"racing style" seat recomendations

So, my 944 drivers seat is beat up. replecment seats are way $$$$$ and even to get this one recovered is $$$$$.

So, I was going to replace it all together with a Sport style or racing style seat.

here is an example:

http://www.yourhotcar.com/prod/Option_Racing/Car_Interior/Racing_Seats/Option_Racing_Racing_Seat_-_60-99101/609149/

Anyone have any recomendations for a sport seat? I just kinda want the look and the pass through for a harness and i am on a grassroots budget (less $ better)

thanks, Eric

Oooooh! I was just about to start this thread. I'm looking at going the same route with the E30. Black + more support for Auto X. (sorry to threadjack)

I dunno Eric, every cheap seat I've sat in usually felt as cheap as it was - with one exception: my Colt had a 1-piece seat labeled "Quattro" that was a really comfy fiberglass bucket-type. I never could find any info on them though.

LOL the Colt, that was the best car to get motion sickness in

The seat I have now it pretty uncomfortable. the set bottom is torn up and it is narrow.

petegossett wrote: I dunno Eric, every cheap seat I've sat in usually felt as cheap as it was - with one exception: my Colt had a 1-piece seat labeled "Quattro" that was a really comfy fiberglass bucket-type. I never could find any info on them though.

I'm not helping the search here, but I don't necessarily find all cheap seats uncomfortable. The seats in my Wrangler are special for the Sahara package, but I think they could be a frontrunner for most comfortable seats I've ever sat in. On the flipside, I don't find BMW's seats very comfortable. Hasn't changed much in the last few years, from my E30 to my parent's long-sold E46. I'm sure somebody can come up some BMW that has incredibly comfortable seats, but on the whole they make me long for a church pew.

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

I've got one of those in my 1981 T/A (2nd gen car)

I had to leave the tracks off and bolt it right to the floor or my head would hit the roof.

With the seat on the floor, my helmet rubs the headliner and I'm only 6' tall.

The factory 2nd gen seats are almost on the floor and the cheap seats pictured are at least 2" thicker than the stockers.

If your factory seat is tallish you might be fine.

Shawn

I googled racing seats and www.andysautosport.com has some pretty good prices on seats.

Seems to me that a seat is one of those personal chices, in that what someone else recommends might not suit you at all. I like to sit in other people's cars (different brands and styles) to see wich one fits me just right.

I like the Sparco Sprint V for an inexpensive FIA approved, one-piece seat. Under 300/piece. There's also some good Cobras that are in that price range.

Look for used name-brand seats. The ones I have in the 7 aren't all that awesome (Recaro, Sparco, etc) but they aren't an el-cheapo knock-off either (IIRC they're Razo's). Picked em up used for $100 for the pair. As an aside, black seats go for a ton of $$$, but colored seats (blue, tan, red) don't. I actually preferred a red suede seat, and that's what I got.

what about those seats i've seen some honda people buy: NRG like these only 163 each and look nice enough

EDIT: my favorite pic so far: Corbeau A4

JeepinMatt wrote: On the flipside, I don't find BMW's seats very comfortable. Hasn't changed much in the last few years, from my E30 to my parent's long-sold E46. I'm sure somebody can come up some BMW that has incredibly comfortable seats, but on the whole they make me long for a church pew. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Funny... I have no issues with the comfort of my Ti's seats.. just that I ant lighter than stock

jcanracer wrote: what about those seats i've seen some honda people buy: NRG like these only 163 each and look nice enough EDIT: my favorite pic so far: Corbeau A4

thanks, that sight seems to have decent prices

I know your looking for suggestions Re: model and where to buy it ...

but have you looked at the shipping rates for seats? Once you add $100-150 for each seat you could do much better buying locally. For the price of a crappy sparco knock off shipped from the cheep online retailer, you could walk into a real live store and buy something nice probably FIA approved. If you don't need FIA approved, find the local store that sells fart cans and neon and they'll be able to beat the online price once you work in shipping.

I consider the seat a safety item so I'd be very hesitant to buy a product from an unknown manufacturer that hasn't performed any testing, got any certifications, etc.

I love my Corbeaus and I am a widebody

aussiesmg wrote: I love my Corbeaus and I am a widebody

If you don't mind me asking - how wide of a body? I was actually looking at what they have to offer - which seat do you have? I also am a wide body - a little over 6 foot and 240 with broad shoulders.

Timely post as I, too, am considering replacing my less than perfect 944 seats for a set of seats that will accommodate a 5 pt. harness. Anyone in the New England area want to trade 4 (I have 2 sets) 944 seats and some cash for 2 race seats with reclining backs?

I just was looking at seats, too! I was looking at www.Jegs.com or www.SummitRacing.com ; some decent prices...

Armitage wrote: I consider the seat a safety item so I'd be very hesitant to buy a product from an unknown manufacturer that hasn't performed any testing, got any certifications, etc.

+1

What he said.

From what I understand, there are also some safety issues with running a fixed back seat w/o a roll bar/cage.

How can seat recovering be that expensive? I've gotten some reasonable quotes for my car.

Those no name reclineable seats are uncomfortable for me (5'11" and 230 lbs) and they don't look safe and they are super tall.

I'd second/ third, and fourth the suggestion to go with one that has some chance of holding up in a crash.

ohh and as a side note if you ebay recaro (especially "recaro jdm") you can get used reclining recaros out of old japanese cars that I find especially comfortable. You'll have to make rails for them but its not that hard if youre on this board... and you can get em for the same price as new cheapos.

The cheapest "racing" seats I would buy would be corbeau. The really cheap crap just feels fragile.

If you're really on a budget, cruise the junkyards and you'll often find real comfy recaro seats out of old bmws (320is), porsche, vw, etc.

If you're doing this to your daily driver, make sure your birth certificate is dated towards the end of the last century. I am reminded everytime I move today, just how tight it is to get into a Miata with a hardtop and racing seats. Another case of my mid-20's mind writing checks my mid-50's body can't cash.

OEM cars w/ Recaros for your junkyarding pleasure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recaro#Cars_with_OEM-installed_Recaro_seats