I'm looking to create rails for the Sparco racing buckets I've recently purchased. I'm not happy with the typical "sliders" that so many in the past have hooked their buckets up to, so I'm going with my own design.

I've recently been offered a part-time apprenticeship at a fabrication shop here in L.A. and I'm in the mitse of creating a prototype sheet metal seat rail that would be mounted directly to the main, stock seat bolts. There would be approx 4-5 notches, an inch apart for the rear bucket bolts to sit into while the front bucket bolts would slide fore and aft 4-5 inches to allow for leg adjustment. It could have a cut-out towards the front of the rear notches that would allow you to slide the seat all the way forward and tilt the seat towards the steering wheel allowing for easy access to the rear bins.

The base of these rails (the part that mounts to the floor) would have notches to allow for the varing widths in bucket seats. I'm most likely going to make them out of steel as the design as is would compromise aluminum. That is something we're going to work out.

I'm taking this idea from my Skip Barber days were the formula cars seats simply lifted out of their tracks and could slide to the next. My goal is to get my seating position lower as my thighs tend to get in the way when I turn the wheel lock to lock.

 

If it's only for the sparco, then I'm out. But for those of us with a sun roof, a seat bracket that is lower in height for the stock seats would be a blessing, so the helmet wouldn't be hitting the roof (I'm 6'-1") at the track.

Tim

 

Tim,

As mounting points vary, it may be a bit difficult to fashion a universal bracket. I will try to find out dimensions on the more popular racing buckets and see if I can incorporate some of their features into the design of these brackets.

~Mike

 

If it offers more headroom, it's interesting.

David

 

you should make a set for the stock seats that will lower it down, im sure you could get a group buy for that by itself

 

i am wanting to get sparo evo's so i would definately buy a set.

 

If you can make some brackets for the Sparco 2000 buckets seat, I'm up for some. I've been looking for some fabricated brackets.

Let me know.

Racerxrx7

 

Same here. I'm interested.

 

 

I am interested for Cobra Imola; I can give you bolt dimensions; similar to Sparco

 

Good luck with your project, I think that you are going to need it if you focus on the Sparco seats. If these are for a car preped for racing with the door panels and console pulled out then you can make them fit and still get some adjustability.

I have sparco Torino's which I installed on the stock rails. The side clearances between the back angle adjustments (with both ***** removed) and the "shoulder wings" on this seat required that they be mounted about 1/2" higher than stock height to avoid contact and allow forward and backward movement of the seat.

Per the published seat dimemnsions http://sparcousa.com/resourceFiles/26.pdf
the fixed back seats (evo and pro 2000) have wider "shoulder wings" and mounting base widht than the Torino. So, if these seat are droped down below stock height you are going to get contact between the seat and the door panels as well as the lower rear of the center console.

 

Swilson,

That is a very good point, with regards to the shoulder supports so I think it is important that I make everyone aware of what my priorities are. First and foremost, I want the racing bucket AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. If that means that I'll have to sacifice some of the shoulder support ( shaving some of the fiberglass), then so be it. What isn't supported by the left hand shoulder support will be supported by the door- an issue that we deal with on the stock seats. Removing an inch of that shoulder and then recovering it will not matter.

~Mike

 

I am also a tall bastard and would be interested if they lowered the seat towards the floor.

 

Good point, I cut off about 1/2" of bolster. It doesn't even look uneven

 

 

LOL , I think alot of us are tall bastards... And putting a helmet on in the 7 is a hard task to do!

 

Egads, brackets to lower just the stock seats would be worth gold I say!

 

I'm not even all that tall and i have to lean my head to the side to clear the roof. I don't see how some of the taller guys fit.

 

How hard would it be to modify your stock brackets to sit lower? Seems like a couple cuts, maybe a couple new holes for the front bolts, and reweld and you could do it. Drop it about an inch and still be able to clear the carpet when you slide backwards.

Tim

 

Do you have some pics? I would like to see the fit. I have been considering the EVO2 seats but do not want fitment issues.

 

Didn't take pic's, just pulled back the cover cut Kevlar with dremel, sealed edge w/ epoxy and put back. Nothing techinical, orginal shaped curved, took off about 1/2 inch at widest point using straight vertical cut faired into edges

 

Actually I was talking about how the seats looked mounted in the car. I wanted to see how tight the fit is.

 

sounds like a good project. I'm sure some of you have heard this before, but an easy way to gain headroom is to simply pull out the seat and shave an inch or two off the bottom of the seat cushion. I am 6'2", have a sunroof, and fit fine with a helmet now, no bumping. There's still plenty of padding for a comfortable ride. You can use zip ties in place of hog rings for the upholstery on the bottom if you want. Only thing is I wouldn't try it if you have bigger than a size 34 waist cause the side bolsters squeeze you in more.

 

I'm very interested, you make 'em I'll buy 'em. I had to fab my own for my sparco seat .

 

HS,

I've heard of removing the foam from the bottom of the seat but that still won't help "lock" my torso into the seat. Often times with the factory seating, you'll notice that you have to brace yourself for the turns by pushing against the steering wheel and pressing your legs against the trans tunnel and door. That waists too much energy. I'd like to feel as if I can concentrate solely on driving the car and not keeping myself stable within the seat. The Pro 2000's are capable of supporting my torso much better than factory seating can.

Prototypes should be completed by Monday evening.

~Mike