My FRPP Recaro's just came in...

[Tob]

Paul, responses like yours serve to inspire even more writeup efforts. I'll finish up the writeup I started on the passenger side and get it up as soon as I can.

Regarding back seat reskinning - I haven't seen a writeup either. When I have the time to do some NSA-like data mining from across the globe I'm confident I can come up with something.

Be sure to post up your results as well as any questions you may have when doing your swap. Good luck!

Tob

 

[Paul.]

Thanks Tob. I certainly will.

Again, thanks for your incredibly comprehensive write-ups. I will begin attempting my seat conversions here in the next couple weeks as parts trickle in. I will definitely post pics and anything else helpful that I can offer.

Paul.

*edit*

Not much to post yet, except for the start of this mess.

 

[Tob]

The much belated passenger side swap...

What I started with.

I laid the Recaro on its side and started by removing the circular spring clip (similar to the driver side, its hidden beneath the lever and attaches to the lever's respective shaft). A dental pick (available at Home Depot in the tool section) works very well.

Just be prepared, as they like to fly off and hide in places they know you won't find until long after giving up, installing a makeshift replacement, and installing the seat anyway.

Release the plastic clips that attach the skin to the frame.

Carefully, pry/pull the black pushpin that goes through fabric from the upper skin but goes into the lower base.

Because I'm an Irish short haired pointer, I like to point. The idea being, note how the factory routed the underseat harnesses and the locations where it attached to the seat frame.

Disconnect (free them up at any fixed attachment point) any harness that ties the upper and lower together and you can then separate the two halves via the bolt at the pivot point. Note - the clothes shown in the dryer needed to be removed, folded, and put in their respective drawer. As much as the wife may not understand why writeups take precedence over certain daily chores, this is a man's world (cue James Brown). Chauvinism trumps gallantry in this case.

Skin comes off the same way as it did with the driver side seat.

Foam as well, revealing the buttock detecting bladder.

Just a series of air channels that connect to a sensor that senses compression.

On to the seatback. This is where you get to test your dexterity and patience for annoying challenges all at the same time. A series of photos in the order of operation for your viewing pleasure.

The interlocking plastic channels can be puzzling, much like trying to disconnect the brassiere of your prom date by reaching around them while having no clue as to which way you need to go. Same solution, just act like you know what you're doing, and be cool.

With the flap out of the way you can see that the passenger side lumbar "support" is similar to the driver side.

But wait, there's more fun to be had!

You don't have to stand on your head at this point. Inverting the seatback is much easier to start peeling back the skin. Once you get things rolling, I suggest returning it back the other way and continuing.

Go back to the driver side install and review the removal of the plastic hardware where the belts pass through. This portion can be frustrating, much like conducting brain surgery on a friend without using the proper manual and without a decade or so of medical school.

Once they have been carefully removed, you can continue onward and finish peeling off the skin.

Carefully stretch the fabric over the hooks. A much better solution that just slicing them with a razor, putting them up for sale on eBaY, and letting the next guy deal with the fact that you were lazy.

Referencing my aforementioned comments on said lazy skin removing eBay seller for a moment, a salute and a healthy uppercut to the maroon that prefers shortcuts over doing things right. Make sure you get photos from any seller of takeoff skins that clearly shows that the holes are in tact on your "pristine condition" leathers. I did not. *Cough* friggin' SAI in Vegas...

He took the time to install a fresh razor blade in his utility knife instead of using doing it properly. Probably failed on prom night too.

Anyway, your upper should now be stripped and ready to go to the next step when you are.

Brief interlude...

 

[Tob]

Simultaneously stripping the original '09 GT500 seat down as I was doing the Recaro, I made it to this point with each respective seat base and bladder. Recaro is on left (note the rivet locations and how each pair is different on the front of each seat base).

Recaro bladder harness in place.

2009 GT500 bladder harness in place.

Just unplug each bladder and remove.

Recaro bladder harness on right.

Aside from their respective harness "pigtail" the bladder assemblies are very similar.

If you choose not to cut and reweld the thigh bolster brackets, you obviously have to swap bases. Along with the base swap you have to swap the forward mounted sensor/bracket (the one that I referred to earlier that was riveted in two places).

So after drilling out the rivets, I swapped brackets/sensors and used stainless screws/nuts.

Interesting sticker on each bladder sensor bracket. Note the differing numbers next to the word "effort." A reflection of fat assed America?

My 2009 bladder in place on the Recaro seat base.

You can now slip the respective foam bottom into place.

You should now be at easy street. Everything pretty much goes back on the way you took it off.

A tip to ease assembly...install the handle clip as shown in the following photo.

If you do this, all you have to do is to carefully seat the handle on its shaft and then push the clip on (with a flat blade screwdriver, etc) and into place. Otherwise, you have to try to fit your hands/fingers into an area where they won't fit in order to attach the clip.

