Comfortable bucket

Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:47 am

I'm looking for a comfortable bucket seat for the E30...I don't care whether its FIA approved or not as the car ain't going to be used competively (at the moment anyway). What I'm looking at is finding a non leather bucket seat which will keep my body in whilst I'm hurtling through corners at stupid speeds! As most of you know what I look like (6ft ish tall and very skinny and weigh nothing) so I get slung about in most seats at those speeds. I'm going for 4 point harness too. So what I'm looking at is a good seat from driving to and from circuit track days (so my bum and kidneys don't split) and when I'm on circuit I don't end up going through window...just there are so many to chose from and the only thing I've narrowed it down to is being black and not Cobra

Mon Mar 01, 2010 1:28 am

Recaro. I've run both their "standard" seats and their shells for over ten years and will not run anything else.

Racetech also make pretty good shells as well.

What's your budget?

Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:20 am

I was looking aroud £500 ish for a decent ish seat, not looking for carbon fibre either, that'll keep costs down. Funny you mention Recaro, its a toss up between them and Sparco Corsa, also a few of the Corbeau seats look to also fit the bill...Its one of the biggest investments barr the cage.

What mounts did you use? Factory RECAROS or universal style ones, thats another consideration too towards the cost I forgot to mention

Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:46 am

I use Sparco GP and they are comfortable for an hour or so, but not much more than that. A good race seat though.

Also is your car a coupe? If so, a race seat will not tilt.

Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:10 am

Its the 316 coupe (2 door) but is mid point through a 2,8 conversion ready for the upcoming track day season. Its getting the 5 stud conversion and will be running with -40mm lowered eibach springs and polybushed with uprated arms etc, so it'll be stiff even before the cage goes in within the coming months

The Sparco Corsa looks a good compromise over budget and practicality. The car is going to be used 75% as track car...but I will use it as a road car every so often as it'll be road legal, I don't mind using a cushion for then, but from experience after 30 mins in a bucket my bum goes hard and numb, and I really want to enjoy this car to the full.

Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:07 am

Aberdean wrote:
What mounts did you use? Factory RECAROS or universal style ones, thats another consideration too towards the cost I forgot to mention

I used Recaro everything for my Pole Position...well, for all my Recaros: sidemounts, runners, the lot. Let me know if you would like to see pics of the installation.

Mon Mar 01, 2010 9:42 am

That would be awesome if I could have a glance at how you got it all to fit with your pictures

Seat frame wise I has the advantage of being able to use a smaller framed seat, narrower one. An XL etc looking at the space in my empty shell with my intention to put a roll cage in may be a tight squeeze. I've been looking at places such as demontweeks.com and a few other sources, even considered buying used race FIA in date seats, you can pick a Carbon GT one way less than my budget outlay, but that would make ride on normal pot holed covered English roads unbearable to drive, even with a cushion. Anyway pictures would be great ;) Thanks

Mon Mar 01, 2010 9:57 am

+1 for the Saprco CORSA. I bought a Sparco Pro2000 and wish I would have bought the corsa.
Much more side support that the Pro2000.
I drove to the Nuerburgring and back in the Pro2000 and surprisingly that wasn't an issue at all! (I am a fair bit fatter than you as well)
But DO NOT go for a 4 point harness. Use a 6 point with a bucket seat. Much better IMHO.
If you don't want to use it, you can disconnect the crotch strap.

As for side mounts, I made my own and also sold a few of these to zoners (sorry this wasn't meant to be a sales plug). They bolts straight on the E30 floor bolts and will fit Sparco seats just fine. I am in the process of getting some more made. PM me please if interested.

Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:49 am

I've previously used a Recaro Pole Poistion but recently got myself a Recaro SPG, a very good seat and comfortable. If you're on the skinny side then I'd say the Sparco as you can get additional lumber and kidney support padding that velcro's in. Also, I've previously used a Corbeau kevlar seat (that I still have as a spare) and they tend to come up very narrow, which is why it's a spare as whilst I could use it, wouldn't be comfortable for too long because once you're in that's it, a bit too tight for me.

Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:21 pm

Aberdean wrote:That would be awesome if I could have a glance at how you got it all to fit with your pictures

Custom base:

Test Installation:

Of course, you'd run the seatbelt differently (thread it through the seat) ~ but it was a test installation only ~ and you'll be running a harness, so it doesn't matter.

Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:48 am

i love my corbeau. think its this one:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ ... =CORPRS1SB

find it very comfortable and im a similar build to you. only thing it needs is more padding for the base of your back.

i originally had a sparco pro adv which was just sex. i even slept in it a few times. but beware, with the large upper wings, it made visibility bad when i was on the road when merging/pulling out. and with harness' limiting your movement it wasn't ideal

hope that helps a little