David Middleditch's Comments

So, £60 quid in foam and leatherette and a superb job by the mother in law sewing them up, and here are the new seats. I've used sticky backed velcro on the back to make them removable as they will get wet and muddy trialling. All good to go for the Exeter trial next week.

Worthwhile fitting a drain pipe at the lowest point (not found a dutton that doesn't leak somewhere yet) 

Also worth sealing up any sort of wood used for the seat base, maybe fitting a couple of 1cm bits of closed cell foam under it too, just to lift it out of any water that may creep in.

Seat belts should mount to captive nuts under the chassis (normally just nuts welded to flat plates, welded to the rails.) but not sure they were fitted to S2's.

Ok, no problem. I didn't get time to look, but will need to remount the seat belt lower fixings. Will there be a weld but on the body or need some spreader plates?

Drops down

Here's the pic with seats removed. I sat in and just cushions would seem appropriate. Confirmation from the experts please?

Yes, triumph front end, Cortina rear end. I'd just been researching and concluded it must be an S2.

I think I need to pull the seats out on Wednesday and have a proper look at my options. I've been looking on youtube and ebay and foam, leatherette and a ply wood base seems a simple way to make a seat at minimal cost.

Mine has 'seats' moulded into the GRP tub and the only padding (other than my extensive food reserves) was a slightly padded seat cover that was stuck there.

I've got a set of back seats from a peugeot cabriolet to be cut and shut into my S2. Just going to savage the foam out with a sharp knife until they fit in the gap.

I always thought the S1 S2 and B types were just 'cushions'.

I just searched the site and found some pics and dimensions. I'll have to make some (or get someone who's a lot better than me to see some...)

Thanks Daryl, anyone got a picture of one of know a good way to make one?

here's the seat. Its a really tight fit on width isnt it...

Here's the one I took for my profile. 1st problem, I don't fit in with the seat. What seat are other people using. The one fitted is pretty small, but I need one even lower and with the hip further back.

Looks good doesn't it. I've been trialling a 1977 Midget but it's irreparably broken (chassis bent from the abuse, and was rotten anyway), so hoping the Phaeton will be more reliable and more capable on the hills. So i'm completely new to Duttons, where do I find info on the construction, original build instructions, ways to identify my exact model etc? Can't see any obvious links.

My Dutton has had a bit of a facelift (it's now red), but is basically the same as the one in the video. It has pedigree having won the overall national trials comp in 1990, so hopefully I can be at least competitive in it. There are several people using Melos' at the moment in trials but I don't think I see anyone on this site. 

I spent 6 hours on building a carport yesterday, need to keep the rain off the car and allow me to work on it in the winter without getting wet. Should be just about ready for when the car arrives Saturday.

Nice.

You tube link here. Jump to 22 minutes to find the Phaeton.

Nice one David.

Just watched the whole episode on you tube. Had to laugh at how easy the Phaeton made some of those hills look and the fact that the BBC used it as a camera car, brilliant.

Look forward to hearing more and seeing pictures, that old girl must have some stories to tell.

Welcome to the site. What is the condition of your Dutton - a driver or a project?