NC: lower seat / bucket seat required!

[CoffeeBoss]

So i am currently looking for a solution to the problem of not being able to fit under the roof with my helmet on.

Posted in this thread, but no luck thus far. Spoke to MX5 Mania, that didn't have any experience with modding or changing the drivers seat in the NC as yet.

Most track days require open top cars to run with the roof up.

My last car had a sunroof which neccessitated lower seats, i was lucky enough to find another owner with suitable seats and rails for my application. However the NC is a fairly new car, so still exploring options here.

So far i have found:

- someone on here (Pastapete?) mentioned they had read about a spring removal/factory seat mod that lowers the existing seating position. Have searched on 247Mazda & Miata.net to no avail!

- Negun stock a range of BRIDE seat rails for the NC. This option would allow me to then obtain a new or Ebayed BRIDE to match. Anyone dealt with Negun?

- HKS Kansai have rails listed on their site, although i can't tell if these allow you to bolt up the stock seat. Sounds like they don't:

Kansai low position seat rail (full bucket seat exclusive use)

- Autoexe (AAI Motorsport here in Oz) sell a branded Recaro with rails to suit for the NC. Have only obtained one quote so far, it's not cheap!

Looking for any advice/direction anyone can provide for myself (and future NC owners with this issue!). At this stage this is the only thing keeping me off the circuit, and with the odo at 5000kms already i'm keen to get it sorted!

[Okibi]

Chat to Chris at MX-5 racing, they've built a couple of NC race cars.

[Charlie Brown]

Yep, Chris has some seats in his track NC, I had a run on Sunday and they were great but very tight across the hips. Not an option for the street unless you want to have blisters.

Also there is no rule that requires you to run with the roof up in Club events, so don't let that stop you.

It's faster with the top up because of less drag plus if you go off the car doesn't fill with dirt, stones and grass, that's the reason to put it up.

[mx5racing]

As we have different drivers running in our cars, we run OEM seat runners with custom side brackets mounted to the Autotecnica seat.

The base of the seat is located 50mm from the floor pan (carpet and underfelt removed).

We also run stripped out hardtops on our cars and this gives us plenty of head room.

I don't see how you would be able to run a std seat and get it low enough. Running an aftermarket seat on the street is also not possible as your side airbag will not be fitted (part of the seat). We did sell a set of cloth ones to a fellow as he sat lower in them than the leather ones.

Also there is no rule that requires you to run with the roof up in Club events, so don't let that stop you.

I'm with Phil on this one.

Give me a call if you want to come and have a look/sit in one of the cars.

Chris. 02 43889059

[CoffeeBoss]

Also there is no rule that requires you to run with the roof up in Club events, so don't let that stop you.

OK, this is promising. Have submitted my application for Club membership, and have heard many a good thing about MX5 Club track days, so keen for that.

Found some good threads on Miata.net where owners have modified the stock rails, and only a small modification is required to loose about an inch of height. Not keen on modding the factory rails though, but perhaps some replacement ones are in order:

Before:


After:

[CoffeeBoss]

We did sell a set of cloth ones to a fellow as he sat lower in them than the leather ones.

Ahh - this was the same with my IS. I used a cloth seat for a while until i found bucket seats, it certainly did the trick. Please let me know if you have any more you don't need.

[Caffeine]

Before:
...

After:
...

That looks quite dodgy!

[mazlot]

Obviously doesn't value his life, or his insurance policy

[CoffeeBoss]

Update!

So, i have procured a seat, and after a long wait, have obtained rails to suit. Expected drop is ~30mm which *fingers crossed* will be juuuuuuust enough.

Does anyone know what the deal is with the airbag warning light?
Based on my experience with my old car, unplugging the factory seat brings up the airbag warning light on the dash, plugging it back in fixes the problem. One thread on Miata.net suggests the battery must be disconnected first, prior to disconnecting the seat from the car:

[QUOTE="pdxa4 on Miata.net]The seats have position sensors along the rails! This may be why the after market is not rapidly making seats available.

There are also warnings about not using a meter on the pre-tensioner on the seat belt. Also the SAS module has a minute or more backup power! Manual says that the crash zone sensor must be replaced if triggered.

To disconnect it or the seats safely (according to the shop manual P. 08-10-4 ignition switch to lock, disconnect Neg battery cable and WAIT a min. or more....[/QUOTE]

Again, based on experience with my old car, TRD sold a cancellation module which plugged into the factory seat sensor to stop the warning light from going off all the time. Have had no luck finding such a part from Mazda.

Can anyone else shed any light on this topic? Chris, if the sensors are in the rails, than i'm guessing you have avoided this issue?

[CoffeeBoss]

So, still haven't got around to sorting this out, but have seat and rails sorted at least.

Seat removal is easy and there doesn't appear to be a seat position sensor on the seat rails. Haven't figured out how to remove the loom from under the seat without cutting any wires yet.

Have also found out that a simple 4(?) ohm resistor is all that is needed to cancel the warning light. The question remaining is how easy this can be set up so i can change it over for track days and back for road use.

[Guy_Coles]

So, still haven't got around to sorting this out, but have seat and rails sorted at least.

Seat removal is easy and there doesn't appear to be a seat position sensor on the seat rails. Haven't figured out how to remove the loom from under the seat without cutting any wires yet.

Have also found out that a simple 4(?) ohm resistor is all that is needed to cancel the warning light. The question remaining is how easy this can be set up so i can change it over for track days and back for road use.

I know that this is a relatively old thread but I haven't read any easy solutions so thought that it was worth raising.

I have another colleague who has installed his recliners on the factory rails. He said that it wasn't difficult but needed a ittle bit of too'ing and fro'ing to get a good fit. It also necessiated turning the female "keeper" of the seat belt through 180 degrees so that it was accessable to release the belt.

The 4 ohm resister works to trick the airbag light and a trip to JayCar will give you a handful. The loom does come out with a little bit of patience and after you've lost the obligitory piece of skin the first time , you remember how to do it next time

So off to Mazda Australia and was told I needed part # 88-60X for the RHS (RHD Driver's side rail) plus 4 x 99940-1000 Bolts and Part #88-61X for the passenger's side. Then I was told that the base frames cost AU$285 each side..... OK scratch that one along with the $104 for the seat belt keeper.

I then tried a number of second hand part dealers for NC Rails with no luck. Didn't surprise me that they couldn't supply just the rails as it rendered the seat/rail combo no longer a bolt in option. Scratch second hand parts.

I was reluctant to remove the rails from the factory seats for the same reason. My Sparco's would bolt straight up but I wanted the option to swap the seats out for track days and bolt them back in when I got home. I did manage to source a genuine Sparco driver's side factory mount but it's been 3 months now and I still haven't seen it. Must be coming from Mars.

I did see recently that Brian Goodwin has recently released some GWR seat mounts that are pre-drilled for Sparco ractory sliders and side mount rails and as my seats are fixed back I think that I will probably go down that path http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Performance-Part/61-0176D.html and at US$99 per side they are good value. I'll probably use the factory seat belt keeper for now as it has the sensor fittings, unless it becomes a drag.

Has anyone else found a better solution ? I'm sick of my kids using one of the Sparco's in my living room to play X-Box on.....