105 Seat Swap Alternatives

njh1964 · December 30, 2014, 02:14:59 PM

Hi All,

I'm looking for alternative seats for my GT1300 Junior... the original Junior bucket seats have very short back rests and the lack of head rests doesn't really suit my height or my sooky need for more comfort :-)

I'm thinking about aftermarket sports seats, but I'm not that keen on the overly modern style of sports seats.

As an alternative, I'm wondering if a pair of front seats from an Alfa Romeo 156 (or even a 147) might do the job... preferably trimmed in black leather.

I've heard that 156 seats can be fitted in an Alfa 75, and I do know that Alfa 75 seats can be bolted into a 105 coupe. The Alfa 75 has the same seat bolt pattern as a 105, but the Alfa 75 seats look a bit odd in the 105.

I've seen another post here in which 156 front seats have been fitted to a Berlina, but does anyone know if 156 front seats will go into a 105 coupe?

Regards,

Nick

Barry Edmunds · December 30, 2014, 09:27:10 PM

Check the distance between the seat rails, the 105 mounts could be different from 156 or 75's. From memory the front and rear seat mount spacing is the same on the models mentioned. I fitted 156 seats into an '84 Giulietta but had to make up spacers for different width of the seat rails. Barry

njh1964 · December 30, 2014, 11:57:00 PM

Hi Barry,

A while ago, I did bolt an Alfa 75 seat into my 105 coupe. The four bolt holes in the Alfa 75 seat rails did all line up with the 105 coupe floor mount holes, but I did need spacers and longer bolts for the rear holes. Unfortunately, I didn't like the look of the Alfa 75 seat in the Junior, but I think 156 seats would look better.

So, my thinking is that, if 156 seats do fit into an Alfa 75, then I assume 156 seats (with rear spacers) should also fit into a 105 coupe. Has anyone tried this seat swap in a 105 coupe?

Regards,

Nick

Ursus · January 01, 2015, 09:26:52 PM

If you end up getting rid of the Jnr seats let me know!

njh1964 · January 01, 2015, 11:23:22 PM

Hi Ursus,

Noted... but I'd probably keep the Junior seats to pass on with the car if I ever sell it.

Part of the attraction of 156 seats (assuming they fit) is that they shouldn't require any modification to the car, and would therefore be easy to remove and replace with the original Junior seats.

Regards,

Nick

Ursus · January 02, 2015, 11:04:53 AM

No probs, thanks for the reply!

Divano Veloce · January 07, 2015, 10:09:49 PM

i fitted 156 ts seats to my berlina. i had to add new mounts as the 156 seat rails are narrower and a bit shorter than the berlina seats (also, the berlina seat mounts are wider on the passenger side... not sure if its the same in a coupe).

The 156 seats are ok in a berlina as the back seats are accessed via the back doors... not so good in a coupe unless you want to forfeit access to the spacious back seats

LaStregaNera · January 08, 2015, 03:19:09 PM

Quote from: Divano Veloce on January 07, 2015, 10:09:49 PM(also, the berlina seat mounts are wider on the passenger side... not sure if its the same in a coupe).

Some coupes yes, some coupes no.

Quote from: Divano Veloce on January 07, 2015, 10:09:49 PMThe 156 seats are ok in a berlina as the back seats are accessed via the back doors... not so good in a coupe unless you want to forfeit access to the spacious back seats

3 door 147 seats are the answer here.

njh1964 · January 08, 2015, 04:15:31 PM

Thanks Divano Veloce & LaStregaNera. Does anyone happen to know the distance between the seat rail centres on a 147 seat? I'm talking about the side-to-side mounting point measurement rather than the front-to-back measurements.

Craig_m67 · January 08, 2015, 05:09:03 PM

147 mounts should be the same as on a 156.

Post #20 onwards here >> http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/gt-1963-1977/174914-what-seats-have-you-put-into-your-105-a-2.html

Personally I think they look too big and out of place and I'd go with something period (the BF Torino Nürburgring are lovely). That said, i found the cloth version of the 156 seats to have better cornering bum grip/fit than the leather I have in there now. I threw the cloth out, sorry.

(They're also frick'n heavy)

njh1964 · January 08, 2015, 06:56:09 PM

Mmm... a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. I tend to agree that those 156 seats? do look kind of big and bulky inside a 105 cabin.

rowan_bris · January 08, 2015, 07:47:34 PM

I have always had Recaros in 105s, Alfettas and 75s

Mr Frog · January 17, 2015, 10:29:21 AM

Rowan, did they slot in without modification, and which recaros are you referring to. I'm also very interested in a photo, if you have one.

rowan_bris · January 17, 2015, 12:10:00 PM

You need to make base frames, which mount to the standard mounting points on the car. I would have a photo somewhere but not sure where. I sold my last 105 about 19 years ago! I had LS Recaros in my car which are the one that have the large side bolsters and adjustable thigh support.

Colin Byrne · January 17, 2015, 05:02:30 PM

if your going down the road of changing seats in a 105, rather than modifying the frame of the new seats, there is always the option of re-engineering the actual seat mounts themselves.

I know that there is a lot more work involved but the original seat mounts are minimal at best. see the photo of the tiny captive nut that holds the seat, only 4 of these hold you and the seat to floor in an accident

anyway just thought i'd mention it as an option