dave-C2

My RSA passenger seat sits too high, even at its lowest postion, and I need more head room to clear a helmet. The driver seat is a Recaro SPG but I want a folding seat on the passenger side for access to the rear. I know the Recaro SRD won't fit, and it's unlikely any of the Keonigs will fit low either. I found an old Sparco seat which was promising, but the brackets spacing didn't line up with the 964's.
The car has 5 point Sabelts on both sides, however I still use the stock 3 point seat belts on the street. Both the stock and Sabelt inner belt brackets are attached to the central tunnel. The fixed stock seat belt bracket is another concern since lowering the seat results in the belt moving up higher across the spleen area. Anyone know of a flexible or hinged bracket that accepts the stock belt?
If a fixed seat is the only one that will fit down low does anyone have a way to ensure that the seat travel will provide access to the rear seat for duffle bags, etc.
Thanks

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>I know the Recaro SRD won't fit,</strong><hr></blockquote>

Dave,

I just installed two Recaro SRD's (with optional anti-sub strap hole) in my 93 C2, and while not something I want to make a career of, they do fit.

I used the stock flat Recaro sliders (engages on each slide), as opposed to the Recaro mount that raises it up in the air (Let me know if you want the number and source). On the SRD's, I had to remove the inside adjuster and the metal piece the **** mounts to on each seat (dremmel it off flat with the other plastic piece, dremel grind it so it's lower, then use the middle part of the adjuster **** to snap in and cover the opening - looks factory). Brey Krause inner and outer harness clips (R9001, R9003) are used for the lap belts (www.bkauto.com, I got them from OG Racing). The inside stock seat belt latch came off the stock seats, and mounts to a stock Porsche part 964.521.065.00 (a non-welded version of what's on the stock seats). I drilled an extra hole in the Recaro slide to accomodate the second hole in the bracket, and had to do some bending of the bracket to clear the seat. Both outer SRD adjusting ***** are off, although I know someone else who left them on. A PIA to install, you'll lose an inch or two of leg room, and it accomodates both stock and 5-way harnesses.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Jeff Curtis

Dave, I can certainly understand the dilemna you're going through, as I have just installed a pair of Sparco Evo seats in my C2. I had to modify the bottom of the seats (basically file a "notch") to get them on the lowest setting in the side mount brackets, as the rear allen bolt head comes in contact with the fiberglass bucket of the seat before lining up in the lowest adjustment hole.

You say you found a Sparco, but the brackets wouldn't line up? Were they side mount brackets?? If so, they won't...that is until you take a "rat-tail" file and enlongate them. Do the holes that are closest to the center of the vehicle, so the seats sit over that much more so you have a bit more access to bolt/unbolt the seats when needed.

I went on a "day tour" with my region yesterday, my girlfriend brought a cooler that would normally fit behind the driver -or- passenger seat. Being your average guy, I didn't think of the fact that it will be difficult to sit one behind there now!

So, I had to turn into one of those Circus du Soleil guys and contort my body to place the cooler behind the passenger seat. I had to go between the seats, close to the roof, route it over and behind the BK Harness mount bar and with my other hand, grab the cooler to put it in place...whew!

So you see, it IS a good idea to keep one of the seats with an adjustable back.

I do have one question though, you say your passenger seat is a factory RSA seat? If so, that's about as low as you'll get it, unless you install a racing seat with side mount rails, no slider.

I have a slider under my Evo on the Driver's side, because I figured I'm the driver, and would want the adjustability. I installed the passenger seat on the side mounts only, no sliders. It sits fairly low. As I am 6ft. tall, I am going to "trade" them this week, as I have a track event this coming weekend - and want the approx. 1/2" more headroom that this will provide.

Hopefully I've provided some ideas for you. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>I do have one question though, you say your passenger seat is a factory RSA seat? If so, that's about as low as you'll get it, unless you install a racing seat with side mount rails, no slider.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Unless I'm mistaken, the factory RS America seats are the same as the C2 seats, with partial electrics. Putting an SRD on the flat rails creates some additional headroom, as the seat is not raised up in the air due to the electric motors, plus in the SRD itself you sit a bit lower than stock. However, we're not talking megainches here, maybe you gain 1 1/2".

If someone want to measure from where your butt hits to the ceiling on a stock set of seats, for comparison, the SRD setup is 36 3/8". I measured from where the back joins the bottom, ie, if you put a ruler on the back, measure from where the ruler touches the bottom of the seat. From there to the headliner immediately behind the sunroof - not to the sunroof itself.

Jeff Curtis

I agree with Bill, but what I meant was that the factory seats are about as low as you'll get with sliders.

I had a set of Recaro SRDs in my SC...they weren't any lower than my factory seats, I was using the flat rails too.

dave-C2

Bill & Jeff
Thanks for all the information. I probably still need to find a side mount arrangement since the RSA seat is 35 7/8" vs 36 3/8" seat to headliner per Bill's measurements and I was hoping to lower the seat about an inch.

dave-C2

Bill
I've been checking numerous alternatives and keep coming back to the SRD on flat rails as the most likely solution for the passenger seat, even though it is only about 1/2" lower it is lighter and has holes for shoulder straps.
What is the width of the seat above the rails with the inner **** removed as you suggest? If the outer **** is also removed how is the angle of the seat back adjusted? TIA
Dave

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>What is the width of the seat above the rails with the inner **** removed as you suggest? If the outer **** is also removed how is the angle of the seat back adjusted? TIA
Dave</strong><hr></blockquote>

Dave,

Unfortunately, it's not even side to side. On the tunnel side of our 964's (and 993's) you have to make the seat flush by removing both the adjuster **** and the post it sits on. Below is a picture of the passenger seat by the tunnel. If you look carefully towards the back almost in the shadow, you can see the outside of the plastic which is round. That's where the **** and post(sticking out maybe an inch) were before removal.



On the drivers side, I chose to remove the plastic handle to move the seat back a bit more. A friend found he could leave his on. I could probably reshape the foam to make room for the ****, however, I only change the rake at the track, and pliars work fine for that. Note the metal post sticking out is what you have to remove on the other side of each seat.

jonfkaminsky

Interesting thread. I just read that at least in our regions (Northwest) you cannot compete in any PCNA DE event unless the two front seats are identical. Are those rules nationwide, or am I misunderstanding the intent?

If this is true, it might change someone's seat decision in the future.

Jon

Jeff Curtis

You have to have equal restraints for most regions DE events, meaning if the Driver has a five point harness, the passenger has to.

As for equal seats, if the Driver has a "racing-style" or racing seat, so does the passenger. Now, some have a racing seat on the Driver's side and a "race-style" seat on the passenger side, such as the Recaro SPD, you will find that is acceptable in most regions...the two seats do NOT have to be identical make and model.

The basic rule for seats can be deciphered as such: If the Driver has a "racing-style" seat or above, the passenger has to have at least a "racing-style" seat as well.

Bill Gregory

[quote]<strong>I just read that at least in our regions (Northwest) you cannot compete in any PCNA DE event unless the two front seats are identical. Are those rules nationwide, or am I misunderstanding the intent?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Jon,

There aren't any national PCA DE rules, although PCA is working on that for better region-to-region consistency (Boxster access to drivers education events really highlighted the need for cross region consistency). In our region, as with Jeff's, you need to have equal restraints for driver and passenger, and seats are considered part of the "equal". In addition, if you want to use harnesses, you have to have seats made to support them. That means that the shoulder harnesses go through the seat to keep the harnesses on your shoulders. Harnesses with stock seats aren't allowed.