Now, back to the slashed retaining holes in my otherwise perfect leather skins. I ended up punching new holes and using small zip ties to draw the leather back to where it is supposed to be. It worked very well.

I then snapped the seat belt bezels into place. They lock the leather into place pretty good as well.

The plastic sides snap back into place easy enough. A completed hybrid assembly viewed from the bottom.

There you have it. Recaro seats are done as well as reassembling the original seats.

Sadly, the "latest" FRPP/Recaro seats will also require the air bags themselves to be swapped when doing an older conversion such as mine.

Finito!

 

[Paul.]

Tob, THANK YOU for the passenger side write-up. I'll be using that when I do my seats.

I picked up my package from FedEx today. 2012 GT500 leather takeoffs. These came from Rehagen Racing. I wanted the black / white stripe ones since my current interior is black with white stripes. I like it. It gives the interior a little definition instead of all black.

Front Seats:

Back Seats:

One of the Recaro covers has a very small tear right above the seam along the back of the seat.

What do you think about the tear? Will it be noticeable? Is there anything that can even be done about this?

Also, my small holes in the seatbelt pass-throughs are also sliced. Looks like I'll be doing the same zip-tie trick you did.

Perhaps you mentioned it, but did you pull your airbag fuse prior to removing your seats and doing the swap?

Finally, so I may plan accordingly - can you give me a ballpark time estimate as to how long it took you to fully convert each seat? And is there one you would recommend starting with? My car is my daily driver, so I will be doing this on the weekend whilst it sits comfortably in my darkened garage wondering why I only drive it 20 mph up and down the freeway in gridlock traffic - and never on weekends.

Seat heaters were ordered from Tousley on Monday, so I expect them late this week or early next. After that, I will have everything I need to begin this adventure.

Paul.

 

[PRP]

Sadly, the "latest" FRPP/Recaro seats will also require the air bags themselves to be swapped when doing an older conversion such as mine.

Tob,

Can I assume that the airbag modules will interchange from my 2010 OEM seats into a pair of 2013 OEM Recaro seats?

I checked the facebook page you referenced earlier in this thread and it looks pretty straight forward, provided the modules are both physically the same dimensions, or very close to the same.

Also, to the last poster before me: Is the harness for heated seats in place already? I've run across many other cars that use a common harness but just leave the pigtails loose and I'm hoping I could get a warmer for the seats, a switch panel from a Mustang and retrofit seat warmers into a set of Recaro's "while I'm in there" adding the sensor/bladders and SRS airbag modules.


TIA,
Phill Pollard

 

[CodyK7]

What a write up! I think they look good but don't think they are any massive improvement over stock. There is a list of things I would rather buy for the car before seats.

 

[dc2r]

What a write up! I think they look good but don't think they are any massive improvement over stock. There is a list of things I would rather buy for the car before seats.

for me it was the best mod i ever did for this car. i have a bad back that the stock seats were always bothering me... not anymore. lateral support is much better as i used to brace a leg against the door when turning hard. also i don't have to turn the stupid headrest backwards anymore because its position meant it was always pushing my racing helmet forward :nonono:

 

[dc2r]

Tob,

Can I assume that the airbag modules will interchange from my 2010 OEM seats into a pair of 2013 OEM Recaro seats?

I checked the facebook page you referenced earlier in this thread and it looks pretty straight forward, provided the modules are both physically the same dimensions, or very close to the same.

Also, to the last poster before me: Is the harness for heated seats in place already? I've run across many other cars that use a common harness but just leave the pigtails loose and I'm hoping I could get a warmer for the seats, a switch panel from a Mustang and retrofit seat warmers into a set of Recaro's "while I'm in there" adding the sensor/bladders and SRS airbag modules.


TIA,
Phill Pollard

in canada for my model year, all mustangs came with seat warmers as standard equipment, so i am not sure what the wiring is like for US models that do not come with it?

 

[PRP]

I am just about ready to pull the trigger on a set of Recaros but I saw mention of a helmet being used with a Recaro. I have to remove the headrest in my 2010 GT500 when I wear my helmet and with the OEM seats so I need to know if the Recaro fixed headrest interferes with a helmet like the stock headrests do.

Has anyone here worn a helmet in a Recaro equipped car and if so, does the headrest push your head forward like the stock ones do?



Thanks,
Phill

 

[dc2r]

I am just about ready to pull the trigger on a set of Recaros but I saw mention of a helmet being used with a Recaro. I have to remove the headrest in my 2010 GT500 when I wear my helmet and with the OEM seats so I need to know if the Recaro fixed headrest interferes with a helmet like the stock headrests do.

Has anyone here worn a helmet in a Recaro equipped car and if so, does the headrest push your head forward like the stock ones do?



