Track day and road capable seat upgrade..

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 1:58 pm

Hi Guys

I'm new to the forum, we have owned a silver 91 NA for nearly a year and love it and i have just committed to buying a 89 witha turbo. Pick it up next Saturday.

I am looking for a better seat for track use BUT it needs to be WOF capable as I would prefer to not have to swap seats for road use etc....the car for the time being will be road and track day orientated and then MAYBE move towards more track day (targa?) use over the next year or two...as I figure this stuff out.

Preferably be capable of sliding so my wife can drive it too...

Anyone have any thoughts or perhaps something available for sale....

Cheers
Mark.

Gravelben · Post by **Gravelben** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 3:41 pm

I have a momo T-frame, bolts onto the factory rails with just a couple of extra holes drilled through them to bolt to.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:47 pm

Hi Ben, is this road legal? I thought you weren't allowed to mess with the standard rails at all...?

PS thank you for the emails re your car, a combination of too far away and a bit more than I wanted to spend. Good luck with the sale, It seems like a really nice car!

Mark

aidwano · Post by **aidwano** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 8:50 pm

I've just taken the back seat foam out of the stock seats and it holds me fine on the track. Probably not as good as a race seat but sweet as for track days. I am pretty small though so i fit in it well.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:06 am

Hi Aidwano, yes i have done that and it is definatley a vast improvement.

But at 6'0" and 100kg's it could definately be better....

I think the seat frame is probably just a little too small. It is very close though.

Cheers
Mark.

Mr. Shine · Post by **Mr. Shine** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:34 pm

You're allowed to play with the rails but are not able to change where the rails mount to on the chassis, according to the certification thresholds. I think the term they use is "seat anchorage" or something, but it's defined as where the seat mounts to on the chassis, not the rails.

If you're wanting something both road and track-friendly you could consider a reclineable seat, possibly a factory Recaro from a Honda Civic/Integra Type-R? Has the slots for a harness if you want to go that way.

Alternatively you can fit a full bucket seat with aftermarket rails (with sliders or not) while still being WOF-friendly.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:30 pm

Thanks guys.

Can anyone suggest a good seat supplier in Auckland, Recaro, etc?

Will also try the wreckers for the Honda seats mentioned......

Cheers.

Gravelben · Post by **Gravelben** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:36 pm

There are often a few bargains on trademe

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:30 pm

I went and checked out the KW seats in Auckland, the guy there was pretty helpfull but there was only 2 seats he could recommend as defintely fitting a nice (expensive) Bride one was just too narrow across the shoulders and the other one was great price, great look but had a curve in the back that (for me) made me feel like I was being pushed in to a ball...however, if i was a bit smaller and didn't have a dodgy back both would have been pretty good....

He suggested I take the passenger seat out and bring the car for some test fittings but he was fairly sure they would be too close to the window etc..

So I will keep looking.....

There were some nice EVO recaro's but he suggested they probably wouldn't fit either, the base being quite wide......anyone know any different?

sprsta · Post by **sprsta** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:48 pm

i have the same as the kw recaro spg copys probably the ones he showed you they fit but will just touch the door when its closed

there is a seat fit guide on flyin miatas website under tech info

Mr. Shine · Post by **Mr. Shine** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:48 am

http://flyinmiata.com/tech/seats.php

Gives you suitable measurements. I've never tried NZKW seats, but I haven't heard much good about them from the NZHondas track boys. Apparently they're not very well made.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:29 pm

Mr. Shine wrote: I've never tried NZKW seats, but I haven't heard much good about them from the NZHondas track boys. Apparently they're not very well made.

I had a look at the NZKW seats, and decided against them, for the above reason, they didn't look like they were that well made, just cheap chinese knock offs. So I ended up getting a set of Jamex, sure they are still most likely made in China, but at least under license, so in theory a bit more quality control, and following a standard. Got the medium seat model (not large), which the guy reckons he knows someone who put that seat into their MX5, so I guess I will find out when I finally get around to putting them in. And there was only about $20 in it between the Jamex and the NZKW seat. I have the advantage of being a bit of a smaller frame, so the smaller sized seats aren't a problem for me.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/jamex?page=1

Mr. Shine · Post by **Mr. Shine** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:05 pm

The gist I got was that they don't feel particularly sturdy, so in a caged and harnessed set up it would be a worrying potential weakest link. Obviously it may be different for a more daily-friendly set up, without cage and harness.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:21 pm

Thaks guys, as per the other seat thread, I am going to wait and see what crops up over the next month or so on trade me and hopefully meet some track day guys with MX5's....maybe someone wants to upgrade and i'll get a bargain...

or not!

The Momo T frame is a definite from people on the site with a similar build to me, thats probably my best bet....

Mark

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:37 pm

As usual, the minute you make up your mind in one direction something happens....

Found a pair of seats on trademe, 2 x Momo T-Club that fit ...sort of.

THey are a steel seat and I though that the shoulders jammed against the door could be easily bent in.

Well after trying to use a truck ratchet style tie down and being able to pluck it like a bass string (twangy tight) for about 3 hours.....nothing happened

So I need to take the cover off and use a gas torch to bend the shoulder tubes in a bit for a perfect fit.....

BUT in the meantime, I went up to Cardwells Racing Supplies in Albany for some replacement turbo feed oil hose (they didn't have it) and spotted a PERFECT Sparco, low base, narrow bum, narrow shoulders, Black with white stiching, looks fantastic for $630.00 approx. Sparco Sprint Tube (FIA App).

So if anyone is interested that looks like a real contender! (I haven't measured it up but almost certain it couldn't be better).

Now what do to...sell the pair I got or muck around bending the shoulders in....back to wait and see I guess....

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:50 pm

i had a look at those sparco sprints they will fit but the only problem for me is the price thats alot for a steel frame seat but then again new momo steel frame seats are nearly $1K each

punkoutnz · Post by **punkoutnz** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:38 pm

I just put an Autosports kevlar seat in mine. It's snug and all that but I find it a real PITA to get in and out of! Plus it sits around the same height as a stock seat on it's rails so I want to find a way to mount it lower. It's mounted to the factory rails so I could keep the slider but I dunno if this is going to be a happening thing. I can see it being a lot of work to mount an aftermarket seat comfortably in an MX!

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:08 pm

Yeah, I hear ya. I just had the past 2 days with the momo in. It aint easy thats for sure....

It made the car less appealing to just jump in for a run up to the shops etc and that was what i loved about them in the first place.

I pulled it out today and will just put it in for track days I think.....Hmmm,....unless i can get it slid back and tilted slightly more....

Track day and road capable seat upgrade..

Track day and road capable seat upgrade..

Going to slow down a bit....

Who is online