Racing Seats - I want to sit LOW

I know this is a well beaten discussion (like most of things about our cars. :) )
I need to go lower than the oem seat. I'm 220lbs@6'2" with a long back. I want as low as possible.


Today I have a pair of oem seats and a pair of VX220 seats. The VX220 seats are like a comfortable version of the Elise S1 seats.

The alternatives I see.
1. Bolt the VX220 seat to the floor. I fear I only get like 20-30mm lower.
2. Use the oem seat at the passanger side a buy a super-low bucket seat for the driver side. Here I will end up with two different seats in the car, and that is a little maaaeeeh. But I'm willing to sacrifice look.
3. Find a pair of seats that both makes both my wife and I happy


VX220 Seats
At the moment I have a set of VX220 seats, that I find comfortable and they look nice.
These are 30-40mm (as far as I remember) higher than the Elise S1 seats

Sparco Sprint
I did borrow a set with Sparco Sprint from a friend. I like sitting in a bucket seat, you get more connected to the car. Drove for one hour in the Sprint and had no problem with it. To my surprise I fit into the Sparco Sprint wich is 360mm inside.

Took the Mx5 for some shopping with my wife, and she did _not_ approve the Sprint seat. It was to low. Seatbelt did pass her neck not the shoulders. Guess next time I have to throw a load of pillows into the seat. :p

Kirkey's
I would choose a seat for the driver side that get me as low as possible.
I have been peeking at the Kirkey seats. A Kirkey seat bolted to the floor with TDR bracket, seems tempting.
I read that some are sceptical to the safety of aluminum seats. I would mount a backmount to the harness bar.

Ultrashield Rallysport
This package from TrackDogRacing seems tempting. Does these put me as low as a Kirkey seat?
"The TDR Rally Sport seat on our TDR Seat Rail is about 2 in. lower than stock."

Ultra Shield Spec Miata Seat
https://www.racedaysafety.com/spec-m...eat-cover.html
These seems better for oem seat belts

Marrad
Looks nice, but there are cheaper alternatives.

Corns Bucket seat
These are really nice.
I have not yet seen the measurement of the XL version, to see if I fit. I know I dont fit into the standard sized version.
https://www.cornsusa.com/product-pag...xl-bucket-seat
That seat with a pillow like this
http://www.carmakecorns.com/src/sear...2930&shop=1468 for my wify and children. :)

Lotus Elise S1
Lotus Elise S1 seats are lower than my VX220 seats and maybe a good alternative, but I want to check out other alternatives before I start hunting for a pair of these.

JKComposites
Other alternative er seats from JKComposites - > http://www.jkcomposites.com/gallery/


Any advice or just some babbling about seats that will help me decide. :)

\\Stian

I am thinking the Corn's seats would be a winner, im waiting for the installed photos of edizluv's set that he just picked up. Maybe a stock seat next to the Corn's seat?

Ones that I dont see on your list is the ESQUELETO Brand Bucket seats, they have some super looking seats that would fit you and your NA Miata


http://www.esqueleto.jp/esqueletosea...eatlineup.html

Here is a way to drop an additional 1.25" no matter what seat you use:
https://www.advanced-autosports.com/...ata-floor-drop

:)


I had a Marrad LX1 seat in Warbird and loved it! The new Marrad seat is at the top of my list for seats, those and the Tillett cf B5. While there are "cheaper options" than the Marrad, how many can get you as low WITH sliders? None that I'm aware of. That is a huge plus. The LX2 looks even better, imo: http://www.marradind.com/proddetail.asp?prod=LX2

I would not get an aluminum seat unless you are only going to be using the car for track/racing. Other than that, the OMP HTE-R XL fits someone with a very long torso, but it requires heavy modification of the transmission tunnel.

If your biggest problem is sitting low, you should look into having a floor pan drop installed. https://www.advanced-autosports.com/...ata-floor-drop makes one that is relatively easy to deal with and provides a over 1" drop, with additional space near the trans tunnel, to accommodate wider, lower seats.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phatmiata

I am thinking the Corn's seats would be a winner, im waiting for the installed photos of edizluv's set that he just picked up. Maybe a stock seat next to the Corn's seat?

