Building a pure track car. It will only be used maybe once or twice a month.

Will be doing AutoX, and occasionally road race.

Considering:
Jaz Products Turbo Pro Seats 100-150-01 - SummitRacing.com

Because it's cheap, light, and wide. I'm a big guy. 6'5" 240 lbs, and broad.

I'm not too worried about comfort, because the time in the car is pretty short on the AutoX runs. 1.5 minutes at most? LoL.

Wondering if anyone else has used one in a track setting.

 

I would check this thread first (not directly related to that specific seat, but the same discussion will apply):

https://www.rx7club.com/race-car-tec...seats-1024461/

 

If you're going to road race, make sure a plastic seat like this meets the safety requirements. My only concern (maynot be valid) is whether this seat will provide the right level of support if you get hit hard from the rear? You dont want it ripping loose from its floor mounts or have the back rest break off. Not much of a concern for autocross but maybe for road racing. By the time you buy a seat cover for this you will still have $200 invested. I think there are several brands of aluminum seat that are in the same price range with a cover. I know they come ind ifferent widths as I have a 19" wide Kirkey seat.

 

Get a real seat. you'll thank yourself over time. Don't skimp on safety equipment.

 

Agreed. Got my first seat, a Momo 1000 lakes or whatever, off eBay. Had been gently used but was only $150. Now I'm in a Sparco Pro Circuit. All the points made above are valid. I don't know if I've ever seen plastic at the track regardless of the level of event.

 

Most sanctioning bodies do not allow plastic seats of any kind at any level.

I would not allow that seat anywhere near the track at a NASA event.

 

If you're building a race car that is going to compete then your seat will have to be FIA legal. That seat will not pass carnival ride regulations let alone FIA regulations.

 

Thanks guys!
I think I am going to try and get the sparco sprint 5.

I'll just keep an eye out and see if I can find some good deals.

Opinions on the sprint 5?

 

I have 2 sprint 5s... it's a seat lol. it's not too bad, way better than my stock leather seats. but it isn't a fiberglass shell like most other race seats, it's a steel tube frame, so it could be a bit more comfortable...

they're definitely cheap though, you can get them even cheaper used.

 

This is incorrect. You do not have to have a FIA seat.

PER NASA

15.16
Driver’s Seat
The driver’s seat must be securely fastened and braced in such a way as to minimize the possibility of breaking loose during an impact. Large fender washers and solid fabricated mounts are recommended. Seats made primarily of plastic, PVC, ABS, or other similar polymers are strictly prohibited. The installation of the seat must conform to all requirements published by the manufacturer.

15.16.1
Racing Seat
Some series require an approved racing seat. It is strongly recommend that a racing seat be installed in all vehicles. A racing seat is of solid design; not “tube and cloth” designs commonly found in passenger cars. It can be very difficult to properly brace a “tube and cloth” type seat and the vehicle may not pass technical inspection. Additionally, the cloth or material on a “stock” seat is typically not flame retardant. Therefore, the proper installation of a racing seat is strongly recommended.

15.16.2
Seat Mounting
The seat should be mounted to a steel floor pan with reinforcements. A reinforcement structure should be fabricated with a minimum thickness of 0.090” for those vehicles without a steel floor pan. The reinforcement structure should be mounted to (or within) the steel frame / chassis / cage members.

15.6.21
Seat Back Support
A seatback support must be made to hold the seat from going back in the event of a crash. A plate should be used to distribute the load. No bolts, corners, or
sharp objects should be placed in such a manner that could lead to a possible puncture of the driver in a high impact crash. Seat back support need not be
attached to the seat itself. Proper design and installation is crucial to safety and it is recommended that the driver employ the services of a professional race car builder for this, as well as all other vehicle safety items. An exception may be made for those seats homologated to, and mounted in accordance with, FIA 8855-1999 or 8862-2009 standards. Those seats that qualify for the aforementioned exception must conform to the entire FIA 8855-1999 or 8862-2009 set of regulations, as applicable. This includes a mandatory seat replacement, or use of a seat back brace, for any seat more than five (5) years old (8855-1999) or more than ten (10) years old (8862-2009).
Please reference the FIA regulations.
fia.com

 

However, the seat listed by the OP would be prohibited under 15.16 and 15.16.1 most likely uses FIA regulations, so while technically you are correct by the letter of the rules that you posted, practically you are incorrect

 

I was replying to a post that stated he will have to buy a FIA seat to be legal for road racing. I agree the OP seat is not legal. He should know the rules and purchase appropriately

My post was correct that he does not need to buy a FIA seat. There are plenty of options other than FIA that are legal for road racing.

 

With your size you will probably not fit comfortably in anything smaller than an EVO2 (fiberglass shell seats, at least). Your shoulders will be too high for anything shorter, and your hips will probably be too wide for anything narrower.

Your best bet is to find a shop that carries the seats and actually sit in them... easier said than done.

 

These guys are FIA approved now and pretty inexpensive ($500 range) BIMARCO - sport seats and racing shells manufacturer - FIA homologation

 

Please don't post the seat regulations for me. I've seen plenty of crashes in FIA approved and non approved seats. The sparco sprints are FIA approved and are in the 300 range. If someone cannot afford that, then they should not be racing. Never go cheap on safety, your life depends on it.

 

If you posted it as opinion instead of fact, I would not have posted the regulations.

I agree to not go cheap on safety and have your safety gear properly installed

 

I bought a used courbeau fiberglass that I use as a passenger seat when I want to scare people in the racecar for something like $145 used. Its wide as hell to fit everyone and very comfortable. Would deff go with that over a plastic seat.

 

I wouldn't even let a car with that Jaz seat on the track for HPDE...

 

I raced a LeMons car with one of those for about 10 laps. first point of contact with curbing (was run off track) and the seat base collapsed, leaving the driver (me) basically loose in the car-- held down only by the belts, but nothing to hold me up.
I never got back in that car again. Those seats might be OK for use in a dune buggy or rock crawler, but are TOTALLY unsafe on anything that needs structural strength.

As for the seat rules, some sanctioning bodies require FIA seats. some allow "anything" as long as you put a brace on the back.

At minimum, look at a Kirkey or Ultrashield aluminum shell seat. both companies make affordable seats in various sizes. the good thing about them is that most dirt track shops keep several on the shelf so you can sit in them and chose one that fits. they also have sizing info on their websites so you can get a good idea what you need.

If you plan to road race, remember that you'll need to add anohter 1/2" or so of space to clear a multi-layer race suit over what you'd need at an auto X.

 

To be clear, NASA does not "Allow anything as long as you have a back brace" it has to be a FRP or CF FIA seat, if its expired it has to have a brace. Or an aluminum seat with a brace.

Plastic seats are specifically NOT allowed.