Fixed-back bucket seats

StuwieP · Postby **StuwieP** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:46 pm

I've got a 1990 NA I plan to get onto the track soon but thought i ought to sort out seating. My dad drives an old celica with velo composite buckets, and I find them very comfortable, even for long trips, but also about $500 more, each, than the Sparco Sprints offered by mx5mania, which is way beyond what I can afford.

I appreciate that seats are a very personal thing and that what suits some people won't suit others at all, but I am hoping that I could get some feedback on the Sprints - did people find them comfortable for long-hauls and supportive for the track? (i'm thin, so XL-size seating will find me floating around). I did hear that steel frame seats are less comfortable.
I'm not fussed by the added awkwardness of getting in and out of the car, which i think is pretty much standard with high bolsters.

The final thing (thank you, if you've borne with me so far :wink:

) is fitting the seats: apparently some modification is necessary to get the seats into the car - and the passenger's side differs from the driver's side? Again, i am quite happy to do those things myself - and to bolt the seats to the floor, if necessary or even just to get lower in the car, and i really enjoy that kind of work, but at the same time it's good to have an idea of what I'll be up against.

Cheers
Stu

koop21 · Postby **koop21** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:26 pm

my thoughts on the Sprint V is if your taller than 180cm chances are your shoulders are to wide to sit in it comfortably. As for installing them its as simple as drilling two extra holes in the seat rail and bolting them down.

JLDM · Postby **JLDM** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:55 pm

I have a sprint v, I'm around if not a touch above 180cm tall. I find with my thin sort of build I fit pretty comfortably. I can sit back snug and my shoulders don't seem to be an issue. But what is comfortable for me might not be for you and I can tend to slouch and round my shoulders a little which probably makes a difference.

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:59 pm

With seats, you really need to test them out for size first. Go along to a track day and see if anyone has the seat you're interested in and will let you "test-sit" them.

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 12:16 am

My 2c worth ......

It seems a Sprint is pretty much an exact fit width-wise in an MX5. Mine is so tight a fit it'll wear out the carpet on the tunnel. Anything bigger will have worse clearance issues. Anything smaller might not fit someone "stout" like me.

Mine felt a bit upright at first. It now has a few washers under the front of the rails* to give it a bit more recline at the expense of my legs being harder against the steering wheel when getting in or out.

I was lucky enough to buy a pair of ready-modified seat rails. They fit the Sprint with extra holes for the bolts from underneath and extra side brackets for the lower rear harness mounts and the standard inner belt buckle. They allow full standard backwards and forward movement of the seat and use of the normal seat belt on the road and of the 6 point harness on the track. Getting in and out is fairly easy with the roof down and the seat fully backwards. It's a bit harder with the roof up. Either way, I reckon I should get the Sparco bolster to stop me wearing out the outside edge of the seat as I get in and out. I maybe also need a smaller or removable steering wheel.

Not tried this setup on the track yet but the impression on the road is of a way better connection with the feel of the car even with just the standard belt on. With the harness fully tightened up it's better still.

* Yes, I should have longer bolts to compensate for this - any offers? Also, both my seats have been in and out so many times that either the bolts or the threads in the car are getting burred. Any suggestions to sort this?

vrmmmpshhh · Postby **vrmmmpshhh** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 7:36 am

look for some lotus elise seats. coreys has them in his NA and they are awesome, especially if your tall.

StuwieP · Postby **StuwieP** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:23 pm

Thanks all for the prompt replies:
-I'm not quite 180cm tall and have no shoulders to speak of so that doesn't worry me.
-re the lotus seats, i'm looking for the simplicity of the fixed back (and the lack of weight that tends to go with simplicity) as well as the crutch-hole for the 6pt that seems prevalent in racing seats but not those designed primarily for road comfort. Certainly happy to sacrifice some comfort for function.

