wooden table fitted behind the centre armrest pillow in the rear seat - I believe these are unique to the Coupe and still would like to have them as an upgrade in my Saloon. Any offers for seats in GOOD CONDITION shall be most welcome. Ideally with headrests too.

[Mike’S-a-loon]

My P5b Saloon has the fold down table between the rear seats. Yours being black, perhaps it was a special government build with some changes from standard spec?

[MK IA Norway Viking]

My car is standard; as I like the coupe rear seat arrangement with two individual "seats" and the centre arrangement with the picnic table and place for two glasses I would like to upgrade to this arrangement. Will it be possible, or will a modification have to be made in the bulkhead between rear backrest and boot ?

Anyone have a decent set of coupe seats to sell, ideally including headrests ? The lighter hues is favoured. Doorcards for all four doors with colour-match will be most appreciated too.

[Mike’S-a-loon]

Can you send a picture of the current arrangement? Mine is also standard, and it is as you describe you want yours to be. (2 separate "buckets" with an armrest/picnic table between. It sounds like a standard Saloon setup would be ok.

This one is a Saloon, like mine (sorry, I don't actually seem to have any pics of my actual back seats!)

Attachment Deleted

[MK IA Norway Viking]

Thank you for the illustration photo; this is precisely the setup I am looking for: two separate bucket seats in the rear with the picnic table in the middle and headrests front and rear. 

[tonys]

It sounds as if your car has the 'optional' rear bench seat. When the MKIII 3-litre was introduced Rover changed the saloon's rear seat from a bench seat to the 2 individual-seat style of the coupé. However, they then re-introduced the rear bench as an 'option' after 12-months and this carried on over to the P5B, ie saloons had 2 individual rear seats as standard but with the option of a bench; in my experience sometimes, but not wholly, selected for chauffeur-driven cars in the main.

Those with individual seats had the fold-down 'tray' and cup-holders (one of the first?) but the centre cushion was different, with coupés having an ashtray and cigar lighter, saloons having a lift-up cushion with a storage compartment underneath.

You might/might not be aware that coupé rear seats look broadly the same but are actually very slightly different; same basic style but the seat cushion is approximately 1.5" lower and, IIRC, the backrest angle is set differently (all to assist headroom due to the lower roofline). I can't recall for definite now but I think the coupé seats can be fitted in a saloon, and vice versa, but the fittings might not be exactly the same / line up exactly. I'm sure somebody else will know, or 'search' might reveal the answer.

A black saloon with a bench rear seat might quite possibly have been a govt., MOD or similar car originally; not conclusive by any means but black was a special order colour.

Nb., the table isn't actually 'wood', more wood-look. Rover only listed rear headresrs for saloons, various opinions expressed over te years but the general view is that (1) they restricted rear view on the coupé and (2) the slightly different seatback angle meant that they didn't fit properly (not to Rover-standards). However, people have fitted headrests to coupés and somebody did produce coupé-specific headrests many years ago, so whilst you have a saloon, if you fit coupé rear seats a headrest might not be an exact-fit, though almost certainly it could physically be fitted.

[MK IA Norway Viking]

Good evening, and thank you for a thorough review of the seat issues.

Extremely informative and of great interest.

To me it seems that the separate rear-seat setup is what I am looking for, albeit not the coupe-edition since they will not have a proper fit.

Moreover, to me it is not important to have an ashtray & cigar lighter - much better with a storage compartment, where I can stow a flask of single malt or other distinguished liquid for the pleasure of passengers and for pastime in the garage .

[Mike’S-a-loon]

So I guess the question is: does the multi seat setup have different body mounts to the bench seat? Does he need to make mods to the rear seat area of the bodywork, or will they just click into place?

[tonys]

This thread covers it: the poster Velvet, IIRC, has re-trimmed numerous P5s and clarified the issue (I'll have to try and remember the answer this time )

roverp5.proboards.com/thread/11188/rear-coupe-seat