Gazzar Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 I've a set of seats from a 110, probably late 80's or early 90's. What DIY options are there out there in terms of retrimming these? And adding heaters, extra support? Who is good for trim kits? What material would be good for hot weather, I'd rather avoid vinyl, and probably leather, to avoid burning myself on sunny days. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 Exmoor, and others, supply kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 They do, and there is great choice. But I don't know what distinguishes the options. And it's a horrid website, hard to filter, no real descriptions. For example, What is span mondus? Is there a canvas sand or green option? I want something that can cope with a working truck, not a more refined road defender. It's very confusing. What have real people experienced, rather than reviews in the comics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR-HIPPO Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 A few weeks back, an old but unused Exmoor trim seat base foam came my way, so I fitted this into the the base of my 1989 drivers seat, reusing the original cover. What a difference!! I was absolutely blown away by the difference that this made. My sitting position seems to have gone up by around 2 inches, the seat back now correctly sits against my back, and the thing is so much more comfortable to drive, it is literally like driving a different vehicle. If you have an old defender, a new seat base foam is quite possibly the best £30 ish you could spend. Fully re-trimming my front seats in now most certainly on my radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 I retrimmed my old county seats with Exmoor Trim seatbase foams, made a big difference. I then fitted a set of seats out of a Tdci model - these are much better again. They seem to be a more supportive design somehow. They’re comfortable enough that I can do 500 miles in a day without any particular bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 The retrim kits from Britpart are supposed to be surprisingly good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 I'm starting to think a simple cheap trim kit, maybe Britpart, seat heater, and a set of outlast seat covers might be the way forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I do seem to recall Uncle Big Si recommending the Britpart kits after retrimming his 90. Maybe search u tube Gaz, see what people are using. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 I used the Exmoor Trim seat foam. It was cut foam sections, not a moulded part. It soon sagged. I would try the Britpart one next time. Karen Bee has a retrial company called Bustle About. Her work looked good to me when I met her (and Bob) at the Overland show last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim2809 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I have britpart retrim kits on mine. Can't tell the difference apart from cost compared to exmoor trim. I also fitted the britpart heated seat kit at the same time. 2 years later seats still like new and still toasty warm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 One other thing about the Exmoor kits - their seat heaters are very effective and are simple to fit, but the type I have has two loops on each part of the seat and using both gets so hot that the glue holding the top fabric to the padding underneath melts. This makes them look worn out and saggy. You don’t need that much heat - it gets uncomfortable when it gets near its peak, and one loop is quite comfy in winter, so I’d recommend wiring up just the one. The other loop will give redundancy if the first loop breaks, but mine lasted very well and still work correctly now. Their earlier type had a single loop with a thermostatic switch in the back pad. These get quite hot until the heat spreads to the switch, at which point they cut out for a very long time. They too ruined the glue between top fabric and the backing on my RR seats making otherwise mint seats look knackered. Hopeless! Do not buy that type. I think they have long been discontinued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 On 7/6/2019 at 10:30 PM, landroversforever said: The retrim kits from Britpart are supposed to be surprisingly good! I think Simon R did a ‘build thread’ on here for fitting them and strongly recommend them, if I remember, as a rebadged kit that you’d pay more for from anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 .... and here it is being mentioned, can’t find the build thread yet: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 ".. Karen Bee has a retrial company called Bustle About .." Any links ? I'm considering options and apart from Exmoor, I know very few others. The lady in the Midlands (Sam's) has never ever bothered to reply to emails or calls... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR-HIPPO Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 27 minutes ago, Arjan said: ".. Karen Bee has a retrial company called Bustle About .." Any links ? I assume that it's these guys. https://www.facebook.com/BustleAbout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HampshireHog Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 On 7/6/2019 at 11:57 PM, Gazzar said: I'm starting to think a simple cheap trim kit, maybe Britpart, seat heater, and a set of outlast seat covers might be the way forward. Hi Gazza, I did just that but with the heated seat kit from Exmoor , the Britpart vinyl covers I got have a mesh type affair in the centre , they look surprisingly good and nearly 12 months later are still in bloody good shape , I wish I had done what Snagger has and only used one of the elements as they do get rather warm around the intimate parts , the Mrs will bear this out as well, I fitted Carling switches to my cubby box to keep it all neat and tidy but they are easy to accidently turn on when reaching around in the cab , hope this helps . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappa Smurf Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 I've retrimmed with an Exmoor kit. Looks really good smart, feels very comfy on my daily commute. The vinyl gets very hot in summer, very cold in winter. However it matches the covers of my forward facing rear seats, so I just man the F up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 17 hours ago, HampshireHog said: I wish I had done what Snagger has and only used one of the elements as they do get rather warm around the intimate parts , the Mrs will bear this out as well, I fitted Carling switches to my cubby box to keep it all neat and tidy but they are easy to accidently turn on when reaching around in the cab , hope this helps . Sadly I learned too late - I have off/on/on Carling Tech switches for the heaters with one loop on the middle position and both on the second, and it buggered the lower seat covers and is probably responsible, at least in part, for the rapid degradation of the Exmoor Trim foam on the drivers seat (not moulded but cut block and glued type ). It’s on the to-do list when I come home! Mr Hippo, that’s the business. She’s the wife of Bob696 from the old Lr net forum, and both of them are keen LR enthusiasts and overlanders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Thank you all for the experiences. I think I'll go Britpart mesh, two stage heaters, switches somewhere on an aux panel. With a long reinforced cable between the seat base and the wiring loom, bearing in mind the underset tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Good call I think Gazzar I love my heated seats - they make such a difference to being comfortable quickly in cold weather. Thus them going in the 80” too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Seat heaters are good 👍 Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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