More Seating Questions

JTO · 12-04-2002, 12:01 PM

Hi Everyone,
I didn't get very good response on my earlier post regarding seat recovering. So here's another question: I'm 6'4" tall and about 210 lbs. I intend on using my car for DEs and other events that require I wear a helmet. Right now, there is not enough head room to allow me to wear a helmet in the car. I see the options as being 1) since I need to recover the seats, have the seats modified to be lower in the cushion, 2) get an aftermarket seat that sits lower in the car, 3) modify the seat mounts to be lower.

I need some suggestions please.

Thanks,

Troy

Steve F · 12-04-2002, 12:08 PM

Well,if you have ever watched the old show"Get Smart"all you would need is "the cone of silence"attached to the top of your car and Whamooo

You be styling!!

.............just messing with you

I'm 5'5 and allowed to that

gregk1 · 12:53 PM

I had a set of ratty seats in my 76S, I bought some leather ones and had the bottoms re done, I sit alot higher than I use to, I'm 6'2" and my head is close to the roof, I know it will be tight with a helmet on, So I think you could make them thiner in the padding area, I dont know how they would feel. My 66 feels like I'm sitting on the floor lots a room in that one!!

avi8torny · 12-04-2002, 02:10 PM

Buy a deluxe road race seat from Kirkey or ultra shield race and mount it to the floor rails...you will gain 2-4 inches of headroom in a coupe. I have a targa so I have a bit more headroom than a coupe, but I have sat in cars at DE events with this setup and it is acceptable. BTW, I am 6'5" @245#'s.

Or buy a targa.

JTO · 12-04-2002, 02:58 PM

Thanks avi8torny,

Do you know who carries these seats? I'd like to get more info.

Thanks,

Troy

Eric Mckenna · 12-04-2002, 03:05 PM

Buy a RECARO SRG and bolt it to the floor pan. hahahahah it should have ya low enough.. I have heard of people doing it..

Eric Mckenna

JTO · 12-04-2002, 03:06 PM

Steve F:

That's what my wife says to do with the car when she's feeling a bit perturbed about the time I spend working on/talking about the 911. I think Dan Gurney or someone of that vintage required a bubble in the roof of his race car.

By the way, the jokes not funny when my wife says it and its really not funny when a fellow Porsche nut says it!

Troy

targa88 · 12-04-2002, 04:51 PM

www.kirkeyracing.com

Good seats but can only be used for track events. Very little padding, if you are spending any lenght of time seated.

Teutonics · Teutonics's Garage

I'm 6'2" and have the same problem in my '85..... no way can I wear my helmet without causing a tilted view of reality!

I have read (I think?) that '86+ had different seats from the factory to gain headroom, can anyone confirm?

dean · 12-04-2002, 07:40 PM

I have a Recaro for sale. I am 6' tall. When I had it installed in my 911 I had to raise it 2" to equal the stock seating pos. If you are interested in the seat let me know. I am selling it for $300. I can send you a pic is you are interested. The seat is kind of narrow in the butt area.

JTO · 12-05-2002, 07:11 AM

Thanks Everybody,

I still don't know what I am going to do but I appreciate all of the input.

Troy

avi8torny · 12-05-2002, 08:32 AM

Behrents 1-845.651.7389 has the Kirkey Deluxe or behrents.com and Ultra Shield Race has the same style but they make it themselves 903.894.3550 ultrashieldrace.com

Don't mount them to the floor plan....they will rip from the floor in an accident unless you have some type of reinforcement.

TD

Wil Ferch · 12-06-2002, 06:01 AM

Teutonics:
I too have an 85...and my research indicates it's the ONLY year that had raised seat perches welded to the floor. By that I mean the 84 and 86's used the same welded -in perch, but the 86 ( for example) had these made about 20 mm ( ~ 3/4") lower. Urhhhg !
I've heard that the perches can be cut off , made lower , and rewelded, but Porsche wisely runs plastic fuel lines in the trans tunnel near the edges of the tunnel just to make such a modification "interesting". .....
---Wil Ferch

Teutonics · Teutonics's Garage

Wow, that's not good news, I was hoping it was the seat and not the mount.

Thanks for the info, it certainly helps with what options I can assess.

Wil Ferch · 12-06-2002, 09:15 AM

I've the heard of the following being done:
- remove ( cut) the welded-on perches.. dress down any sharp edges.
- use steel hollow square stock, say about 1-1.5" square on-edge.
- lay each square stock longitudinally along the floor where the perches originally were located. Use stock that is 2-3 " longer than the seat adjusters...so the extra length can be used where you "bolt-through" the floor ( see where this is leading?), and not interfere with the slider length, that otherwise would be the same length.
- bolt to floor with adequate backing plates/mounts. Locate where holes on sliders mate-up with the upper surface of the square stock. Drill / tap holes for sliders. May want to mount seats first and bolt assembly through floor last.
- car's floor may be lower toward rear of car. Either leave it that way as it provides yet more head room, or lay another square tube across the width of the seating area at the rear locations, as a way to bring the longitudinal stock level front-to-back. I would prefer the former and use the power seat adjuster to move upward ( finally...a meaningful direction to use the seat height adjuster !!).
- the size of the square stock may be more or less than 1.5" on-edge depending on whether the DME is still located under the seat...even if it is, there is some extra space we can use to lower the seat.

I've heard about this being done..but only anecdotally. Anyone "actually" done this ??

---Wil Ferch