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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Sport Seats

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 11 2005, 10:48 AM

I want to put in new seats with better side bolster. I will have the car on the track so racing seats are an option. But have not run into a seat that I can sitin without hitting my head on the roof.

What seats are out there for a tall guy wearing a helmet?
Now are there any that can be had for a reasonable price?

Chris

Posted by: jd74914 Dec 11 2005, 11:44 AM

I don't know if you want to retain the stock backpad or not, but if you do you could always bolster the sides of the stock seats.

Posted by: flesburg Dec 11 2005, 12:04 PM

Are you handy with fiberglass?

Do you know someone who can upholster furniture?

If yes to the above, see a picture of seats I made for my DE car, and my wife upholstered.

If you are interested, I'll send info on where I bought my materials including the cloth upholstery.

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Posted by: Dave_Darling Dec 11 2005, 12:47 PM

If you're tall, the choices are very limited. I have found that the best option for me is to remove the bottom seat cushion from the stock seat. That puts me another couple of inches lower down in the car, and gives my hips some lateral support.

There are a couple of other seats based on the stock seats (e.g., Renegade's seat, Scheel or Koenig seats) that are as low as the stock ones.

AFAIK, most or all of the regular aftermarket racing seats are going to sit higher up in the car than the stock seats. Stock seats from any other car I know of will be significantly higher.

--DD

Posted by: brp914 Dec 11 2005, 01:19 PM

how about GTS LeMans? Are they taller than stock also?

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 11 2005, 01:42 PM

Dale - the seats look great. I figured I would have to get handy with the sewing machine. I tried an aftermarket seat (kirkey) in my race car and had bad luck. The flat bottom raised me up to high in the car. I would bang my head. Yours seem to be about what I want. Are you willing to send more photos so I may emulate your work?

Chris

Posted by: VegasRacer Dec 11 2005, 02:38 PM

QUOTE (brp914 @ Dec 11 2005, 12:19 PM)
how about GTS LeMans? Are they taller than stock also?

Yes. You do sit a bit higher in the LaMans compared to a stock seat.

Posted by: J P Stein Dec 11 2005, 02:58 PM

I modified a Kirkey to sit on the stock upper seat rails....it retains adjustability. It also sits lower than the stock seat W/pad. Tain't pretty and the padding is thin. They do make a better cloth cover.

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Posted by: flesburg Dec 11 2005, 03:39 PM

Chicgo Chris,
Yes, but be patient with me.

I took an old stock seat apart, saved all the foam pads etc.

I cut up the fiberglass shell, and added side "bolsters" made out of 1/8" masonite, and reatached the upper edge pieces. Kept modifying it until I got a shape I could fit in, and that I liked. I cut a hole through the center of the headrest for harness belts. When I had the shape I wanted, I fiberglassed a couple of layers on the inside and the outside of the shell. I used pipe insulating foam for new edges and around the headrest, and appllied foam rubber to the outside. The bottom cusion was made new so it is thinner, and the "fanny fit" is right for my body.

Joan then made patterns and sewed the covers.

Send me a pm with your e-mail address and I will send you some pics and sketches of what we did. I will be getting a new e-mail address in the next month or so, because I am changing from an earthlink dial up over to a verizon DSL and will have a new e-mail address.

I would offer to make them for you, but the first one probably took us 20 to 30 hours to make, but my time on winter weekends is not worth much when I am doing it for myself.

Another picture. This is all I have right now.

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Posted by: guiltless Dec 12 2005, 12:45 AM

How tall are you? I am 6'2" and I am wondering now if I am going to run into the same issue.

Posted by: d914 Dec 12 2005, 09:12 AM

in the blue car we notched the crossover support and used 911 sliders to keep the seat low and retain some adjustability. If done over I'd replace the cross over and mount the 911 slider on the floor. Add in some reinforcement further up..

Posted by: olav Dec 12 2005, 12:41 PM

QUOTE (VegasRacer @ Dec 11 2005, 12:38 PM)

QUOTE (brp914 @ Dec 11 2005, 12:19 PM)
how about GTS LeMans? Are they taller than stock also?

Yes. You do sit a bit higher in the LaMans compared to a stock seat.

If you call Stephan/Stephano(can't remember) at http://www.gts-classics.com/lemans.html he said he would modify the seat and take out the foam to suit your needs.

That's what he was doing for a 908 customer.

Posted by: MikeP Dec 12 2005, 03:14 PM

Used to be that you could send your seat to Renegade Hybrids and they would modify it for you. They did mine and they also offer a slimmed down pad for track use. I'm happy with mine.

Posted by: Mrs. 'I" Dec 12 2005, 03:20 PM

GTS has the best seats goin for fit and comfort.I have a set of RallyST in my GT. Good value and quality for the $.

Posted by: r_towle Dec 12 2005, 03:28 PM

I am 6'2

I took the normal seat pad and cut it in half...

Take it out and take a look at the bottom of the pad.
Its is stapled to a piece of masonite which is bonded to the foam.

Take off the vinyl cover by removing the staples...

