Another Miata Seat Question...

Can an aluminum race seat like a Kirkey or Ultra Shield Spec Miata be mounted to the stock sliders or are they side mount only? Would they sit too high on the sliders? I know that's a problem with most other types of seats, but I though that an aluminum seat with minimal padding would be pretty low.

I've been in a never ending quest to find a comfortable seating solution for this car. The only reason I would want it on the sliders would be to make it easier to install and remove the seat for track days. Installing my current track seat is a huge job and it's not comfortable enough for street use as I can only use the 5 point harness with it. That's the main reason that I put fewer than 300 miles on the car this year.

I'd like to have the option of easily switching back to the stock seat (and seat belt) for the street.

Can't help with the above, but in my last Miata I had a Border CF seat (which has a little depression where you park your behind) on a Bride low rail.

Obviously this isn't a massively cheap solution but IIRC I was sitting a little lower than stock. Plus I could swap between the seats by just undoing the four bolts that hold the rails.

Thanks for the info.

That depression sounds like exactly what you need in a Miata. I've never heard of Border seats. I'll have to see if they're available over here. Unless, you know, if I could find someone who's moving here from England...

Heh. Unfortunately I don't have the seat anymore as I got out of Miatas over here a while ago.

IIRC Border are Korean, no idea where you can get them in the US, though. The guy I bought it off imported it himself and then had it recovered in leather. The whole thing wasn't exactly cheap, cost him in the region of GBP500-600 I think.

I can have a look around if I can find a source for them but my ability to ship them might depend on the size of the container I get to take over to the US and if there is going to be a car or three in there (or not).

Yes, you can mount an aluminum bucket to stock sliders. I have a few cars at work that are in that configuration. You're right about the height, I'm 5' 11" and have no problem sitting low or back enough with aluminum Kirkey buckets, but with stock seats (or even Sparcos) on sliders, I can't fit at all, nearly. You just have to drill holes in the bottom of the seat and make a spacer (or just some washers) to preserve the correct seatback angle.

Unevolved,

I see that the Kirkey Intermediate that a lot of people seem to use in Miatas, is available in Oval Track, which looks a lot like the Ultrashield Spec Miata seat, and Road Race, which has shoulder bolsters. Does the Road Race version fit in a Miata?

Also, 10 degree layback or 20?

I'm not sure on the layback angle. Sorry.

But I highly highly highly recommend the road race version over the oval track. The oval track seats are what we have in our "older" cars at work (pre-rebuild) and they're incredibly uncomfortable, IMO. Some people (i.e. those built like little girls) can drive them fine, but for most, the left "bolster" is right where your elbow wants to go.

The biggest fitment problem with racing seats in Miatas is shoulder clearance. Granted, all the cars I'm fitting seats into I've welded in full roll bars that go all the way to the floor, but they're limited by the shoulder bolsters hitting the softtop mount, roll bar, or both. That being said, I've fit an Ultrashield road race seat (not Spec Miata-specific, but close enough) and was pleasantly surprised with the fitment. If I was building a car for myself, I'd go with an aluminum road race seat over a fiberglass or carbon bucket. They just take up less room, and there's not much to go around in a Miata.

unevolved. I think I know the answer but have you ever used your seat on the street and if yes what was it like?

The "flat-bottom" Kirkey Economy seat should bolt to the sliders just fine. I have the Intermediate (oval track) seat, but it is bolted dirctly to the floor. Due to the shape of the bottom of the seat, you might have to make brackets that would make it too tall to fit on the sliders. I'm 6'2" and have plenty of headroom. The sides of the seats don't present any problems. They do help you feel safe and wrapped in the car.

Todd

Todd, do you still have interior panels in your doors, or are they completely hollowed? I imagine that makes a substantial difference in comfort, as it allows somewhere for the elbows to go. We had an Intermediate Oval seat in our '09 Challenge Civic and didn't have any problems, but on Miatas with full interiors, the bolsters almost press against the interior panels.

Sultan, no, I haven't used one of these seats on the street.

Axis Power Racing makes a Miata specific seat to work with your stock rails and give a claimed 6" drop in height. http://www.axispowerracing.com/miatapartsdetail.asp?id=45 Kinda (Really) pricey but I think its the only seat that gets you that low and still uses the stock rails.

I have a Kirkey spec Miata seat mounted to the floor with homemade brackets. It takes me 10 minutes, in-and-out, to swap seats around. The Kirkey seat is surprisingly comfortable but then again I live on an island so the longest I am in them is for less than an hour or so. You should have no problem mounting an aluminum seat to stock sliders if that is what you want.

In reply to unevolved:

Good point... Doors are gutted.

Todd