R12 interior.
- Thread starter Brad Johnson
- Start date
You should have seen the seats in my old 12. Yours look like a million bucks. I doubt you will find better ones by now. Worth a shot, but if you don't find replacements you might want to take them apart and see how the frames are doing if you suspect play in the hinge articulation. There's a mechanism in there that might need some attention after all these years.
They're all getting close to 50 years old so finding good ones is going to he a struggle.
Most split along the stitching, or crack on the outside edge where they get the most sun.
A set of seatcovers might be the best solution unless you want to have them recovered by a upholsterer, which might cost more than the car.
I've got an early R12 which originally had the 'log' front seats. I changed them for the high-back type when the tilt mechanism failed but only because I had a spare pair in my shed (they had a couple of splits as well).
The tombstone and high-back front seats from the R16 should also fit the R12 but they'll be just as bad condition wise.
Most split along the stitching, or crack on the outside edge where they get the most sun.
A set of seatcovers might be the best solution unless you want to have them recovered by a upholsterer, which might cost more than the car.
I've got an early R12 which originally had the 'log' front seats. I changed them for the high-back type when the tilt mechanism failed but only because I had a spare pair in my shed (they had a couple of splits as well).
The tombstone and high-back front seats from the R16 should also fit the R12 but they'll be just as bad condition wise.
I should say that the seat in the picture is the type of seat I’m looking for, I have low back seats with a seperate head restraint, I guess they are what you refer to as Log type. Brownish, no detail and convex.
If your seats are in good shape, I would suggest you keep them. Keep an eye out for whatever you want, but it may be a while. Even if you get the tombstone seats I would suggest you keep the old ones. I threw away a broken seat out of my 17G and now it's impossible to find a replacement even in crap condition (by that I mean worse than the one I threw out).
Should be easy enough to get a passenger seat as they seem to get less use and are usually in reasonable to good condition.
Its the drivers seat that seems to be hard to obtain in good condition, which will usually have the seat part in various stages of decay from torn seems to collapsed seat springs.
There are also various configurations of the tomb stone seats depending what year car they came from.
The vinyl solid backs come from about 1975-1976, vinyl with hollow head rest 1977-1978 and the cloth trim version come from the Virage 1979-1980.
Another source of seats is from the Peugeot 504, but the stitching runs 90 deg to the Renaults and the seat mounts are most likely different.
Its the drivers seat that seems to be hard to obtain in good condition, which will usually have the seat part in various stages of decay from torn seems to collapsed seat springs.
There are also various configurations of the tomb stone seats depending what year car they came from.
The vinyl solid backs come from about 1975-1976, vinyl with hollow head rest 1977-1978 and the cloth trim version come from the Virage 1979-1980.
Another source of seats is from the Peugeot 504, but the stitching runs 90 deg to the Renaults and the seat mounts are most likely different.
Thank you, seems like I’m just going to have to keep my eyes peeled and ask questions on here occasionally. See how I go. All of my previous R12s had the high back, ’tombstone’ style seats and they were far more comfortable and in my opinion, better looking. Plus, I’d like the rear bench with the fold down armrest. Just a nice feature.
I think COL is right and you're likely to find good/better passenger seats easier, but you can always transplant the foam, coverings, springs, etc from a passenger to the driver seat because they are symmetrical. Just as long as the driver seat frame is in good shape.
While we're discussing R12 seats, my understanding is there are 4 types of bucket seats used on the R12 in Australia.
Bucket, no headrest (on the very early types??)
'Log' type, square backrest with separate headrest
'Tombstone', one-piece highback bucket, solid headrest
'High-Back', one-piece highback bucket, see-through headrest (from Virage maybe)
Personally, I've always liked the look of the tombstones seats but find the earlier seats more comfortable as they were wider and appeared to have more padding. (Maybe it's because I'm old and fat now and need a wider seat).
Bucket, no headrest (on the very early types??)
'Log' type, square backrest with separate headrest
'Tombstone', one-piece highback bucket, solid headrest
'High-Back', one-piece highback bucket, see-through headrest (from Virage maybe)
Personally, I've always liked the look of the tombstones seats but find the earlier seats more comfortable as they were wider and appeared to have more padding. (Maybe it's because I'm old and fat now and need a wider seat).
Never seen the bucket or log type. My early 71 TL was equipped with the Tombstone style, and just for further pointers of difference.
-Tombstone, fixed height mounting position,
-High Back, adjustable 3 x points in the rail to control height and tilt,
Also re the mounting, I feel I had to drill out my car to accommodate the "high back" seats I took from a Virage (drivers seat didn't pass rego) . I feel the originals were 6mm and the "high back" 8mm.
-Tombstone, fixed height mounting position,
-High Back, adjustable 3 x points in the rail to control height and tilt,
Also re the mounting, I feel I had to drill out my car to accommodate the "high back" seats I took from a Virage (drivers seat didn't pass rego) . I feel the originals were 6mm and the "high back" 8mm.
Funny that. I also thought the seats in my 75 GL wagon were the most comfortable. These were the ones with separate headrest, vinyl, destroyed, light poo colour. I also had a Virage wagon for a short while with the high back and hollow head rest, very nice. I wish I had not sold it. These were some sort of synthetic textile cover, grey, very good shape.
Well here is your chance!
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Well, if anyone has a set of Tombstone seats in good condition, I’ll pay good $ for them, especially if they come with a matching rear bench with armrest and if that same person would like the “log” type seats with headrests in excellent condition, we could do a swap. Let me know. Just not green.
Schlitz I have 1 17 seat here not sure if it's a g or which side Kim Slatery gave it to me years ago its mounted on a timber base as a lounge chair, if your interested I can take some photos and send you.
Peter, that is very kind of you. Piccies would be great.
But before that, what style of seat is it? Tombstone or separate headrest?
And what colour?
Thank you very much.
But before that, what style of seat is it? Tombstone or separate headrest?
And what colour?
Thank you very much.
Forgot to ask is it driver or passenger? Not very important as I don't really have a choice, just to prepare myself.