Economy Race Seats?

My MG needs new seats. I fabricated some a few years ago, only got 1 done at the time and have since soured on the seats I made. The bolsters are too high and I am just ready to at this time buy something to put in so I can remove that from my list of stuff to finish to get the car ready. Ok that ridiculous background out of the way:
I need a 15-16” wide (Inside) seat. Fixed back with aggressive bolsters is fine. I don’t have the hugest amount of shoulder width in the car so something with very wide shoulders doesn’t work.
What’s out there and what is the best value?
Ultrashield Rally Sport and Spec Miata look quite nice. Cost 300-325/per
Kirkey Economy. Cheap at $170 but not sure if the 20 degree layback works for me
Kirkey Intermediate. Seems around 280-325 similar to the ultrashield

What else is there? Someday I will tackle round 2 of DIY seats but for now I just want the convenience of pay and done. Bonus to GRM advertisers.

nocones wrote: My MG needs new seats. I fabricated some a few years ago, only got 1 done at the time and have since soured on the seats I made. The bolsters are too high and I am just ready to at this time buy something to put in so I can remove that from my list of stuff to finish to get the car ready. Ok that ridiculous background out of the way: I need a 15-16” wide (Inside) seat. Fixed back with aggressive bolsters is fine. I don’t have the hugest amount of shoulder width in the car so something with very wide shoulders doesn’t work. What’s out there and what is the best value? Ultrashield Rally Sport and Spec Miata look quite nice. Cost 300-325/per Kirkey Economy. Cheap at $170 but not sure if the 20 degree layback works for me Kirkey Intermediate. Seems around 280-325 similar to the ultrashield What else is there? Someday I will tackle round 2 of DIY seats but for now I just want the convenience of pay and done. Bonus to GRM advertisers.

What do you use it for? If it's a street car I think you'll find the Kirkey pretty uncomfortable and hard to get into. I have one in my MG Midget vintage racer. I have to stand on it and then slide into it. I always feel like a bull rider as I reach down to hold the harness bits out of the way. Works great for racing, tho.

Cobra Monaco Pro is about $300 from online retailers.

The mg is in my garage. It is effectively a street legal Dmod autox car. Not to worried about daily liveability

corbeau forza sport, so cheap it's even named to be a video game chair

Sounds like you're looking at aluminum only? I'd suggest looking at Corbeau Forza Pro. Extremely comfortable seats, and I've used them with great success in autocross and road racing cars.

That said the new racecar is getting Kirkey Intermediates with added halo. They fit me perfectly, but YAMV (Your Ass May Vary)

Hot deal right now in composite seats is the Bimarco line. They're out of Poland and have pretty good prices for the apparent quality ($280 shipped for non-FIA, $380 shipped for FIA-rated, IIRC). I don't have one, but have heard good things from some ChumpCar guys who run them.

Check it out on eBay - just search for Bimarco seats.

A few other companies have seats in this price range, but to my knowledge they're all tubular steel frame, not composite.

If I were looking at new seats (I tend to get all my race seats used), then this is probably what I'd go for.

If comfort/fitment are a concern and the first crack didn't meet your expectations, I'd highly recommend finding a local shop that stocks a handful of seats to try out. Nothing beats actually putting your body in the proposed body container to see how it will work for you.

Bryce

JohnyHachi6 wrote: Hot deal right now in composite seats is the Bimarco line. They're out of Poland and have pretty good prices for the apparent quality ($280 shipped for non-FIA, $380 shipped for FIA-rated, IIRC). I don't have one, but have heard good things from some ChumpCar guys who run them. Check it out on eBay - just search for Bimarco seats. A few other companies have seats in this price range, but to my knowledge they're all tubular steel frame, not composite. If I were looking at new seats (I tend to get all my race seats used), then this is probably what I'd go for.

I have often wondered about this brand of seats as well and would love some input/experiences as well

In reply to westsidetalon:

Again, I don't have any 1st hand experience, but have heard good things.

Here are a couple ChumpCar threads about the seats:

http://forum.chumpcar.com/index.php?/topic/8996-anyone-using-this-seat/

http://forum.chumpcar.com/index.php?/topic/6766-bimarco-seat/

I've looked at the Bimarco's and sat in one at an Autox. I like them, they seem nice. I am concerned they will be to wide for my application.

Thanks for the tips so far. Any others I'm missing?

Cones, this is what we run in our Z Challenge car:

http://www.jegs.com/p/Scat/Procar-Pro-Sport-1790-Series-Seat/1558364/10002/-1

Good value. Not a bad seat.

WTH How can that be so cheap?

In reply to nocones:

Don't know but we jumped on it. Fit the Challenge budget nicely and the seat is decent and comes with adjusters, rails, etc.

Not a Recaro but not bad. Should fit your narrow application.

In reply to Argo1:

any idea on how what the recline angle is on that one? That looks like an excellent cheap alternative to a Kirkey.

Keep an eye out on CL/local SCCA/dirt track/racing junk classifieds. We scored our Challenge Ultrashield for like $30. It aint pretty or comfy but it works.

nocones wrote: WTH How can that be so cheap?

$10-head, $10-helmet. $140-seat, $140-a$$?

I have a pair of f1spec brand fixed backs I need to unload. Brand new with some blemishes from storage. 250ea with bottom mount brackets. Email me at kandpperformance at gmail dot com if interested.

Any dune buggy place sells the poly seats for $60 and the covers for $50. Very narrow bases too.

I had thought about using the second row seats from a minivan that has 3 individual folding seats in my Arkley Midget. Very narrow, look nice, very cheap. I figured I would cut off the bases, weld on enough to bolt the Midget sliders on the bottom, then either replace the seat back latch with an adjustable one or disable it and run a brace back to the roll bar.

In reply to Spoolpigeon:

I would have to measure it and we moved the car to my son's garage this past weekend. I would guess that the bucket is at about 15 degrees. How you mount the rails has a lot to do with the overall seatback angle. Both my son and I are 6'2-3" and 220ish. We find the seat to be pretty comfortable with good support. Can't beat it for the price.

What, no love for the plastic racing seats?

$30

In reply to Argo1:

Good to know. Thanks!

petegossett wrote:

nocones wrote: WTH How can that be so cheap?

$10-head, $10-helmet. $140-seat, $140-a$$?

I've heard very bad things about cheap steel frame seats failing and wouldn't trust them where safety may be an issue (i.e. track days), but they may be OK for auto-X. If you are feeling brave enough there is a good thread over on the dreaded Corner Carvers discussing cheap race seats, but like most threads on CC.com you're not allowed to start a new thread if there has been one even remotely related to it in the last millennium so it goes on a bit.

I have one of these in my Miata and I am satisfied.

It looks like it would be a bit narrow for what you want but they do make other sizes.

http://www.sonicmotor.com/VS3-Full-Bucket-Seat-p/s-k109-clr.htm

EvanB wrote: I have one of these in my Miata and I am satisfied. It looks like it would be a bit narrow for what you want but they do make other sizes. http://www.sonicmotor.com/VS3-Full-Bucket-Seat-p/s-k109-clr.htm

Holy crap, that's seriously cheap for a shell seat.