Seat suggestions for a 73T

mudman · 03-25-2004, 08:19 AM

I would love to hear some opinions on what seats to put in my car. I am 6'1" and love F1 driving position. The car will be mostly street but DE and AX events are probable too. I was thinking 944 seats would be easy to find and cheap and I do like how they feel.

-Jeremy

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Sport seats from a 74+ are pretty easy to find and look decent in the older cars. Plus give some side support as well.

limble · 03-25-2004, 09:08 AM

I'm putting 84 seats in a 70. The bolt pattern is different, narrower.
I had to make up some "A"dapter plates. I haven't installed them yet so if you need the final dimensions for the plates let me know. The seat height is about the same.
Question to the troops; what year did they switch to the narrower rails?

HarryD · 03-25-2004, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by limble
I'm putting 84 seats in a 70. The bolt pattern is different, narrower.
I had to make up some "A"dapter plates. I haven't installed them yet so if you need the final dimensions for the plates let me know. The seat height is about the same.
Question to the troops; what year did they switch to the narrower rails?

They switched in 1974.

One thing to keep in mind in moving from early to later seats. In the earlier seats the lap part of the seatbelts were attached to the seat (or in real early cars, eye hooks behind the seat). The later seats had the lap belts attached to the floor of the car. You may need to add a set of "ears" to your seat adapter to give you a decent tie down point for the lap belts.

jtkkz · 03-25-2004, 04:19 PM

If you are looking for correct era seats check out

www.vintageseats.com

limble · 03-25-2004, 05:10 PM

Harry,
Good point, I'm going with a 5-point harness. The PO "lost" the original belts.

HarryD · 03-25-2004, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by limble
Harry,
Good point, I'm going with a 5-point harness. The PO "lost" the original belts.

If you go with a harness, you will need a harness bar or other support shoulder support (not racing seat cutouts) to ensure that the shoulder belts are within 15 degrees of parallel to the ground. If the angle is too steep you have a very real risk of compressing your spine in the event of a collision.

Also, with my 4 point setup, I cannot reach the radio or glove box without unbuckling.

SandyI · 03-25-2004, 05:50 PM

Check out the RS model seat from vintageseats.com.
(Mine is being built at Auto's Int'l right now.)
Comfortable. Beautiful. Period-correct. And fully-functional for DE & AX events.

mudman · 03-25-2004, 06:46 PM

The seats from Vintage are beautiful but a little too pricey for me right now. But they have me dreaming...

Wil Ferch · 03-26-2004, 06:34 AM

HarryD:
You've posted before about the seat belt differences between "early" and "late" seats, and I've kept quiet before, but now must ask:
- ???. The "later" seats ( like my stock 85) has the inboard seat belt receptacle as part of the seat/slider mechanism...not the car's floor. Same holds true for 964 cars, not just my 3.2.
Can you clarify?

---Wil Ferch

HarryD · 03-26-2004, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wil Ferch
HarryD:
You've posted before about the seat belt differences between "early" and "late" seats, and I've kept quiet before, but now must ask:
- ???. The "later" seats ( like my stock 85) has the inboard seat belt receptacle as part of the seat/slider mechanism...not the car's floor. Same holds true for 964 cars, not just my 3.2.
Can you clarify?

---Wil Ferch

Wil,

Thanks for the clarification.

When I got my 1977 searts, there appeared to be no place to mount the seat belts on the seat itself. The sliders I used (from parts heaven), did not have a tab for the lap belts either. From that I assumed that the lap belts mounted to the tub in some manner.

Also, I have often seen the shot of the inboard recievers mounted to the floor. I wnated to reuse my recievers, so I needed a mounting location. That is how my ears evolved.

In any case, whatever you do, you need to find a stout place to connect your lap belts, be it the location on the sliders, someplace on the floor or by modifying the adapter plates.

dotorg · 03-26-2004, 09:30 AM

Check out the Recaro SRD/Speed seats. Harness holes, lots of support, look like they belong in the car, etc.

Very sexy, IMHO.

Mike Bonkalski · 03-26-2004, 11:17 AM

What about these period correct replicas:

http://www.bielstein.com/BF-Sitze/NURBURGRING/nurburgring.html

They have a US supplier in Las Vegas. I received an email on their pricing, it is as follows:

"We called here the seats Nürburgring for the bucket 910... and Monte Carlo for the reclinable,adjustable 910 R.....

Nürburgring
910 leatherette / corderoy - $ 545
911 leather - $ 765
912 leatherette / basket weave - $495
914 leather / corderoy - $ 675

Monte Carlo (Reclining)
910R leatherette / corderoy - $ 625
911R leather - $ 895
912R leatherette / basket weave - $ 625
914R leather / corderoy - $ 795

tilting bracket $ 49
5-point-harness-set-up $ 39
911 brackets § 38

The basket weave is not the original Porsche pattern,but it matches and the POrsche customers were so far satified and it is perforated,so you have actually more seating comfort than in the original,however as an option we can provide you with the original pattern for $ 895 per seats and approx 6-8 weeks delivery time."

I have pics of the seats. PM me and I can send you a zip file.

--Mike

jpnovak · 03-26-2004, 11:47 AM

I have a set of the bilstein seats. I can tell you they are very comfy on the LR floor. They are not in the project car thanks to my move to TX. Still waiting in a box with lots of other parts.

They are worth a look. You can always email Reiner(the owner) to ask questions. He speaks very good English. Ask about pricing from Germany. I paid a little more of a pair of seats as the US dist. is for the single. The dollar is down so this may not be the case anymore.

Eugene at Pelican Parts · 03-26-2004, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Bonkalski
What about these period correct replicas:

http://www.bielstein.com/BF-Sitze/NURBURGRING/nurburgring.html

Actually, we will be selling these exact seats (Nürburgring and Monte Carlo) very shortly. As a matter of fact, if anybody needs to order them before I get them in the catalog, please send me an email. Thanks!

eugene@pelicanparts.com

limble · 03-27-2004, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by HarryD

Also, with my 4 point setup, I cannot reach the radio or glove box without unbuckling.

Radio? We don't need no stinkin' radio.
Seriously.
I have a harness bar for the shoulder harness and will bolt the
lap belts to the floor.
The PO as I mentioned lost the seat belts and had the shoulder belts bolted to the floor behind the seats and just laying over the drivers shoulders. Very bad situation.
The SC will be the daily driver.

HarryD · 03-29-2004, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by limble
Radio? We don't need no stinkin' radio.

LOL

Quote:

I have a harness bar for the shoulder harness and will bolt the
lap belts to the floor.
The PO as I mentioned lost the seat belts and had the shoulder belts bolted to the floor behind the seats and just laying over the drivers shoulders. Very bad situation.
The SC will be the daily driver.

Be sure you reinforce the mounting points.

FYI, If you are not planning on using the rear seats for small passengers, the existing rear seat belt points are already installed with suitable reinforcing and the holes are sized and tapped correctly.