Thanks,
Phill

I tried it with my Shoei motorcycle helmet and it does not push my head forward anymore, although it still makes contact with the back of the helmet. I haven't tried driving with the helmet on (draws wrong attention on public roads lol). I'm also 6'1" so your results may vary.

I'm starting to look at how to install a harness with this seat... hopefully the belt guides are not just for show.

 

[Paul.]

So it takes a certain level of crazy to start taking apart of a set of expensive seats, but I know in the end this will be awesome. When I'm done, I'm going to have power, adjustable lumbar, heated, leather Recaros. These will be the nicest OEM seats never installed in a Mustang, and they will work just like factory. I'm very excited to have this project done.

For reference, the Ford Part Numbers are below:

7R3Z14D696A - Seat back heater (need two) - $78.50 each from Tousley
7R3Z14D696B - Seat cushion heater (need two) - $79.27 each from Tousley

I did weigh the FRPP cloth Recaros before I diassembled them out of curiosity. With my marginally accurate bathroom scale, they are 54.8 pounds each. Definitely not lightweights.

I removed the FRPP cloth skins last night using TOB's instructions. He's absolutely right that removing the harness pass-through clamshells is the hardest part. However, after you've done the first one, the last three are easy. I can do them in five minutes now. I used a broad, flat prybar (the one in TOBs picture of tools) to push the clamshell up or down so I could see the small clip, then found that a pick or an awl is the easiest tool to pop the little plastic clips apart. Once they're apart, I push the pick right under the plastic tab and through the split between the two shells, and leave it there so it doesn't re-connect while I'm doing the other clips. So keep mind, it helps to have four picks.

I also did not heed TOBs warning about the little metal c-clip that retains the seatback adjustment lever. It popped, and went flying somewhere in my house. I've still not found it. Not sure how I'm going to remedy that situation yet. The other one I was more careful on.

Overall, disassembling the seats isn't hard at all. I was EXTREMELY careful and didn't damage anything at all. The dumbasses who slice the small holes in the fabric where they attach to the hooks in under the harness passthroughs are just lazy bastards. It only takes a minute more to carefully remove them without damaging them. If my new seat warmers were here from Tousley, I'd be knee-deep in doing the whole conversion right now, but I'll have to be patient. I'm sure reassembly is much more difficult than disassembly. Still, it's all pretty straightforward.


Here's my brand new FRPP cloth skins that I'll be selling.

And my seats awaiting some new parts. It will be a couple weekends before I can start back on the project again.

Paul.

 

[Tob]

Tob, THANK YOU for the passenger side write-up. I'll be using that when I do my seats.

Perhaps you mentioned it, but did you pull your airbag fuse prior to removing your seats and doing the swap?

Finally, so I may plan accordingly - can you give me a ballpark time estimate as to how long it took you to fully convert each seat? And is there one you would recommend starting with? My car is my daily driver, so I will be doing this on the weekend whilst it sits comfortably in my darkened garage wondering why I only drive it 20 mph up and down the freeway in gridlock traffic - and never on weekends.

Paul, I did indeed pull the fuse. The last thing you'd like to have is an inadvertent deployment that could have been easily avoided.

Ballpark figure? Hmm. Tough to do, as I was simultaneously disassembling/reassembling my original seats. Without including that (or photos, notes, etc) I'd guess the better part of a workday for the first one and a bit less for the second. I like to start with the most difficult as opposed to finishing with it. But if this is a DD, I'd do the passenger first just to get the hang of it and so you can drive it if you are stuck for time on the second seat.

Tob,

Can I assume that the airbag modules will interchange from my 2010 OEM seats into a pair of 2013 OEM Recaro seats?

I checked the facebook page you referenced earlier in this thread and it looks pretty straight forward, provided the modules are both physically the same dimensions, or very close to the same.

TIA,
Phill Pollard

Phill, I believe that your 2010 module will occupy the same physical space as the later module. I have not held both in my hand and am basing my assumption on studying "Mustang Don's" photos and comments on the subject.

for me it was the best mod i ever did for this car. i have a bad back that the stock seats were always bothering me... not anymore. lateral support is much better as i used to brace a leg against the door when turning hard.

I'd chalk in this swap up there at the top as well. I'm 6' 215 lbs and the seat hugs me as if I was a baby laid between Sofia Vergara's cleavage (just imagine a warm place that you never want to leave).

Has anyone here worn a helmet in a Recaro equipped car and if so, does the headrest push your head forward like the stock ones do?

Thanks,
Phill

Phill, you pose a good question. I've never seen a negative comment regarding available helmet space on the Recaro's as equipped for either the GT500 or the Boss 302 cars. There are quite a few images you can find and study as well of open track driven cars with that configuration.

