Europa Seats

[William Enzweiler]

I am in dire need of two seat frames or 2 complete seats with good frames for a 1971 lotus Europa. 

[jonwat]

11 hours ago, William Enzweiler said:

I am in dire need of two seat frames or 2 complete seats with good frames for a 1971 lotus Europa. 

Europa Engineering is probably your best place to start 

Edited January 4, 2022 by jonwat

[NG5]

If Banks don't have any then they occasionally come up on ebay, other than that you will be struggling. A few months ago there was a very, very tatty S2 set that didn't sell so it may be worth looking at ebay completed listings to see if you can find any that didn't sell and contact the seller.

Beware, S2 seats and TC seats are quite different. S2 seats are a lot more reclined and a bit lower than the TC. The seat back angle matches the bulkhead angle which is far more vertical on the TC, so although it is possible to fit the TC seat in an S2 your head and body are nearer the windscreen than with the correct seats if the seat is fully back, which is how most people have them. The other way round with S2 seats in a TC creates less of a problem moving your bum forward to the S2 position and loosing the extra legroom that the TC offered.  The mounting centers for the seat rails also differ, not a big deal for an S2 where it just means drilling new holes in the floor, but the TC used reinforcing bobbins in the floor which will be in the wrong place.

Any after market competition seats are way too upright, making headroom and driving position a real issue unless you are small.

Until you find the correct seats have you thought of just fitting foam cushions to the floor and bulkhead? This gives a very similar driving position to the seats! On the S2 with the seat cushion compressed by body weight you are only about 10mm off the floor anyway, in the TC it's a bit higher though.

Good luck.

[andydclements]

If you get hold of a seat then a decent steel fabricator should be able to replicate them easily, so you only need to borrow one that's destined to be re-trimmed.

[andyj007]

cant help the OP.....  i didnt know that about the s2 seats being more reclined , being 6ft and quite long legs i fit in an s2 and its very comfy, where as a twin cam my head hit the ceiling.. i couldn't work out why as they were suppose to offer more room..   i suppose you could always raise the front of the seat in a twin cam to give mire recline but then your knees would hit the steering wheel.. one thing i do know, once in the car the seats and position are just incredibly comfy 

[William Enzweiler]

On 18/01/2022 at 13:53, NG5 said:

If Banks don't have any then they occasionally come up on ebay, other than that you will be struggling. A few months ago there was a very, very tatty S2 set that didn't sell so it may be worth looking at ebay completed listings to see if you can find any that didn't sell and contact the seller.

Beware, S2 seats and TC seats are quite different. S2 seats are a lot more reclined and a bit lower than the TC. The seat back angle matches the bulkhead angle which is far more vertical on the TC, so although it is possible to fit the TC seat in an S2 your head and body are nearer the windscreen than with the correct seats if the seat is fully back, which is how most people have them. The other way round with S2 seats in a TC creates less of a problem moving your bum forward to the S2 position and loosing the extra legroom that the TC offered.  The mounting centers for the seat rails also differ, not a big deal for an S2 where it just means drilling new holes in the floor, but the TC used reinforcing bobbins in the floor which will be in the wrong place.

Any after market competition seats are way too upright, making headroom and driving position a real issue unless you are small.

Until you find the correct seats have you thought of just fitting foam cushions to the floor and bulkhead? This gives a very similar driving position to the seats! On the S2 with the seat cushion compressed by body weight you are only about 10mm off the floor anyway, in the TC it's a bit higher though.

Good luck.

Thank you for the info. I have discovered 3D prints of the S2 seats and am considering building my own seat frames. Thank you also for the info on the difference between the S2 and the TC seats.

[NG5]

A set of twin cam seats have come up on ebay. Won't comment on the colour or price! 

Despite the description they are twin cam seats not S2

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115287074606

[NG5]

BTW the easy way to tell S2 and TC seats is the base.

From above the S2 has a short base cushion and a long thigh cushion. The TC has a long base cushion and a short thigh cushion. From below the S2 has a solid steel base, the TC has an open base with webbing. 

[andydclements]

My Special has solid base not vented.

[NG5]

Andy, 

That's really interesting. I've never seen a solid TC seat but as it's only visible with the seat out, in reality I probably haven't seen that many. After over 40 years messing with Europas still learning things. Wonder if they went solid on later cars? I must admit I always thought the webbing a waste of time as it starts to sag quite quickley.

[andydclements]

MIne have the webbing, but sus[ended over a solid (not mesh) steel plate.