I found out that if you are less than 6foot tall it's an easy swap and you have two options, use the MB seat rails OR use the swift seat rails....
If you're tall like me you will need to do a bit more work....see bottom of post
Things you will need;
- Driver and passenger seats WITH the rails.
- Drills 8mm,10mm and 12mm
- Angle grinder (cutting wheel)
- Hammer
- plus some other stuff I don't remember
Note normal swift rails are the same for the drivers side, but the passenger side has a little hook so that when you lift the lever to slide the seat back and forward it automatically reclines forward also....you can use normal swift rails for the passenger side, but you won't have this feature...
Using MB Seat Rails
1: Make up adapter plates to fit the base of the swift seats and MB floor pan seat mounts.
2: Make sure the outside adapters bolt to the recline part of the seat & the base of the seat.
Note: I didn't do this as the angle the adapters have to be makes a lot of leverage....and will probably tear the floor mounts off the metal eventually (swift seats sit back further than MB ones). I also wanted to keep the seat buckle on the swift seats as it slides with the seat...
Less than 6foot tall using Swift Seat Rails;
MB Modifications;
1: Go to the wreckers and cut out of a hatch or MB shell the floor plan rear seat mounts(left and right for both sides). You will use these instead of your seat mounts.
2: Put swift seat rails into MB and mark the location of the new rear mounts you got from the wreckers....The reason for the new mounts is so that you can slide the seat back properly (swift seat rails are longer then MB ones). It also stops the floor mounts tearing off as you have more mounts taking your fat ass!!!!
3: You will have to beat flat the ridge in the centre tunnel on the floor as this is exactly where you want to put your new mounts.... All you are doing at this point in time as lining up the rear mount hole with the rear most blind rivet on the swift rails. Later you will drill out that rivet and use a bolt that will double as the seat sliding 'stopper' and mounting point for the rear mount.
5: Weld or rivet your new mount into place making sure it is level with the front mount and your old rear mount.
4: Beat flat the ridge in the centre tunnel next to the one used for the new seat mount as this is where the seat buckle stay will bolt into.
5: Repeat the lining up and welding of the rear mount for the outside rail
Swift Seat Rail Modifications;
Inside Rail
1: You will need to remove the carpet guard off the rail as this fouls on the centre tunnel.
2: cut off the tab off underneath the carpet guard as this fouls the new rear mount you put in.
3: Grind an angle off the front rail hole area so that it clears the centre tunnel
4: Drill out the rear blind rivet on the rail with a 8mm drill (This hole should line up with the new rear mount you put in)
5: Oval out the front mount seat rail hole so that the rail can sit flush on the front mount.
6: Oval out the seat rail buckle stay as the centre tunnel ridge you beat flat for it before has an exhaust hanger plate on the other side so the bolt will have to go more rearward.
7: Bend the seat rail buckle stay away from the centre tunnel so that the whole rail sits as close as possible to the centre tunnel without the sliding buckle actually fouling (1-2mm clearance is what you need). Note that this means the front seat mount holes will not line up with the front mounts on the floor.
8: Drill out the front and rear seat plate holes with a 10mm drill. this moves the rail in just that little bit further and allows for any skewness in your setup, so the seat still slides smoothly.
Outside Rail
1: Remove the rear floor mount on the outside rail by drilling it out.
2: Oval out the front mount seat rail hole so that the rail can sit flush on the front mount.
3: Drill out the outside rail rear most blind rivet with a 8mm drill (This hole should line up with the new rear mount you put in)
Finishing Modifications;
1: Mount the seat rails back on the seat
2: place seat in the car and mark the holes needed to be drilled for the front mounts
3: Attach bolts and slide seat forward.
4: Drill holes in the floor mounts for the rear hole on the rails
5: Attach bolts
6: Drill the hole in the centre tunnel for the seat rail buckle stay and bolt it int.
7: Loosen all bolts (mounts and seat base) and move seat/rails until you get smooth back and forward sliding, then tighten up all bolts.
7: remove seat buckle and replace with one the MB belt will work with (I think a Mazda 323 uses the same belt engagement as the MB with the design of the swift seat)
8: Enjoy your seats and now lack of head room!!!!!!
9: Sorry no pictures of finished product as I need more head room!!! It did look identical to this....(note this is a pic of Gti seats using MB rails and adapter plates)
More than 6foot tall using Swift Seat Rails;
MB Modifications;
1: Cut out all floor seat mounts flush with the shell.
2: To Be continued...(ie. i'm still working on it)
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