I will definitely get down to some track days (I planned to but thanks for the reinforcement) but i'm not sure where to look to find dates: mx5 club or this site? I know ARCOA and the mx5 club tends to combine their events / we sit in on theirs. Any suggestions? Sandown is easiest for me - Winton is a long drive to just sit in seats

Thanks again.

vrmmmpshhh · Postby **vrmmmpshhh** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:47 pm

elise seats are fixed back, low and comfy with an air bladder that pumps up for longer drives. im 160 and the lotus seat sits way to low for me, my fixed back bride replicas on stock rails seats me perfect and the bottom cushion can be removed to get low if i ever wake up and find myself an extra 20cm taller.

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:01 pm

vrmmmpshhh wrote:...if i ever wake up and find myself an extra 20cm taller.

Yeah, I hate it when that happens

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:08 pm

StuwieP wrote:Thanks all for the prompt replies:
I will definitely get down to some track days (I planned to but thanks for the reinforcement) but i'm not sure where to look to find dates: mx5 club or this site? I know ARCOA and the mx5 club tends to combine their events / we sit in on theirs. Any suggestions? Sandown is easiest for me - Winton is a long drive to just sit in seats

I'm at Sandown on Sun 23 December for a track day. Silver car rego BARMY if you want to try out a Sparco Sprint. It's just a general track day so probably not too many other MX5s.

For days with more MX5s (and some lovely Alfas) see http://www.mx5vic.org.au/motorsport.asp

StuwieP · Postby **StuwieP** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 4:30 pm

thanks mate but that sunday won't work for me. I'll keep an eye out for you though.
I'll check that link and find a day that works. Hope to see you (and Barmy) some time.

Cheers

Edit: Also, i didn't realise the elise seats were fixed back, thanks - although i would like support for a 6-point, and i dont think running the straps over the front of the cushion will quite cut it, but if i run into a set i'll be sure to check it out.

JLDM · Postby **JLDM** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:03 am

davekmoore wrote:My 2c worth ......

It seems a Sprint is pretty much an exact fit width-wise in an MX5. Mine is so tight a fit it'll wear out the carpet on the tunnel. Anything bigger will have worse clearance issues. Anything smaller might not fit someone "stout" like me.

Mine felt a bit upright at first. It now has a few washers under the front of the rails* to give it a bit more recline at the expense of my legs being harder against the steering wheel when getting in or out.

I was lucky enough to buy a pair of ready-modified seat rails. They fit the Sprint with extra holes for the bolts from underneath and extra side brackets for the lower rear harness mounts and the standard inner belt buckle. They allow full standard backwards and forward movement of the seat and use of the normal seat belt on the road and of the 6 point harness on the track. Getting in and out is fairly easy with the roof down and the seat fully backwards. It's a bit harder with the roof up. Either way, I reckon I should get the Sparco bolster to stop me wearing out the outside edge of the seat as I get in and out. I maybe also need a smaller or removable steering wheel.

Not tried this setup on the track yet but the impression on the road is of a way better connection with the feel of the car even with just the standard belt on. With the harness fully tightened up it's better still.

* Yes, I should have longer bolts to compensate for this - any offers? Also, both my seats have been in and out so many times that either the bolts or the threads in the car are getting burred. Any suggestions to sort this?

Just in relation to you bolt issue with them getting burred. I've had the seats in and out so many times its a lot of work to get the bolts back in. I just bought a thread tapping kit with some lubricant which I'm hoping can clean up the threads and get them in much easier.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 8:27 am

StuwieP wrote:
Edit: Also, i didn't realise the elise seats were fixed back, thanks - although i would like support for a 6-point, and i dont think running the straps over the front of the cushion will quite cut it, but if i run into a set i'll be sure to check it out.

My experience is they don't just turn up and when they do they are pretty expensive. For memory you need the exige or maybe late model elise s. Seats that have harness holes.

You can't run even a 4 point with out the shoulder ports as you need to stop the straps sliding outwards.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 10:17 am

JLDM wrote:
davekmoore wrote:
.......... my seats have been in and out so many times that either the bolts or the threads in the car are getting burred. Any suggestions to sort this?

Just in relation to you bolt issue with them getting burred. I've had the seats in and out so many times its a lot of work to get the bolts back in. I just bought a thread tapping kit with some lubricant which I'm hoping can clean up the threads and get them in much easier.

Thanks for the thoughts. Please keep me informed. It would be good to know where you got the thread tapping kit from.