Best seats for the FC? hint-it's not RX8 seats

[TitaniumTT]

So I just finished installing the awesome set of RX8 seats that I got from Todd and I gotta say, I LOVE the seats, they look great in the car, comfy as all hell and it's honestly like driving a totally different car, it really is. So thanks again Todd for the awesome deal. And yes, I'll get some pics up soon.

Here's why I don't think the RX8 seats are the best for the average person.

1) You really need a MIG and a plasma cutter in order to build all the brakets. Not ONE bracket will fit in place. The rails are about 4" wider in the RX8 than the FC on the drivers side. All the brackets need to be cut off, all 10 of them, and all the locating pins need to go as well. Then you need to measure everything twice, level them, square them, make sure they're not tweaked and will slide, don't interfere etc etc etc. All in all it's about 8 hours of work and it's not over yet. See below

2) The worst part of it all is that, and this is just my opinion but I feel VERY strongly about it, the only way to PROPERLY install these seats is to take the carpet out and build a support box with a welded nut on the inside so that the rear inboard mount (on both seats) can be bolted down. From the top through the rail not almost horizontally off a bracket. I say this needs to be done becuase the inboard track on both seats sits directly over that bolt. That bolt is on an angle and it's impossible to get a socket in there to tighten it down unless you jack the seat vertically, alot.

3) Both the seats are more padded and sit higher than the FC seats. Now, I'm 5'10 and with the passenger seat as low as it can go, my head was ALMOST touching the roof. Now that the seats recline, you can move it forward slightly and recline it a little so that it's liveable. I had a 5'6" 110 woman in the car tonight and she fit just fine soooooo it's a judgement call for you but I don't like the idea of raising the thing up anymore than needed. The tranny tunnel really messes things up on the passenger side


The Corbeaus that I had in there I loved, I really did for totally different reasons and I plan on keeping them for the track because there is really nothing like them for that. The Corbeau brakets are USELESS and you should really build your own, but build them out of 3/16" not 1/8. The 1/8 will bend, I know for a fact. The drivers seat sits a wee to vertical and it's the angle of the platform. It's liveable but I find myself slouching to be comfy which I just can't do becuase of my back and knees. The passenger seat is even worse as it actually feels like you're leaning forward and sitting WAY too high. Both are getting redone this winter when I build that mounting box for the rear inboard mount on the Renni seats. But for long road trips or just tooling around town, the Renni seats are just so much nicer. It's really like driving a totally different car. Everything is much more subdued, softer, more relaxced, less harsh, but the only bad thing is you can't feel the speed nearly as much which got me in trouble a few times tonight. I LOVE the seats and they look awesome in my interior too.

So, with all that said, I believe that the best seat for the FC is the stock FC seat. If you've got a nice set of adjustable TII seats I would spend the money to have them recovered with a nicer pattern, more modern etc, as opposed to getting a set of racing seats unless you're racing. Then they really are needed becuase you just get tossed around WAY too much.

Now I ask, what seats have you seen in the FC that you have sat in, matching passenger and driver, and sat in both and actually really liked and didn't require welding to the body to mount?

[RotaryDiagnostics]

If you are into autocross or trackin', this setup may suit you. Take a couple of OEM FC seats with adjustable headrests, fab harness ports to fit down onto the headrest posts and wala, this is what you get.

[Whizbang]

i like my Sparcos

[djmtsu]

I agree with you about the Corbeau seats. I love mine, but they are not ideal as far as the mounts go. I can't flip the passenger seat forward because it will hit the seatbelt track cover and break the old fragile plastic.

Ask me how I know.

[josh18_2k]

you guys actually like corblows? Thats a new one to me. Everyone i know hates them (altho, we may have only been in fixed buckets).

My fav reclinable seats so far are s2000's. Theyre small, and fit my skinny ass like a glove. If i didnt have my racetech, i would have tried to mount a pair in my car.

