Lotus Europa TC Special Seats

[BDA]

I would check with local upholstery shops. Also AutoMat has a wide selection of carpets and upholstery including restorations (https://www.autointeriors.biz/).

[RoddyMac]

Basket Weave Vinyl might be the closest available.  Martrim in the UK shows it:  http://www.martrim.co.uk/catalogue/vinyl-basketweave.html

[4129R]

I found out about these on the Europa Facebook group.. might be a UK option. Don't think they're designed to fit the standard foam and trim though. £350 a pair seems quite reasonable

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminium-Bucket-Seat-Lotus-Europa-Pair-Kit-car-Track-Drift-/151876027243

That company seem to make seats to order.

I will take them a bare steel shell, and see how much  they want  to make up a pair in ally.

If they are £350 a pair, they get my vote. I will report back what they say.

Alex in Norfolk (about a 2 hour drive away from their factory).

[4129R]

I have stripped a good steel seat down to the bare steel shell to take to Loughborough to get the company there to quote for making up the metal shells in ally.

I have asked Richard at Banks several times for TC seats, but he has come up with nothing, so I will see if JAF Fabrication are interested in supplying to us.

Who needs TC metal seats, subject to price? If they are ally, they are probably worth shipping to the US in pairs. I think they charge for shipping by volume rather than weight.   

Alex in Norfolk

[Gearbox]

LOL, the lack of response from Richard was the primary reason why I designed these seats.  But why are you trying to reinvent the wheel when it is already done?  Ray at RD is selling these for $500 USD a pair which is about 335 GBP and I just checked shipping with Transglobal Express and they quoted about 80 GBP for the two shipped to the UK.  So is 415 GBP all in too much?   Just asking, Allan

[4129R]

LOL, the lack of response from Richard was the primary reason why I designed these seats.  But why are you trying to reinvent the wheel when it is already done?  Ray at RD is selling these for $500 USD a pair which is about 335 GBP and I just checked shipping with Transglobal Express and they quoted about 80 GBP for the two shipped to the UK.  So is 415 GBP all in too much?   Just asking, Allan

$:£ exchange rate is 1.22:1 now thanks to Brexit and currency speculators. So $500 is £410, add shipping and it is not much short of £500.

This company think they can make them in ally for £350 the pair.

[EuropaTC]

LOL, the lack of response from Richard was the primary reason why I designed these seats.  But why are you trying to reinvent the wheel when it is already done?  Ray at RD is selling these for $500 USD a pair which is about 335 GBP and I just checked shipping with Transglobal Express and they quoted about 80 GBP for the two shipped to the UK.  So is 415 GBP all in too much?   Just asking, Allan

$:£ exchange rate is 1.22:1 now thanks to Brexit and currency speculators. So $500 is £410, add shipping and it is not much short of £500.

This company think they can make them in ally for £350 the pair.

I don't know for certain it would apply in this case, but whenever I've imported anything "new" I had a nice pleasant surprise with VAT & import duty being added to the bill. In fact I was really annoyed because I'd opted for air freight at another $50 and VAT was charged on that as well !  I could see over £500 there.

[Gearbox]

Didn't realize the exchange rate was that low, I think it's time to put another large order in with Sue Miller lol.  But it would be interesting to see what you come up with and the cost made from Aluminum.  Given the small quantities I had everything lasered out and when I asked about the aluminum, they told me that they had to use a specially coated aluminum to laser and MOQ was 2,765 lbs. or 100 4' x 8' sheets in 16 gauge, so that ended that discussion.  But let me know if you need any help, I found the shoulder indents the most challenging to reproduce as you cannot make all the bends with a sheet metal brake and a stamping tool was too expensive for the small run.  Good luck with the project Allan

[buzzer]

Wait a bit...the £-$ exchange rate may get better if Trump wins

[Gearbox]

LOL, hate to intermix my hobbies with politics, but trust me, it's a lose lose situation no matter who wins.  Sigh.  But here's a hint....... Buy gold. 

[buzzer]

Yep!!
Yes shouldn't mix hobbies and politics. But to let you know over this side of the pond there has been a huge interest and a lot of people watching the sparing..I mean debates as well.

[4129R]

I have arranged to call in this Friday afternoon at their place of work to get a quote.

As for the politics, we have some real clowns over here. They just don't make politicians like they used to.

I will report back when I get a firm quote.

Just after I posted the import/exchange rate, I remembered about the 20% VAT on top, so certainly north enough of £500 to be close to "Hockey Mum" territory.

Alex in Norfolk.

[4129R]

Man in Loughborough now has a good TCS seat for a pattern, and will make 2 seats for me in 2mm ally.

He has done Europa seats before.

He seems to be a 1 man operation, but all set up properly to do the job.

He welds ally, so I will get him to weld up my inlet manifold prototype when I have finalised the machining of the head. I will then have to make up a jig to hold the stuff together in the right position while he tacks it together.

If anyone in the UK or Europe wants seats made, I suggest you contact now while he has a good TCS seat as a pattern to work from.

I will advise Richard at Banks as well.

Alex in Norfolk. 

[4129R]

Man in Loughborough UK made me 2 seats.

[Certified Lotus]

Wow! Those look very nice!