Miata seats

We have a set of Corbeau A4s in our 95 miata now. They're nice.... but sit too high. Using Corbeau brackets/sliders.

Any solutions that don't involve bolting the seat directly to the floor? (Not an option, two people drive it.)

If you need sliders, the lowest option I'm aware of are the Bride ones. Combined those with a couple of fake Bride Low Max seats and you end up roughly at the stock seat height - I still had to take out the cushions when tracking the car.

Using Garage Star side mounts will get the seat a bit lower, but you'll have to use tools to adjust it. I happen to have a set for sale . Lowest I could get was with this mount and a Recaro SPG.

I was somewhat hoping for an easy solution retaining these seats, since i like them from a comfort perspective. They're just making using the clutch a bit weird, and i don't think even i could wear a helmet with the hardtop on. I'm only 5'9".

I like the Garagestar side mounts, but unfortunately i don't think our seats have provisions for side mounting.

I'm starting to think i may have to look at ditching the whole setup and going with some GS side mounts and a pair of Sparco Sprints? Unfortunately that'll run about $1300, and i'd prefer to stay closer to "free" than that.

Remember what ballpark price was for the Bride setup?

Corbeaus tend to sit high, and the A4s particularly so. I don't think you're going to be able to get much lower with that seat.

Swank Force One wrote: Remember what ballpark price was for the Bride setup?

Loadsamoney . Actually it wasn't that bad as I picked them up used, but if you want new, IIRC the sliders run you around $250 apiece and the fake Brides are something like $600-700 for the pair. Real ones - which are nicer and better quality IMHO - are close to a grand each.

Keith Tanner wrote: Corbeaus tend to sit high, and the A4s particularly so. I don't think you're going to be able to get much lower with that seat.

Yeah, that's my worry. This seat was bolted to the floor in the car i took them out of, and the height was just about right, though i think it was even slightly higher than the NA seats on stock sliders.

From what i'm reading, the Forza and FX1 Pros look to sit about 1.5-2" lower than the A4, and that should be ok. I think there's a Corbeau dealer here, wonder if they'd let me swap out to test fit, might be able to sell the A4s to cover most of the cost if that works out. Or just chuck them at the Escort or something.

BoxheadTim wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: Remember what ballpark price was for the Bride setup?

Loadsamoney . Actually it wasn't that bad as I picked them up used, but if you want new, IIRC the sliders run you around $250 apiece and the fake Brides are something like $600-700 for the pair. Real ones - which are nicer and better quality IMHO - are close to a grand each.

That's not terrible. About the same as Sparco Sprints. Suppose it would just be a matter of how much i could recoup out of this setup. (Was about a grand new.)

Not to steal the thread, but I bought an NRG carbon fiber seat, and I want to keep stock seat mounting capability. Where can I buy some brackets that I can simply swap out again, were I to resell the car with the OEM seat?

The NRG has locations for both bottom mount and side mount. Thanks!

Desmond wrote: Not to steal the thread, but I bought an NRG carbon fiber seat, and I want to keep stock seat mounting capability. Where can I buy some brackets that I can simply swap out again, were I to resell the car with the OEM seat? The NRG has locations for both bottom mount and side mount. Thanks!

I have a spare pair of stock rails if that's what you're asking for?

Will the NRG mount onto stock rails? I haven't even tried yet because I always heard you need aftermarket rails...

I don't know that... but it sounds like that sortof answers your question anyways? You want to be able to swap easily, so you just swap the NRG out with brackets still attached, put your stock seat back in.

Lol, I have the stock rails. I am wondering what are some of the better aftermarket brackets out there for aftermarket seats. Sorry for not being clear!

Ahhhhh....

I like the GarageStar brackets.

http://www.garagestar.com/shop/seat_rails_90-05.html

I have sucessfully mounted a set of generic side mounts onto the stock rails. It sat too high so I took it apart but it did work.

The downside to the GS brackets is that you need tools to slide the seat. You are supposed to tighten the slider bolts after you move it to the new position.

If you want to get low on sliders, the kirkey/ultrashield is your only real option. A kirkey economy and an home depot racing adapter bracket to the stock rails gets you like 2-3 inches lower than stock cloth seats.

Swank Force One wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: Corbeaus tend to sit high, and the A4s particularly so. I don't think you're going to be able to get much lower with that seat.

Yeah, that's my worry. This seat was bolted to the floor in the car i took them out of, and the height was just about right, though i think it was even slightly higher than the NA seats on stock sliders. From what i'm reading, the Forza and FX1 Pros look to sit about 1.5-2" lower than the A4, and that should be ok. I think there's a Corbeau dealer here, wonder if they'd let me swap out to test fit, might be able to sell the A4s to cover most of the cost if that works out. Or just chuck them at the Escort or something.

About the FX1 Pro - the bottom cushion is removeable. Change the foam for some Confor foam and you'll sit lower with more comfort. I think you can do the same on the Forza. You can also cut the legs down on the FX1, the actual threaded insert is in the seat, and the pedestal extensions don't do anything.

Awesome thanks Keith! I think they have FX1 Pros in stock so maybe I can just see how that is.

Not super psyched about buckets but if they fit well it'll be fine.

I have Corbeau FX1 Pros in my 99 Miata with Corbeau sliders. The seats set more upright than I prefer and I sit higher. Can't wear a helmet with the top up and don't pass the broom handle test. Taking out the seat pads gets me below the roll bar. I think if I could tilt them back a bit I could more easily pass the broom handle test and be more comfortable. I got the sliders because my daughter and I shared the car autocrossing and planned on track stuff. She doesn't accompany my anymore so I'm thinking of fabbing some non-adjustable and use the seat side mounts to get it lower and angled a bit. I'm just under 5'11".

I picked up a new (but sat for a year or two in a garage) pair of A4 seats and sliders for cheap, I spent more on brackets than the seats. Using Planted brackets got the seats sit roughly at stock seat height. Way better support then stock seats in my car though.

Can you bolt the sliders to the floor? That would still allow adjusting.

In reply to wlkelley3:

I'm 5'9, swmbo is 5'5".

Leafy wrote: If you want to get low on sliders, the kirkey/ultrashield is your only real option.

This. An economical option as well.

In reply to Lancer007:

The sliders and brackets are all one piece on the Corbeau setup I think. Stock mount locations aren't on equal plane either.

I think I have a couple options at this point.

Anyone have experience with Sparco Sprints or Cobra Monacos in a Miata?

Local shop is selling Canadian Brides for $420-$650/pr as well.

Lancer007 wrote: I picked up a new (but sat for a year or two in a garage) pair of A4 seats and sliders for cheap, I spent more on brackets than the seats. Using Planted brackets got the seats sit roughly at stock seat height. Way better support then stock seats in my car though. Can you bolt the sliders to the floor? That would still allow adjusting.

Wait... were you talking about a Miata?

I'm wondering if the Planted brackets with the Corbeau sliders would drop me at all.

No, That was just an anecdote from my car. I was referring to my car, that the A4s extra height was offset by the lower seat brackets.

Ohhh.... the problem here is that Miata seats damn near sit on the floor in the first place.