[Max777]

T, with the amount of cash you already sunk into the ride, why go for Corbeau, or even RX-8 seats? Stop being stingy and go for some RECARO or BRIDE seats. I sat is some, and the reclinable models like the GIAS seat are amazing. They are hella comfy yet support you just as well as a full bucket.

A guy was talking about using a corbeau, and having massive back problems because he drives his car so much. Other people told him that they had the same problem with the same seat, and it all went away after they changed to a sparco or the like. He tried it, and poof, no more back pain! :D

From anything I've searched on about seats, it seems that the reason for the Corbeau being so "Cheap" is not necessarily that they are "bad" but that a lot less time goes into the design of ergonomics on them, resulting in uncomfortable seats. Sure, with proper brackets, they may be good enough for a 1hr stint at the track, but try to find one endurance driver who runs corbeau seats... they all go for cobras(at least) recaro, sparco, momo, or one of the other top brands.

My buddy also has a pair of Corbeau reclinables in his 944 Porsche. They sit alright, but my ass was sore as hell after we spent the whole day doing a road rally....

[TitaniumTT]

I drove 30 hours in those seats, they're fine, they're just not the MOST comfortable. I was looking at the Bride Gias and have some more research to do on them but I'm not about to drop $3k on a set of seats. The RX8 seats are AWESOME and they're staying. I'm saying for the average person to install them is probably beyond them and it's entirely too time consuming as well to mount them in the FC. The other option is of course a pin that mounts snugly in that rear inboard nut that would work nicely, but is not entirely ideal. I'm hoping the FD is a different story.

Taking 5 minutes to swap seats to have the best of both worlds for 1/4 of the price of a set of Brides is more than worth it in my eyes. I'm a big fan of 5 point harnesses as opposed to 4. I don't think the Gias are a 5 point design.

[TitaniumTT]

If you are into autocross or trackin', this setup may suit you. Take a couple of OEM FC seats with adjustable headrests, fab harness ports to fit down onto the headrest posts and wala, this is what you get.

I like that idea.... ALOT. We may have to do something like that for Alex's TII as he has those identical seats. In really great condition too.

[djmtsu]

I don't have a problem with back pain in my Corbeau's either. Maybe only short people have issues.

[Max777]

Well, whatever you guys end up doing, just don't get fake knock off shit, that stuff feels the worst.

[djmtsu]

Well, whatever you guys end up doing, just don't get fake knock off shit, that stuff feels the worst.

I know that's a fact. I sat in some 'Mazdaspeed' seats and they made my nuts hurt.

[Max777]

ie: corbeau










I kid, I kid. :D

[My5ABaby]

I liked the new Mazdaspeed3 I sat in a couple weeks ago. I wonder how they'd fit...

[Demonsniper1]

I liked the new Mazdaspeed3 I sat in a couple weeks ago. I wonder how they'd fit...

First off sorry TitaniumTT for thread jacking a little, love your work.

Rob XX 7 is the only person to have posted putting MS3 seats in his vert, but its over on the other forum. Link (http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=856823)

[Max777]

Wow, that car's interior is like sex... the seats look great, definitely Team Russia aproved. For once, I like the S4 center console, how its refinished in gloss black like that, that looks great too.

[sen2two]

I actually like the stock non TII seats (one piece ones). they look sporty, are lighter than most stock seats, and are pretty comfortable to me. I would like to get them covered in a nicer material. but thats it.

[TitaniumTT]

First off sorry TitaniumTT for thread jacking a little, love your work.

Rob XX 7 is the only person to have posted putting MS3 seats in his vert, but its over on the other forum. Link (http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=856823)

Thanks man!. Yeah Robs car is good looking. I can tell you that based on the pics, the MS3 seats are easier to fit into the FC than the RX8 seats because of the physical location of the inboard rail. The RXD8 rail is in the worst possible position. The MS3 seats allow the seat to sit lower than the RX8's. Something to think about especially for the purpose of this thread.

