Seat back locking

[Merv]

A quirk of the early standard seats (<69), seems to be that the US and RHD models differed according to the publication by the good Dr Johnson. "The US specification cars ... had a locking seat back mechanism on the driver's (LH) seat". In contrast it would seem that the RHD models did not.

Jim Breasdale suggests that US 68 seats locked on both seats, but that 67 and earlier seats only locked on the right hand side. Can someone clarify this for me on an Aust delivered car?

I have a set of reportedly 68 seats and they have a locking mechanism on the RH seat, but not the LH one.

I can see sound reasons to have a locking mechanism on both!

[mrar]

My 8/67 build,(68my) Aus car has no lock on drivers seat.

[Merv]

So your RHD 68MY has none on the right, but one on the left. My (3/68 build) is the opposite which suggests my seats are correctly from a LHD. Still a lock on the driver's seat makes a lot of sense. I guess the original logic was the driver needs more regular and therefore easier access to the rear seat area?

I would swap the locking mechanism over, but that is not possible.

[ELSPORTO]

My 4/68 build has one on the right - none on the left.

I thought it was because they were originally made for LHD vehicles, and passengers accessing the rear seat would access through passenger side (right side) and kerb side as a safety aspect.

I assumed we just got the LHD seats in those days.

[Merv]

Is yours an original RHD?

So far I could be convinced that RHD cars had LH locking seat backrest and LHD, had RH seat locking.

[mrar]

So your RHD 68MY has none on the right, but one on the left. My (3/68 build) is the opposite which suggests my seats are correctly from a LHD. Still a lock on the driver's seat makes a lot of sense. I guess the original logic was the driver needs more regular and therefore easier access to the rear seat area?

I would swap the locking mechanism over, but that is not possible.

Yes, lh seat has lock. Makes sense really, if you are driving alone and jam the brakes on you don't want the passenger seat backrest flying forward while empty.

[Merv]

Thanks. That does make sense. I was more worried about the driver's seat doing that ....

[ELSPORTO]

Yep mine is original RHD.

[Merv]

OK then that confirms my enquiries. In both LHD and RHD, the drivers seat back has no lock, which in an accident means that the seat back wants to swing forward and the driver is only restrained by the seat belt. Makes one wonder about the safety of driving with these seats and non-inertia reel belts in the early days ...

[9er]

Merv, I have a variety of hinges for the early seats, and my understanding is that they only designed to retain the passenger seat.
Morris Mini do not even do that!

[Merv]

Thanks Chris. Such is progress on safety