These DOHC Manx Norton type seat cover kits are professionallly hand manufactured in the UK - using a genuine early 1950's DOHC Featherbed Manx Norton Seat as the pattern, of the type with a large rounded rear hump.
The covers are made in a high quality durable automotive black vinyl - almost identical to the original material, and include the period red piping over the top of the hump - just as the original design did - so they look very authentic and correct. The original seat cover components were used as patterns for the new cover pieces - so the stitching pattern and overall look of the finished cover is just as the original Norton pattern design - which was quite distinctive on these early to mid 1950's style Manx Norton seats - where the hump was more pronounced and rounded than the later type Manx seats - which are more commonly copied today, and have a flatter rear hump. If you look at original period factory pictures of Manx Nortons in the early to mid 1950's, you will see it is this 'large rear hump' type that were original fitment and we have had that pattern replicated totally authentic to the original Norton design.
The kit also consists of the correct foam pieces and undercover foam - also copied from the original seat, as well as a full set of 40 large head pop rivets, for fixing the cover to the frame. And although this is intended a replacement 'cover kit' - because the original early DOHC Manx Norton racing seats are so rare, and we know many customers will not have the original type base either - we also supply two A3 sized drawings with dimensions that will allow the restorer to fabricate an original style steel seat base, if they so wish - if they do not have an original seat base already. Finally, we also include in the kit a CD that has numerous pictures of the original unrestored seat and cover - to help with the fabrication of a new base and how the cover looks once in place.
Price is Per Kit.
Note Oct 2025: Now Back In Stock
Read on below for more background information and more detail of what the kits consists of. The accompanying photographs also include a picture of my own 1955 DOHC Manx Norton - which already had a seat fitted of exactly the same design (so you can see one fitted), and a period photo from an early 1950's Norton catalog showing the same type of seat in period.
All parts are neatly packed into a sealed package (as per the photographs), and will be packed in cardboard packaging to further protect them for posting.
Further Background Information and Description of Parts in Kit:
The starting point for this kit was an original DOHC Manx Norton racing seat - which I purchased at a Stanford Hall Founders day relay - and is a fantastic time capsule seat. It is very rare to find original, unmolested seasts, the autojumbler selling it told me it had belonged to an old retired friend who raced Norton's in the 1950's, and this had sat in his shed since then. I would estimate it is of the type fitted in the early - mid 1950's and is almost identical to the one fitted to my own 1955 DOHC Manx Norton.
Unfortunately, the original seat cover was too far gone to be used - but did provide a great template for it to be replicated by a UK based specialist vehichle upholsterer, who has done a great job of replicating the cover just as the original. The kit also includes good quality upholstery foam panels, again, taken from the original (poor condition) originals.
The cover kit also includes wide head pop rivets, which is how the original covers were secured. The accompanyning photographs shows the original Norton seat pan, with new pop rivets fitted - which should give customers buying this kit the approximate positions of the rivets - if they do not have a seat pan of their own and have to fabricate one. Note though - in the photograph, our recovered seat use normal pop rivets - the kits will include the proper wide head pop rivets, which are more correct for seat covers.
Finally, I decided against having made the complete seat unit - as fabricating the pan with the distinctive 'bowl' shape rear hump, fitted to earlier DOHC Manx Norton's, was prohibitive. However, I did try and replicate the dimensions of the original seat pan - and have included these dimensions on A3 paper drawings, supplied with the kit, which should give anyone wishing to create a similar pan a good start. Again, I have included photographs of the original seat pan here. You will note that original seat pans had a curved front area, where the DOHC oil tank filler would be. I would think this would be very difficult to replicate - but instead could be fitted with automotive rubber window beading or similar on the seat pan sheet, which would substitute to stop the cover getting frayed in that area.
Kit consists of the following (as per second photograph):
1. Seat cover ready to fit: complete with red beading and original finish (crocodile like) vinyl coverng, exact replica of original Norton item
2. 2 x Heavyweight foam pieces: for base and seat hump - dimensions and thickness are copied from original Norton seat items
3. 2 x Grey lightweight foam pieces: One fits over seat base pan and foam squab and sides (to stop chaffing on side - as per original design
4. Wide pan rivets x 40: - similar quantity to original, and wide pan type to avoid splitting cover underneath - see photos of my own finished cover on original base pan (and I would recommend you also use a contact adhesive underneath when fitting
5. 2 x Autocad drawings on A3 Paper: - giving approximate dimensions of original Norton seat pan - in case you do not have original pan and want to fabricate one for this cover kit yourself. Note original pan was in steel, not alloy
6. CD with approximately 20 photographs: Of original seat before cover removed, base pan once cover removed and in primer and complete - to assist with fabricating a pan, along with the drawings. These are higher resolution than the listing shown here
Back In Stock October 2025: We know have a small stock of these lovely seat covers back in stock again. These are manufactured by an old established UK auto upholstery specialist - and sorry are not cheap. Unfortunately, it does not matter if I have 1 or many of these seat kits manufactured . . . the amount of effort for manufacturer is just the same, so the price reflects this . . . they are not a mass produced item!