Wow, that car's interior is like sex... the seats look great, definitely Team Russia aproved. For once, I like the S4 center console, how its refinished in gloss black like that, that looks great too.

That is nice, I think I may have to give redline a call and figure something out for my ebrake and shift boot. :suspect:

I actually like the stock non TII seats (one piece ones). they look sporty, are lighter than most stock seats, and are pretty comfortable to me. I would like to get them covered in a nicer material. but thats it.

Those things were aweful for my physical build. I slid around in them like no ones business. I still have the passenger seat, but the original drivers seat is now mounted on the base of an office chair and hanging out in my garage.

[TitaniumTT]

Aight, finally some pics. Sorry

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7073&stc=1&d=1263081517

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7074&stc=1&d=1263081517

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7075&stc=1&d=1263081517

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7076&stc=1&d=1263081517

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7077&stc=1&d=1263081517

[TitaniumTT]

Last two

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7078&stc=1&d=1263081517

http://rotarycarclub.com/rotary_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7079&stc=1&d=1263081517

[-Six-]

So, with all that said, I believe that the best seat for the FC is the stock FC seat. If you've got a nice set of adjustable TII seats I would spend the money to have them recovered with a nicer pattern, more modern etc, as opposed to getting a set of racing seats unless you're racing. Then they really are needed becuase you just get tossed around WAY too much.


You have no idea how much I like hearing this. I made the decision to sell some aftermarket "race" seats the car came with, which I would have done either way, but I decided to refinish the stockers because I had both seats removed from the car and sitting in my basement, and after a test sitting in both; felt like the OE were way more comfortable even in their horrible battered condition. As far as getting tossed around, how difficult would it be to maybe enlarge the bolsters on the OE seats when redoing them?

BTW, the RX-8 seats look good and seem to fit nicely...great work.

[TitaniumTT]

I think any competent interior shop would be able to do it no problem. The best thing you can do though after the bolsters are made bigger is to get a harness, and install it properly. I'm fairly built and I would get tossed in the corbeuas a little bit, but with that 5-point harness cranked down, you don't move ANYWHERE. If your getting the seats re-upholstered, i would consider putting in a provision for the 5th point. Just me though

[-Six-]

I think any competent interior shop would be able to do it no problem. The best thing you can do though after the bolsters are made bigger is to get a harness, and install it properly. I'm fairly built and I would get tossed in the corbeuas a little bit, but with that 5-point harness cranked down, you don't move ANYWHERE. If your getting the seats re-upholstered, i would consider putting in a provision for the 5th point. Just me though

I think if I am getting to the track with that much regularity, I might consider it, but at that point I would probably opt for a dedicated purpose built race seat. (Plus I would need a roll cage and crossbar for a 5 point harness, again thats encroaching on full race territory) Right now the plan is primarily for street driving with some occasional track fun, so better bolsters and nice upholstery is good for me! :)

[TitaniumTT]

There was a few pics in this thread I believe of someone that had built an AL adapter to fit in between the seat back and the headrest and contain a harness. It was awesome. You don't need a full cage for the harnesses. There are plenty of other options.

[-Six-]

There was a few pics in this thread I believe of someone that had built an AL adapter to fit in between the seat back and the headrest and contain a harness. It was awesome. You don't need a full cage for the harnesses. There are plenty of other options.

hmm, sounds interesting, definitely worth a look. if you can find it, throw me a link. I'll try a search if it was on this site.

[helghast7]

i hated my original FC seats, the bolstering was crap and i slid all over the place, got a pair of TII seats and it made a world of difference, no more sliding

but i have to say, sitting in your seats Brian, was AMAZING!!! compared to the TII's i felt like i was in race seats

which is why i got me a pair for the FD :) anything beats tan leather yuck

[Gregory Casimir]

i wonder if anyone has tried to latest RX8 recaro seats? i really would like a pair of those!