V90/960 Seats into 940

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by taiwan740

Hello!

I have some 1997 V70 front seats which I'd like to swap into my 940. The 940 seats are manual and I think the drivers seat is electric from the V70, but it doesn't matter too much to me as it will never move once i get it into the right position.

Anyway, mechanically, will they fit? Is swapping them over a ballache? Or is it going to be the same as this job described in this thread?

cheers

Unfortunately it needs to matter that they move - it's an MoT failure if the drivers seat can't be adjusted!
A silly rule IMHO as nobody (except one) person is insured to drive my car, even those with Third Party Cover on vehicles other than their own can't drive it as there is an active clause in my policy that overrides that clause in theirs. The chances of that other person driving mine are minimal at best so for me, once the seat is adjusted it doesn't move.

Most MoT testers conveniently "forget" this part of the test but you only need to find a short tester if you're tall and vice versa or a Jobsworth and you have a problem.

I believe they can still be manually adjusted so if that can be proved at the test station, they can't refuse a test certificate, even if they're being fussy gits.

[Foeux]

Originally Posted by volvo always

Thanks for the update, great news. What luck in not only finding a volvo but a 940 in the scrapyard. Not only that but had what you needed! Lottery tomorrow, for you!

Which 3 coloured wires did you join together and connect to? Take it relay under passenger seat connected to the 4 way plug.

James

James, I really was lucky. Jones scrappy in Devizes is uncommonly good. The three coloured wires I connected to fuse 10 were orange, white and black/red striped. Grafted onto a nice thick piece of wire, soldered and double heat shrunk. Chose fuse 10 as I don't have a power sunroof (no sunroof at all) and there were several spare terminals for it to clip onto.

Relay beneath passenger seat did indeed clunk into the 4 pin dangler beneath the pass seat. It had the word 'LEATHER' printed on the top of it, another oddity as it came from a half leather car.

I've had a few volvos and it seems specs are very fluid and inconsistent. Another example that springs to mind is the seemingly random application of both 280mm and 302mm brakes on the 850 and p1 V70s.

Why was a non electric seated car wired for them? And if it was, why wasn't mine?

I'll get a lottery ticket on your advice. Only bought 2 before and they were to get 10P a litre off fuel...

[Foeux]

Originally Posted by taiwan740

Hello!

I have some 1997 V70 front seats which I'd like to swap into my 940. The 940 seats are manual and I think the drivers seat is electric from the V70, but it doesn't matter too much to me as it will never move once i get it into the right position.

Anyway, mechanically, will they fit? Is swapping them over a ballache? Or is it going to be the same as this job described in this thread?

cheers

I've read elsewhere that there are some challenges with getting them to fit. Especially with reperence to seat rails clipping in to the existing key-ways. Having had some v70s before, I think their seats are the comfiest you can get. This is in comparison with full size luxury saloons, modern stuff, old stuff, fancy stuff, sporty stuff etc. They are phenomenal in my opinion.

Seats that don't move, however comfy will not be helpful come MOT or selling time. Wait it out and do a 960/940/v90 swap. Just be sure to get the connector block at the loom end and as much wire as poss to make the job smooth.

NB - The guide I used suggested earthing at the handbrake end. I did this, ignoring a chassis earth bebeath the seat; plonker. Always pays to use your skill and judgement as well as following a guide blindly.

[Foeux]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Unfortunately it needs to matter that they move - it's an MoT failure if the drivers seat can't be adjusted!
A silly rule IMHO as nobody (except one) person is insured to drive my car, even those with Third Party Cover on vehicles other than their own can't drive it as there is an active clause in my policy that overrides that clause in theirs. The chances of that other person driving mine are minimal at best so for me, once the seat is adjusted it doesn't move.

Most MoT testers conveniently "forget" this part of the test but you only need to find a short tester if you're tall and vice versa or a Jobsworth and you have a problem.

I believe they can still be manually adjusted so if that can be proved at the test station, they can't refuse a test certificate, even if they're being fussy gits.

How do things with fixed seats and movable pedal boxes fare?

Surely not every track focused car on the road is whizzing about with a dodgy MOT? or like you say, perhaps they are and it is an odd little corner of the test that just gets swept aside?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Foeux

How do things with fixed seats and movable pedal boxes fare?

Surely not every track focused car on the road is whizzing about with a dodgy MOT? or like you say, perhaps they are and it is an odd little corner of the test that just gets swept aside?

It's the MoT "If fitted it must work" mentality. Obviously if there is no adjustment on the seat, it can't be adjusted and therefore can't be failed either. On factory fit seats, since the early 70s they have been adjustable in a multitude of ways (even in the 60s, they had fore/aft adjustment) so it's pretty much a prerequisite that the seats move back and forth.

The argument for the adjusters working is someone else may drive the vehicle and must therefore be able to adjust the seat so they are safe to do so.

My argument is as above, nobody else is ALLOWED to drive my vehicle because of the insurance clauses, therefore the situation won't arise.

I think half the time MoT stations and/or VOSA invent/change rules to suit themselves. For example, i had a car fail on a reversing light many moons ago. Now it seems they're not part of the MoT any more.

[taiwan740]

Thanks for your input! Good point about the immovable seat MOT thing, would have stumped me.

I'd also like to admit that I was totally incorrect, my V70 seats are in fact manually/mechanically operated. Would they fit in this case, or are the mountings different?

I'm torn between putting the nicer seats in the 940 or just fixing the V70 and using that from now on (it's a T5 with low miles at 210k ) most likely nothing will happen and I'll just have them both cos lazy.

[griston64]

Originally Posted by taiwan740

Thanks for your input! Good point about the immovable seat MOT thing, would have stumped me.

I'd also like to admit that I was totally incorrect, my V70 seats are in fact manually/mechanically operated. Would they fit in this case, or are the mountings different?

I'm torn between putting the nicer seats in the 940 or just fixing the V70 and using that from now on (it's a T5 with low miles at 210k ) most likely nothing will happen and I'll just have them both cos lazy.

I'm pretty certain that someone told me 850 seats fit into a 940 but although I've completed plenty interior swaps I've never tried it myself. If early ( P1 ) V70 seats are the same as 850 you might be ok. Why dont you just whip out passenger seat and try ? Or even try rear bases as that has no screws or bolts so would be even easier

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by griston64

I'm pretty certain that someone told me 850 seats fit into a 940 but although I've completed plenty interior swaps I've never tried it myself. If early ( P1 ) V70 seats are the same as 850 you might be ok. Why dont you just whip out passenger seat and try ? Or even try rear bases as that has no screws or bolts so would be even easier

I seem to remember once reading somewhere on the forum that the rear V70 seats fit happily in a 940 but the fronts don't. I could well be wrong on this so if someone, somewhere, has greater knowledge, please let us all know!

[taiwan740]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I seem to remember once reading somewhere on the forum that the rear V70 seats fit happily in a 940 but the fronts don't. I could well be wrong on this so if someone, somewhere, has greater knowledge, please let us all know!

Not sure if this is a forum faux pas, but found this information on another forum from our friends across the Atlantic

Suggests that the fronts do fit but you need a grinder, welder and a degree of skill

http://www.forums.turbobricks.com/sh...d.php?t=286344

[taiwan740]

I would try it myself, but the to-do list is fairly long. I will probably attempt at some point (months if not years) and report back