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I have to agree with Randy :D

I very nearly bought a set of Corn's seats myself...

Thanks for the good feedback.

A friend of mine had a tan leather Corn seat, way to small. Seems it was made for choirboys. As I mentioned the XL version looks tempting not sure I will fit.

The Marrad's looks very nice, and that it is made to get you low in a Miata is a pluss. But the price.
If they are low on sliders, they will be lower bolted directly to the floor.

I have no problem driving in the Sparco Sprint's, would aluminum seats be less comfortable?

I'm not there I will cut into my car to lower the seat, not yet.


\\Stian

Aluminum seats are really not suitable for sitting in for longer than 30 minutes. If you keep your drives short you can deal with it, but they are never really "comfortable".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slampen

A friend of mine had a tan leather Corn seat, way to small. Seems it was made for choirboys. As I mentioned the XL version looks tempting not sure I will fit.

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I tried the standard Corns in Japan and didn't fit but managed to pull off Nakamae's type R's. I'm 6', 175lbs with a 31" waist. They're still snug but comfortable (have done a few 300+ mile drives in them). For the BRG I was hopeful that the XL's would be the fix and recently managed to do a test fit. Unfortunately I found no real difference to the fit of the standard seats. Side bolsters were also taller. I love Corns and supporting the company so this isn't a dig just my sense of how I actually fit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oldgrayleather

Unfortunately I found no real difference to the fit of the standard seats. Side bolsters were also taller. I love Corns and supporting the company so this isn't a dig just my sense of how I actually fit.

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Thank you, that is valuable information. I'm more bulky built than you with my 6'1'' and 218lbs. :)
I agree about Corn's, a lot of sexiness in their parts. :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SigmaX

Aluminum seats are really not suitable for sitting in for longer than 30 minutes. If you keep your drives short you can deal with it, but they are never really "comfortable".

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Thank you for your warning.

My drives are usually short and rare. :)
Having some natural padding, I guess I find them less uncomfortable than most people do.
I guess a similar job as Adam did with his Elise seats can be done on Aluminum seats as well.

\\Stian.

There are two ways to go for aftermarket seats: find one off the shelf that fits you and make it fit the car, or find one that fits the car and make it fit you.

I've had a few and my body shape has changed over the years. I've also been lucky enough to have been around racing for a while to see and learn how these work as a system. It's going to be a compromise, and it is even tougher if you are trying to fit two different people (your wife).

The composite seats are tougher to fit both you and the car, the aluminum seats fit both. The composites are safer, the aluminum seats need proper mounting to be safe, but will still deform (it's a little scary to see how they do). I would say, from my experience, is to get a composite seat and have the mounts custom made.

The Sparco Sprints fit the car great, but tubular steel seats of this type tend to be uncomfortable on longer drives. I liked my Lotus seats, but I had questions about their durability in a wreck.

There is also a new composite seat from Sparco I'm really interested to sit in, the QRT-V: https://sparco-official.com/en/racin...ats/qrt-v.html

Aside from that, paying extra for an FIA rating is something not everyone agrees with, but at least you know it's been tested to a certain standard. Other seats, like the Marrad, I like, but that price with an unknown rating is a little hard to swallow.

I'm 6', 34" waist, 183#, 32" inseam, 40" chest.

I have heard stories that the aluminum seats folds and hurt the driver.
I wonder if they where fastened with a back brace as well or just in the bottom?
I know a lot "forget" to use a backbrace when they install their aluminum seats.

Reason I'm looking at Kirkey's is that it looks they will take me as low as possible. I dont care about comfort, but I do care about safety.

That Sparco QRT-V looks comfortable. It is 560mm shoulder height, but I see the QRT-R seat fits and the QRT-V is the euro version of the QRT-R some say.
It's a little pricy, but I see that a local shop has it. Would be nice to test a seat before buying.

The PCI adjustable seat mounts looks really good for side mounted bucket seats. Any better non-custom options?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slampen

I have heard stories that the aluminum seats folds and hurt the driver.
I wonder if they where fastened with a back brace as well or just in the bottom?
I know a lot "forget" to use a backbrace when they install their aluminum seats.

