Dr911

I would like to install racing seats in my 85 carrera.

I need something that :

1. is the right size for me (small) and still be usable for my instructors (mostly x-large)

2. can fit ON the existing sliders

3. has a halo for the drivers seat (next purchase will be HANS)


The budget for 2 seats is under 1K.

Anyone have advice on which seats to look at first?
Any seats I should steer clear of?
Should I consider looking at used seats (better quality at my budget price)? If so where.

Thx in adv.
A.

TXE36

Two good seats for under $1K? This implies used.

Seat sizing can be tricky if you are not "average", whatever that is. Best advice is to spend a track weekend or two trying different seats around the paddock.

Padding can always be used to make a larger seat fit a smaller body. However, you should optimize the driver's seat for you, as it's your car and you will be sitting in it most of the time.

You don't need a halo for Hans. I would not go out in 5/6 point belts w/o one.

The car needs to have a cage or at least a roll bar.

-Mike

ETA: Make sure the shoulder holes are also in the right place and I love your avatar.

NaroEscape

We went with a Cobra Suzuka seat on the drivers side because you can get different thickness seat, leg and back padding for it. I am 6' 220, my wife 5'6" and 'petit' (you KNOW I can't list her weight!) and we needed something that works for both of us. This works very well. It does NOT have a Halo, but they have another model that does. I don't remember the cost...not sure it would meet the $500 ea price point though...
spend the money and get a very good one for you/drivers side, get a good but maybe used one for passengers side. Eventually there will be less use on that side.

Gary R.

2 race seats for under $1000 including mount/slider hardware? I highly doubt it.. Aluminum are usually cheaper, but not that cheap.

pontifex4

+1. You'll need to double your price by the time you get hardware and belts, and you'll still need a way to mount the shoulder straps (as Mike mentioned, a bolt-in half cage should be your bare minimum requirement for this, as a harness bar on its own doesn't offer rollover protection and can make a rollover even worse for the occupants by keeping them strapped tightly upright while the roof collapses).

As to the seat, I would suggest that if it's between getting one that fits you well and one that fits anyone, you should likely prioritize fitting you well. A good instructor or coach can do a lot from the right seat, and if it's a question of having a coach drive the car, a lot of pros are small! I won't single any out, but I've met a couple of pros who would definitely fit, as long as you retain the sliders.

Dr911

Thx vm for the good info (AND the $ reality check Charlie and Gary!)
Of course.....as you may have heard.....budgets can be very flexible when needed

Mike: thanks, yes: I did sit-test about 5 different brands on my last track day and took a few notes and agree that it will be best to optimize my own positioning. (Also, ! --avatar was selected for compliance with truth in advertising laws)

Bob/NaroEscape thank you for the specifics on your purchase, that is very helpful info.

A.

Gary R.

In more detail..


While you can add padding there is no "one size fits all" seat. The idea is for YOU to fit snugly but comfortably in it, with good shoulder support. Buy a 17" (XL) for the passenger seat, no reason to have an instructor drive your car. If absolutely necessary, get a small instructor! You MUST sit in several brands of seats to find the best fit, they are ALL different even if the same size! Pick the one that fits you best top and bottom.

I would be surprised if any seat brackets will mount to stock sliders and most likely they are not as strong as Recaro's version. Can't skimp there.

You just more than doubled your $500 number per seat.. for one good halo seat


Nope.. and you need a roll bar installed at the least.. I don't like harness bars as you are locked upright.

To do it properly (and I would do it ALL or nothing) you will be spending well over $3K for new equipment. Seats, sliders, mounting brackets, harnesses, roll bar, and HANS. If you want to add more safety NOW I would suggest the Simpson Hybrid Sport HANS as it offers you some protection even with 3 point harnesses and is made to work with 5-6 point when you are ready to upgrade. There goes $500!

Carrera51

I wouldn't separate your sliders from the factory seats in case you decide to put the car back to stock and sell. Sparco, Recaro, OMP, etc aftermarket sliders will do the job fine.

If you are going with seats and harnesses, then a roll bar is a must. If you drive the car on the street with any regularity, then a full roll cage is not a good idea. If you are heading down the path to racing this car, then might as well put the cage in now and skip the step of starting with a roll bar.

Purchasing two new seats, plus mounting hardware, harnesses etc, will cost over $1,000. A pair of new Sparco, OMP, Racetech, or Recaro seats will cost roughly $1200-$2000 depending on the model, and that doesn't include side mounts and hardware.

Sitting in a few different seats at the track like Mike suggested is a great idea since all our bodies are a little different, an variations in the shapes between manufacturers. Once you narrow down which seats fit you best, you may be able to find a good deal on a used seat. However, make sure they aren't coming out of a car that has experienced a hard hit at the track, since the seats could have sustained damage around the mounting areas.

Kind regards,

JCP911S

You can buy used seats... they generally don't deteriorate with age.

Use fixed seat mounts, and set the seat up for you... no instructor needs to drive your car.

In my SC, I can't get into the car with a helmet on and a halo seat, so, check this out... but definitely install nets, as these give you additional protection.

Absolutely get a HANS device if you are using 5-6 points... its clumsy at first, but you get used to it.

Anything less than a full cage is a compromise, but if this is a street/track car, a 4-point rollbar is better than nothing, and will give you a solid mounting point for your belts, but get a seat-brace, like a Brey-Krause, and use high density foam to lock it against the seat.

Its dangerous driving a full cage car on the street without a helmet for obvious reasons.

I applaud you for investing in safety equipment... as was stated above, its an "all-or nothing" type deal, so don't cut corners.

pontifex4

I get the impression that OP isn't really tall: given that and the steering wheel position of an air-cooled 911 and the halo seat, I think sliders are a good idea, if only for the convenience of her mechanic!

JCP911S

BTW... there are "Bolt In" 4-point rollbars that will fit your car, but make sure you get one that attaches to the rockers... not the floor.

Gary R.

Sliders fix that issue, I had a Sparco Pro ADV halo in my SC, no problem.

JCP911S

Yeah, everything's a compromise.

TXE36

When I did my seats, I went with a pair of Sparco Ergo Larges. They were $1000 each. The side mounts were $119 each (specific for my BMW). A used slider was $50 for the driver's side and a pair of Schroth 6 point harnesses at $370 each. Total $2978. (Damn, no wonder why they say don't add it up!). Plus a pair of self made floor mount adapters that would have been about $250 each if I had to buy them. I spent $100 on a welder and $60 on materials for this. Car already had a roll bar. It was a lot of work, and a big nut, but worth it.

When I bought VR's car, I transferred the seats over as VR's Sparco halo seat was just too narrow for my butt. Thought I had the seat sold last weekend, but it didn't fit the potential buyer in the middle (hips and shoulders were fine) and the shoulder belt holes were way over her shoulders. Seat fit can be a tricky bitch. My old car was a track/street car and the track seats were more comfortable than the BMW stockers. I daily drove it for over a year and other than getting in and out, very comfortable.

So, why did I quote Mark? One other piece of advice I can give, if going new go with a solid vender with a good return policy. The first seat I bought, an Ergo M, was just too small and had to be returned. Cost less than $100 to send it back. No restock fee, all I had to do was pay return shipping and not mount the seat*. Plus the support from Mark and OG Racing was first class, so I'll give him a plug.

*You can test seat fit w/o mounting by just using your sofa. Put the seat on the sofa and test sit. Heck, I put the TV on and watched for a few hours for an extended test drive.

-Mike

mrbill_fl

safety devices, not autopower.