So it takes a certain level of crazy to start taking apart of a set of expensive seats, but I know in the end this will be awesome. When I'm done, I'm going to have power, adjustable lumbar, heated, leather Recaros. These will be the nicest OEM seats never installed in a Mustang, and they will work just like factory. I'm very excited to have this project done.

I removed the FRPP cloth skins last night using TOB's instructions. He's absolutely right that removing the harness pass-through clamshells is the hardest part. However, after you've done the first one, the last three are easy. I can do them in five minutes now. I used a broad, flat prybar (the one in TOBs picture of tools) to push the clamshell up or down so I could see the small clip, then found that a pick or an awl is the easiest tool to pop the little plastic clips apart. Once they're apart, I push the pick right under the plastic tab and through the split between the two shells, and leave it there so it doesn't re-connect while I'm doing the other clips. So keep mind, it helps to have four picks.

I also did not heed TOBs warning about the little metal c-clip that retains the seatback adjustment lever. It popped, and went flying somewhere in my house. I've still not found it. Not sure how I'm going to remedy that situation yet. The other one I was more careful on.

Paul.

Paul, fantastic job documenting the part numbers along with seat weights.

I wholeheartedly agree about the finished product being the best "production" seat that could have (and should have) been installed in a Mustang.

Your thought process as well as the ultimate solutions you chose for removing the seat belt bezels mirrored mine exactly. And I can honestly say you gave me quite a laugh with your comment about the clip, in essence, vaporizing. I've learned to freeze the moment something like that happens and to focus intently on any sounds which may indicate where it may have gone, complete with robotic like head movements and eye focus. The clip will turn up, someday. ;-)

And I was a bit bitter about the slashed holes as well considering it really isn't that difficult to simply lift the leather off of each respective hook. I commented on it after doing mine and know that it got relayed to the seller. He was unaware of that being done. Obviously too late. I think these were purchased in bulk and my understanding is that they originated at SAI in Las Vegas. In fact, I had originally tried to purchase a take off set from SAI (I think I mentioned it back a few pages) but in the end they wouldn't allow it. Nor would they reveal the purchaser.

Paul, IIRC, I sold my zero mile take off FRPP skins for ~$250-$300. The Boss forums are a good place to list them as they are very similar to the factory Ford Boss skins material-wise and the factory Boss skins haven't been holding up very well to normal wear and tear (according to some in that community anyway). So many of them are looking for a backup skin.

Out of curiosity, what's the date stamp on the outside of the foam face? I know that FRPP has been purchasing these in "lots" and am curious when yours were done.

Looking forward to watching your continued work on these. Good luck!

Tob

 

[dc2r]

have you guys seen the new recaros in the 2015 mustang? i saw them on americanmuscle's most recent video on youtube:

NEW 1,200HP Mustang Twin Turbo PLUS 2015 Ecoboost Mustang - February 2014 at AmericanMuscle.com - YouTube

 

[Paul.]

have you guys seen the new recaros in the 2015 mustang? i saw them on americanmuscle's most recent video on youtube:

NEW 1,200HP Mustang Twin Turbo PLUS 2015 Ecoboost Mustang - February 2014 at AmericanMuscle.com - YouTube

They look very similar to the '12-'14 ones, and I've venture a guess that underneath they're exactly the same. The only difference I can see right off the bat is the skins and the little seatbelt dongle on the corner.

They look great!

 

[Bravo gt 500]

Would $3600 be to much for gt500 recaros?

 

[dc2r]

Would $3600 be to much for gt500 recaros?

i paid $2k plus shipping for my cloth recaros, and another $600 shipped for the leather covers, if that is any indication...

 

[Paul.]

I paid $2500 for my new cloth recaros, and $800 shipped for the skins. $3600 isn't a horrible price if you don't want to do all the work yourself.

Paul.

 

[cluscher]

I am just about ready to pull the trigger on a set of Recaros but I saw mention of a helmet being used with a Recaro. I have to remove the headrest in my 2010 GT500 when I wear my helmet and with the OEM seats so I need to know if the Recaro fixed headrest interferes with a helmet like the stock headrests do.

Has anyone here worn a helmet in a Recaro equipped car and if so, does the headrest push your head forward like the stock ones do?



Thanks,
Phill

I used to pull the stock headrest on the 07-09 seats all the way up with my helmet on and it still pushed my head a little more forward than I'd like. I compensated by adjusting the seat back to get the best feel.

The Recaros are definitely better than the stock seats with the headrest fully up, but your forward head position is still noticeable. I got used to it quick and it has never bothered me. I have always found a seat position that felt comfortable. Lots of guys out there running the Recaros with helmets and I haven't heard a complaint yet, so I figure most must feel similar.

 

[TexasShelby]

out of my league all together and my fat bo-tocks probably couldn't squeeze in them. but man are they gorgeous.