I took it to a big band saw I have, but a normal hand saw works well also...I cut about 1-2 inches off in height...

I put the vinyl conver back on, stretched it to fit snug, and stapled it back on.

Now I have no issues.

Also, when driving on the street, you can adjust the bottom of the seat so the front part is lower...but when using a helmet, you may need to "recline" the seat so your helmet head fits.

Rich

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 12 2005, 09:14 PM

I'll look in the GTS seats. That is basicly what I was looking for. I have an extra seat and I think I'll try to modify it first like Dale did.

I am 6' and when I have tracked it in the past I just removed the seat bottom. I am looking for a bit more comfort this time arround.

d914 - How much lower are the 911 seat brackets then the 14. I feel prett low already. And would solid mounting the 14 tracks, minus the tilt, do the same thing?

Chris

Posted by: TimT Dec 12 2005, 09:30 PM

I have a MOMO Nascar seat in my GT3 914, Its mounted to the floor on the MOMO brackets.. this is the way the car was when I bought it.. The seat bottom is lower than a stock seat, and you could always cut away that section of the floor to get the seat lower.

I did have to relocate the seat though, the guy I bought the car from was 6'4"

Im 6' and I dont have problems with helmet clearance with my seat set-up

But I hate whacking my head on the roll bar :s

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 12 2005, 09:36 PM

Tim - Are MOMO seats in the reasonable ($) range for sport seats? I have been seeing seats around $500-600.

Chris

Posted by: TimT Dec 12 2005, 09:47 PM

Price is relative...

I bought a Kirkey 20 deg intermediate seat for my 911 around $200 then the

The MOMO Nascar is around $500 I think.. havent checked recently, though I should since is nearing its exp date

Id shoot some pics but my car is locked in the trailer, and it winter and its....

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 12 2005, 10:15 PM

I tried a Kirkey in my race car and i just didn't work. Maybe it was to upright but I tried. The flat bottom was nice but the stock seat dips between the rails so the bottom is lower. How did you get past that?

Chris

Posted by: TimT Dec 12 2005, 10:25 PM

mine was a narrow seat, 15 in if I recall.. i removed all the vestiges of stock seat mounts, and the seat fit down between the center tunnel and the longitudinal.
the MOMO bracket had to be cut also but thats no biggie

If its nice out this weekend Ill open up the trailer and try and get some pics

The Nascar is a nice seat

oops talking about different seats in different cars sorry...

the kirkey went in my 911 no problem

the MOMO was in the 914 when I bought it

I adjusted it so it was comfy for me

Posted by: hars914 Dec 14 2005, 06:20 AM

I also am in the process of installing some make of race seat.I am building
an open cockpit car. I was going to get the Kirkey Road seat since it
has a flat bottom.I am 6'-2" and have to make sure I am low enough to
clear the roll cage.

Posted by: fiid Dec 14 2005, 09:56 AM

I have Corbeau Forza's in my car. They have great lateral support and mostly miss the handbrake, but they are too high - I can hardly see the guages and I sometimes bump my head on the roof. I'd like to maintain adjustability - anyone have suggestions?

Posted by: jhadler Dec 14 2005, 12:35 PM

QUOTE (fiid @ Dec 14 2005, 07:56 AM)
I have Corbeau Forza's in my car. They have great lateral support and mostly miss the handbrake, but they are too high - I can hardly see the guages and I sometimes bump my head on the roof. I'd like to maintain adjustability - anyone have suggestions?

How tall are you? I have a pair of Forza's that are just about to go into the car. I'd hate to install them only to find out I didn't fit... Then again, I'm only 5' 6", so probably not a problem for me, but maybe for a passenger or co-driver...

-Josh2

Posted by: fiid Dec 14 2005, 01:02 PM

I'm 5'10".

Posted by: ChicagoChris Dec 14 2005, 02:27 PM

When I tried the Kirkeys in the race car I was foiled. To tall and couldn't get out. Part was a poor cage and part was the agressive sides of the Kirkey didn't give me enough room between the dash and seat.

Posted by: carr914 Dec 16 2005, 03:15 AM

I'll agree with Tim. I've got a MOMO Nascar seat, MOMO brackets fitted backwards so the back part of the seat is even lower. I had to notch the seat bracket to go over the crossmember. It is lower than stock and I think as low as you can go. I'm a shade over 6'. Here's a picture of me @ Sebring, you can see there is a fair amount of headroom.

T.C.

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Posted by: McMark Dec 16 2005, 04:21 AM

GT3 seats fit nicely and look great.

Posted by: GTS Jan 13 2006, 10:25 PM

Hello All and a happy new year....bit late thus....
However we have heard you and have modified the LeMans seat, it will be lower,cushion slightly slimmer and the back also not so foward.
Hope to have these seats at the Long Beach show next month, and also the Sport S the ST and an altered Rallye ST.
with regards
Stefan GTS classics 702 353 7175

Posted by: jonwatts Jan 14 2006, 01:24 AM

QUOTE (McMark @ Dec 16 2005, 02:21 AM)
GT3 seats fit nicely and look great.

And cost what?