slate blue

Guys I hope to create a thread that with you guys help will provide lots of options and answers to people looking for options on seats. The reason they may be looking is for weight savings, they may just be looking for something different. I need you guys to get involved and add what relevent info you have. Thanks.

First the info I have on the standard seats, the first seat style I don't have any photos of but when the S first came out the pillows in the cushion and squab were pronounced. These seats were available with or without the power option, 6 way. Without the power option these seats weighed 13 kgs, with the power option they were 20 kgs. I'm told there were made by Porsche.




You tend to really sit on these seats instead of in them. This is the reason I have started looking for options, my objectives are to have a better suited seat, (sports seat) and save some weight. So my drivers seats weighs 20 kgs and passenger 13 kgs ging a total of 33 kgs. To get maximum weight saving I could buy some GT3 seats, they will fit without too much trouble and it will save 20 kgs nett, as they weigh 6.5 kgs each and that's 13 kgs in total.

GT3 seats



They look pretty racy probably a bit too much, I think for a GT car. There is GT3 seats that are on Ebay, copies of GT3 seats anyway made with real carbon fibre, GT3 seats are GRP and the copies are selling for $1600 a pair. That is pretty good value.

So if the fixed back seat, is a little out of place and is probably a little hard to use, i.e access the back seats. What did Porsche do? Well their sport seats look great if you ask me, but are heavy. If anybody know the exact weight please chime in, I would think that they would be 25 kgs, that's heavy!



But I like the style, it suits the car.

These seats are the standard version of the sport seats.




Given that the 928 has been out of production for a little while, what are some of the big munufacturers of sports cars doing? Well I found these pics I thought were interesting.





We may as well start at the top, seats from the Enzo!

If we go to a slighty lesser model, then I think we see some really good seats.





O.K so you can't afford Ferrari seats well what are the options?

What about these?



In Black.



I think there is some substantial similarities there, do you ?

Now I also like these seats from the RS4, they have the pillows similar to our original seats and as such it helps it blend to the rest of the interior. Modern look too. Remember when the 928 interior was style it was very modern and minimalistic so it has stayed modern.



I'll give those a thumbs up.

Anyway, I would like to find out what some of these other seats weigh, the Recaro sport seat, if it was 10 kgs, that would save a lot of weight without going to a fixed back option. What do you guys think?

Cheers Greg

Tony

http://www.cerullo.com/sportsSeats/xr.php

Thats what i have.
Made any color and stiching design you want.

mspiegle

Good bang for the buck: http://corbeau.com/

I've always loved those GT3 seats. It is my dream someday to have a pair of those in my next 928.

Tom. M

I just shipped a 12 way power seat down to BDonaldson...the scale showed 64lbs.....only difference is this seat is covered in vinyl rather than leather. I have heard the stock S4 12 way typically weighs 75lbs each..so close enough.

Haven't weighed the sport seat yet, but in lifting them around, I would guess it is about 25lbs lighter than the stock 12way...

It's an easy way to drop 50lbs.... but one can save even more by going the aftermarket route...

later,
Tom
89GT

Note: edit..weight was 64..not 69...misread reciept.

slate blue

Hi Tom thanks for that info, I wouldn't like to drop one of those 12 ways on my toe. So my seats at 13 kgs without power are in fact pretty light. Pity they aren't pretty grabby too. I wonder if those Audi seats are power seats and if Recaro are going to make something close to that design? I think those Audi seats are just the ticket.

Cheers Greg

Tom. M

Hey Greg,
Yep..I would think a seat at just shy of 29 lbs. is pretty good. I don't know if I could trust anything lighter unless it had a carbon fiber frame (or titanium). There comes a point where safety is a factor. I have seem some leather covered manual adjust sport style seats for around $200 each...(ebay and other similar sites)...but one can only guess at what is under all the leather...maybe some thin plastic that will just buckle in a crash?...

Is there a seat rating system (like the helmet snell etc..)..that rates crashworthiness of aftermarket seats?...

later,
Tom

89GT

drnick

i went from the standard 12 way to fatory sports then pole positions. the pole positions are light (pick them up with one hand easily) and comfortable as well as really supportive, they increase your head room too. even though the back dosent tip forward you can still access the rear by sliding them. reclining on a date is out though!

hacker-pschorr

I'll second the Pole Positions from Recaro - Full FIA certified for racing without a back brace and very comfortable. They bolt right onto the factory sliders. I'm using mine with a Scroth 6-point harness.

Once I remember what server my pics are on, I'll post them here.

Chris Lockhart

WHat I need is a nice aftermarket supportive seat that is made to "wide" people specs. All the great (and great priced) seats that I have test sat in, are too narrow in the butt, hips, and shoulders for someone of my stature. Yes, I can sit in a GT3 seat, but only for about 5 minutes before it gets uncomfortable. Where are the "phat" people seats ???LOL.

hacker-pschorr

Chris - I am 6'1" - 235lbs - 36-40" waist depending on what brand. I wear a size 46 sportcoat.

Recaro Pole Positions fit me like a glove, I had the same issue as you with most seats. I spent many weekends sitting in every car at Road America until I found a seat that worked. More good news, these are dirt cheap (for Recaro's). I think the SPG, one step up, is just a tad wider.

Cheburator

I just received my Cobra Monaco S seats. Ok, they are cloth covered, but they weigh less than the Recaro Pole Position. I am 6' 6" and 16st and they fit me like a glove. They cost GBP195 delivered to my door. It remains to be seen how I am going to bolt them to the factory holes. Should not be too difficult. I have Schroth 3-point harnesses too.

http://82.110.105.20/cobraseats.com/...ort/monaco.php

Chris Lockhart

Thanks Hacker, I'll give them a look!!!! Not that I can afford them right now, but I gotta at least plan for the future.

Rob Edwards

I pulled the seats recently in order to R&R some A/C o-rings and the rear expansion valve. I just about hurt myself hauling these GTS seats around, so I decided to weigh them. Sheesh:

Driver's side 12 way comfort seat with heat: 64 lbs



Passenger side 8 way with heat: 54 lbs 9 oz:

slate blue

That is some big weight there! Over 50 kgs, wow, so basically the lightest seats that came in the 928 are half the weight of the heaviest.

Greg

F451

Some data for the tall peeps out there. These are measurements are not "exact", but should give folks some idea of what they are dealing with. The measurements from the seat bottom are from the seat cushion, not the side bolsters.

For reference, I'm 6'6", 210 lbs, 36" inseam, 36" sleeves.

Stock '88 S4 8 way seats:



Sparco Sprint fixed back seat mounted on aftermarket sliders:





The increase in headroom and the reduction of reach to the steering wheel was significant - due to the seat back being much more upright.

Getting in and out is a royal pain, I found it impractical for daily driver use.

Fixed back seats with less side bolstering might be a better solution.