Homemade Seat Mounts

[Lumpydogs]

OK, I'm not really the Chop, Cut & Rebuild kinda guy. I'm more the buy bolt-on stuff and install, but I had a blast this weekend fabricating a one-off seat mount.

Of course I did it all the hard way and by myself.

Hacksaw instead of Bandsaw
Vice & Hammer instead of Press Brake
2x4's, bolts & Vice Grips instead of Metal Jig
Bench Grinder instead of Disc Grinder.

Special thanks to someones employer whom unknowingly donated
some 1/8" strip steel. :banana:

Two coats of Rustoleum Black and I'm good to go. :beer:

I realize this is weak sauce for some of you, but hey gotta start somewhere. :-D

 

[racebronco2]

Where's the pictures?

 

[gcassidy]

Hey, that's how I made mine, Jeff. :beer:

I just hope I never really have to test them.

 

[Lumpydogs]

Where's the pictures?

Photos coming after paint job :coolman:

 

[racebronco2]

I am getting some used seats and like to see what others are doing with the mounts.

 

[BlackBolt9]

Photos coming after paint job :coolman:

Hurry up!:-D

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

On a slightly different seat topic I recently got done modding my seats to accept the 5th belt of a 5 point harness. I really like my seats, even though they are heavy as hell. Buying racing seats was not in the cards for me.
I saw 03 Cobra Toy's OE seats done this way and decided to do the same thing.

I had to make brackets to extend the reach of the belts so they could be mounted to the seat frame. I also made a cross brace so the belt would not distort and wrinkle up the cushion cover when tightened.

I did pay to have some leather extensions made to the covers where the seam was opened up. A friend of mine with a trim shop did a nice job on them I think.

I think they turned out pretty nice. It almost looks like Ford made them that way.

If you don't want this mucking up your thread just let me know, and I'll yank out the pics and stuff.

I like fabbing up stuff too. Tools = big vise, hacksaw, drill, 4'" hand held grinder, and wrenches of course. :beer:

..

 

[racebronco2]

Was waiting for some pics but didn't jimmy was going to get some up before you did Lumpydohttp://www.svtperformance.com/forums/images/smilies/1poke.gif
oke:gs. Looks good jimmy but i bet you need to be careful when in a hurry.:lol1:

 

[Fast99Snake]

oh my god
the svt gods are going to strike you down
you modified some mint mystic seats, the rarest of them all
lol
looks like a clean install tho

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

For a bottom mount seat, I don't recommend Sparco bases. The Wedge Engineering bases are much better.

 

[ac427cobra]

I like fabbing up stuff too. Tools = big vise, hacksaw, drill, 4'" hand held grinder, and wrenches of course. :beer:

..

What?!!?! :shrug:


No torch!!!!! epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

What?!!?! :shrug:


No torch!!!!! epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:

I wish.:dw:

I would love to have a MIG(or TIG), torch set. and plasma cutter too.
But I can't let my tool obsession put the Kybosh financially on my TRACK obsession.;-)

 

[Maynor]

I wish.:dw:

I would love to have a MIG(or TIG), torch set. and plasma cutter too.
But I can't let my tool obsession put the Kybosh financially on my TRACK obsession.;-)

At least ya got your priorities straight.

That's pretty much the reason I've stopped modifying my car without a very, very practical reason. Reduce the variables and increase track time! I've been making the same HP for the past 3 years. But, I'm getting faster around the track every time I go so there's where the incremental dollar spend goes... making me better.

That and I'm running out of space to store all the extra "nice to have" tools I've been yearning for..

John

 

[ac427cobra]

I've been making the same HP for the past 3 years. But, I'm getting faster around the track every time I go so there's where the incremental dollar spend goes... making me better.

This is a very important point that a lot of people seem to have a hard time understanding. Almost everyone thinks they need more power to go fast at the track and that's simple not the case, like you've discovered.

There are many things that make you go faster at the track and education along with seat time are the keys to driver mod. :read::idea:

FWIW

:thumbsup::coolman::beer:

 

[gcassidy]

Nice setup, Jimmy. I cheaped out with my 6 point when I had my stock seats and brought them over the front, never liked that.

Jeff, we wanna see pics. I want to see how to improve mine.

 

[Lumpydogs]

Jimmy, Nice job the Mystic seat still looks good after the mod. Almost invisible. :thumbsup:

I slapped the first coat of Rustoleum on the seat mount bracket today. I'll get some photos up tomorrow or Wednesday.

I learned alot fabricating this one. The next one should go quicker with less BFH :bash: fine tuning.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Jimmy, Nice job the Mystic seat still looks good after the mod. Almost invisible. :thumbsup:

I slapped the first coat of Rustoleum on the seat mount bracket today. I'll get some photos up tomorrow or Wednesday.

I learned alot fabricating this one. The next one should go quicker with less BFH :bash: fine tuning.

Thanks Jeff:beer:

Have you noticed that we are getting almost as good at highjacking threads here in the open track forum, as the R forum guys.:rockon::-D

LOL! @ BFH fine tuning!!:lol:

 

[gcassidy]

Thanks Jeff:beer:

Have you noticed that we are getting almost as good at highjacking threads here in the open track forum, as the R forum guys.:rockon::-D

LOL! @ BFH fine tuning!!:lol:

Don't hold a candle to the MACA forum. :nonono:

Oops, there I go again. :bash:

 

[David Hester]

Ummm.
Crotch belts need to REALLY be thought out. The new 6 points, I can see this working. Rather see it to the floor, but they wrap around the upper legs so this could work.
But think of this. IF you really need the pull of the single crotch strap to hold down lap belts, when this strap tensions, well it going to pull back. I mount my crotch strap in line with my chest, usually to pan at front of the seat. ( / ) Sorta in front of my... twigs and berries.
The "antiSubmarine" feature is so your lap belts don't ride up, not to phyiscally keep you from moving forward... Which is why we went to 6 points straps years ago in formula cars.
Food for thought.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Ummm.
Crotch belts need to REALLY be thought out. The new 6 points, I can see this working. Rather see it to the floor, but they wrap around the upper legs so this could work.
But think of this. IF you really need the pull of the single crotch strap to hold down lap belts, when this strap tensions, well it going to pull back. I mount my crotch strap in line with my chest, usually to pan at front of the seat. ( / ) Sorta in front of my... twigs and berries.
The "antiSubmarine" feature is so your lap belts don't ride up, not to phyiscally keep you from moving forward... Which is why we went to 6 points straps years ago in formula cars.
Food for thought.

Thanks Dave.
If you see anything that looks unsafe please let me know.
Unfortunately I did not know about the new 6 points or that is what I would have bought. They would have been perfect for my application, I think.
I did put a lot of thought into the mounting of my belts, since it is fairly serious stuff.

As configured it should stay at least 2" from my "twigs and berries" and it should keep the buckle well below my solar plexis if there is ever a hard impact. Hopefully I will never get to do the acid test and be the live crash dummy.