I've done some reading and I'm pretty sure this is my next mod.

But I'm not sure about these things:
- Can I use stock seatbelts on most of these? How can I tell which ones will be compatible?
- The FIA approved bit - does that imply anything about the strength of construction and safety, or only the fire retardance of the material? Should I be concerned about the safety of a non-FIA seat?
- I really want to get my butt down lower in the car to get my head down and knees a bit lower under the steering wheel. What kind of mounting (bottom or side) and rails works best for this? (I've read about memoryfab rails, etc but that's not been mentioned)

Thanks,

Dave

 

I'll take a stab at a few....

This comes down to the seat rails. Most bottom mount seat rails have provisions for stock seat belts. A handful of side mounts do as well.

I don't know if FIA test fire protection with their seats. Their tests are generally around impact safety. If you are road racing, I would recommend going with an FIA approved seat. For just street/auto-x, I don't think it's that important.

Side mounts (aside from bolting the seat to the floor).

 

I fond a brief dscription of the fia testing: http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticl...-V-part-2.aspx

which basically describes impact tests related to safety. Given that I plan to do some more hpdes then I will definitely prefer fia models.

 

Ok, so having the seat belts mount to the rails is obviously a must. What about the depth of the seat? I use one of those seat belt clips that keeps the lap belt cinched down snug. I see some pretty deep seats, so it would then seem it's also important that the seat is not too deep at the hips (shallow like the Corbeau A4) to prevent the belt from cinching down.

Dave

 

The stock seat belts weren't designed or tested with racing seats, so you are probably going to be on your own there. Going with as shallow of a seat as possible to mimic the stock seats is going to be your safest approach. However, I don't think you'll get the proper lap support from a FIA seat with the stock seat belts due to how the sides are done on the seats for harness straps.


I don't recommend running the stock seat belts with most fixed back seats. That said, harnesses are not going to pass state safety inspections. What I plan to do is to use the stock seat/rails for safety inspections and just put the race seat (Momo Start) back in for the rest of the time.

 

What's a safety inspection? I've never lived in a state where they would actually inspect seatbelts or anything on the interior. I'll be running my Schroth 6 points with my OMP WRC seats on AtomicRex seat mounts whenever I drive my car on the street. Only inspection we have in GA is for emissions.

The AtomicRex mounts and side rails aren't cheap, but they do allow you to get the seat as low as possible without having to bolt the seat directly to the floor.

 

Most states have a safety inspection along with their emissions inspections, if they test emissions, for licensing (i.e. when you renew your plates). They check for things like proper lights (headlights, taillights and signal lights), brakes (including parking brake), seat beats, engine codes, windshield cracks, etc. Harnesses are not DOT approved so they do not pass state based safety inspections.

 

Maybe take a close look at how the Spirit R seats interact with the seat belt - those seats are almost exactly like a racing bucket so Mazda must of figured out a safe way to make the seat belts work.

In my experience I have always been able to run the seat belts inside the hard back seat. Hard to explain with out a picture but the bolted lower end of the belt gets unbolted and goes through the lap belt hole and bolts back on in the stock (or very strong) location. Then the reciever is routed inside the lap belt hole on the other side of the seat. This "feels: like an oem seat belt when its on and cinches down in a quick stop etc....YMMV they spend lost of money on seat belt design and engineering and changing the angles (lower seat etc.) changes the forces.

I think its probably better than stock and do it with out hesitation but I understand not wanting to second guess the engineers.

 

The Spirit R/Recaros don't have the sides for harness mounting which is why the OEM seat belts work fine:

https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...0&postcount=18

http://www.otemotorsports.com/images/momo%20start.jpg

You could probably route the OEM seat belt through those harness holes, but I'd be leary about doing it (and how safe it would be in an incident).

 

My intentions are a good seat for autocrossing, track HPDEs, and street driving. The stock seat sits me too high, doesn't have lumbar support, and hunches my shoulders forward. It's uncomfortable and my driving position sucks. I don't need a fixed seat with deep hip and kidney bolsters so I think the stock seat belt is reasonable. I don't want a deep fixed seat that makes entry and exit feel like a roll cage.