Reason I'm looking at Kirkey's is that it looks they will take me as low as possible. I dont care about comfort, but I do care about safety.

That Sparco QRT-V looks comfortable. It is 560mm shoulder height, but I see the QRT-R seat fits and the QRT-V is the euro version of the QRT-R some say.
It's a little pricy, but I see that a local shop has it. Would be nice to test a seat before buying.

The PCI adjustable seat mounts looks really good for side mounted bucket seats. Any better non-custom options?

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I have seen properly-mounted and braced aluminum seats deform in a wreck. The brace generally goes higher, between the shoulder blades, IIRC.

The QRT-V seems to be a Euro-only version not sold in here in the USA.

There is a company called Bimarco, which manufactures a few versions of seats. Might need to check the measurements to see if they fit you or the car. They are out of Poland, I believe. A few places sell them here in the US. I *think* the "Expert" seat and few others might fit or need a little massaging to fit, depending on location.

https://bimarco.eu/en/

PCI and GarageStar make mounts that I think work best for the Miata.

I'll add my two cents on the UltraShields. I don't have them in my Miata, but I do have full containment seats in my vintage Mustang. I drive to Thunderhill, which is a couple hours away from my house and it's not too bad: I can drive to Thunderhill, do a weekend of open track and drive home and still get up on Monday without creaking too bad (I'm 56, so it's not like I'm a kid who could probably sleep in these things!). My son has a Sparco Sprint on the passenger side of his '96 and, I think, an EVO II on the driver - both a little tight for me, but I have done a few sessions in his car and it's not bad at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slampen

I have heard stories that the aluminum seats folds and hurt the driver.
I wonder if they where fastened with a back brace as well or just in the bottom?
I know a lot "forget" to use a backbrace when they install their aluminum seats.

Reason I'm looking at Kirkey's is that it looks they will take me as low as possible. I dont care about comfort, but I do care about safety.

That Sparco QRT-V looks comfortable. It is 560mm shoulder height, but I see the QRT-R seat fits and the QRT-V is the euro version of the QRT-R some say.
It's a little pricy, but I see that a local shop has it. Would be nice to test a seat before buying.

The PCI adjustable seat mounts looks really good for side mounted bucket seats. Any better non-custom options?

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My 17" Kirkey Series 71 just arrived yesterday; I got it fit to me and placed it on the driver's side floor to eyeball it. It should not take a floor pan drop to fit me, but it is going to take a notch-out in the trans tunnel to be centered correctly; on top of that there is little-to-no space for the window due to the left-side shoulder bolster. A non-containment seat would probably fit a lot better.

And yes, an alum seat MUST be installed with a back-brace, connected to the harness bar of your roll bar/cage.

EDIT: I can try to get a few pictures this afternoon if you want to see what it looks like sitting on the floor of the car.

I dropped the floor in my car, did it myself about 6 years ago. I gained about 4 inches, could have gained more but I wanted to keep a proper rail and a comfy seat. Will see if I have any pics

Russell

I had an acquaintance come by this past weekend to try sitting in the Miata with the dropped floor pan and race seat. He has 36 inch inseam and is around 6'3". He fit with several inches of headroom on the stock hardtop. I'm still willing to get/take pictures if you want them, Slampen.

Pictures would be nice.

:)

Sent fra min SM-G935F via Tapatalk

Sorry for the crappy photos. I'm NOT a photographer.

The new dropped floor is low. It extends lower than the pinch weld.
https://i.imgur.com/teXqkM4.jpg

Floor-to-cage distance is right around 8 inches, whereas floor-to-cage distance on the stock side is about 6.5 inches. (I know it's hard to see that, parallax is a bitch).
https://i.imgur.com/mcrmg7N.jpg
VS
https://i.imgur.com/haqLIvH.jpg

Transmission tunnel height at the rear bulkhead is about 10 inches on the stock side, 12 inches on the dropped side:
https://i.imgur.com/U6r2buq.jpg
VS
https://i.imgur.com/MGQ2jdt.jpg

Distance from the back of the seatbase to the stock hardtop is about 40 inches:
https://i.imgur.com/vjks4EW.jpg