What I'm looking for:
- Affordable (under $600/ea retail)
- sliding rails
- reclining would be nice but not necessary
- FIA would be nice but not necessary
- get my butt down low to create headroom and room under the wheel
- work with stock seatbelts and CG-Lock (http://www.cg-lock.com/index.html). For the driving I do, the stock belts + grippy seating surface + CG lock have worked very well
- black cloth or suede
- it needs to fit in the car.
- firmer padding to improve road feel a bit
- it needs to be comfortable for me. Driving 3 hours to a track day gets harsh in the stock seats.
- it needs to fit other people ok. I do let select friends and driving instructors drive it.

 

http://www.f1spec.com/r1frp.html

 

That seat has my attention above all.

Unfortunately I can't find any discussion of someone who's actually sat in one. It would be a pity if I bought one with rails and the dang thing didn't fit me well or sit me lower.

Dave

 

Here's a thread which might help:

https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/my-fd-f1spec-gias-reclineable-seat-671937/

 

Yes it does. Not sure why I couldn't get that thread to show up with the forum search. (Once again, google > rx7club.com search)

I found a few others. The discussions on fitment are concerning to me:
http://forums.evolutionm.net/service...s-replica.html
https://www.rx7club.com/interior-exterior-audio-26/f1spec-seats-559982/

Not sure how I feel about the quality/durability they describe. I'd hate to be doing this all over again in a year because the seats are falling apart.

 

I'd personally have no problems giving them a try (one of their fixed back seats). I may do it anyway since I'm either going to have to make brackets or use a fixed rail to mount my Momo Start. I'm about sold on that seat at least being a passenger seat. Another option is Corbeau CR1:

http://www.corbeau.com/products/reclining_seats/cr1/

However, I don't think it's going to give you the head clearance you are looking for with a helmet.

 

But the seat may not leave enough room to actually use it.

My FD has Corbeau FX1 seats. I had planned to leave the stock seat belts installed, but there is simply not enough room next to the tranny tunnel to install and use the bracket.

 

Corbeau FX1 or Forza's are fairly pocketbook friendly although they do not recline, and are not FIA approved. The FX1 can be used in SCCA racing as long as it is secured to the roll cage I believe.

Have you considered what Mahjik does and just run a harness for most of the year and then swap it out at needed times for the stock seats/belts? Even if you can get the stock belt to work with a new seat just like you are worries about I don't think it is going to fit very snugly.

 

I was merely pointing out that is necessary to make sure the stock belts will actually work with the intended seats before committing to the seat.

Personally I don't have a lot of use for the stock belts, and stock seats aren't too likely to find their way back into my car.

 

jkstill, my comment was not in response to yours. I will be installing the same seats you have (pro, skinny punk version) in my car later this year. I like them and think they are one of the best seats for the money.

I was just wondering if d had considered them. He listed a few criteria and was mentioning those seats and attempting to list how they compared with some of the criteria he listed.

Personally I don't think they would work very good with the stock belts but most racing seats with good lateral support will be difficult to get to work properly with the stock 3pt. That is why I like mahjik's suggestion of just switching them out when needed.

 

Peppy

Do you mean you can use just the brackets that bolt to the side of the seats then bolt those brackets to sliders such as the Brides?

 

No, they are fixed rails with brackets. You could possibly cut up the brackets to use them with sliding rails, but that would almost defeat the purpose of buying them.

 

Would you assume this guy mounted them to the non sliding Bride FG rails?

F1 seat link from above
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=671937

Bride Rails
http://www.tees-usa.com/seatrail.html

 

Looks like that car is using the Bride FO seat rail/mounts.

 

Bride website only lists RO, MO, and FG as available mounts


OP - I am also trying to utilize a side mount seat with bolt in sliders, check out the Sparco Chrono Sport.

http://www.sparcousa.com/pseats_street.asp?id=646

 

Probably the FG then as they are basically the same (just slightly different mounting for cars which can mount seats lower).