Corbeau Forza quality question?

CHA914 · 06-17-2002, 02:26 PM

I am about to need to buy a racing seat for my car and after going through the archives I have found that there were several people who have installed the Corbeau Forza seats...how have you guys liked the quality of the seat and how have they lasted for you?

My car is still a street car, but quickly becomming a race car. Full cage, stripped interrior... Right now I am narrowing it down between the Corbeau and one of the sparco seats...

I really like the sparco's but don't want to drop the 600 on one...but I don't want get the Forza if it is a cheap seat that won't hold up very long.

Thanks,

Tony

Scott S · Scott S's Garage

I have run several Corbeau seats over the past several (10-12) years. My only complaint was the quality of some of the upohlstery fabrics. They seemed to be "un-cleanable". They would get dirty (especially the bolsters) and when I would go to clean them, it would either not come off, or, on the colored fabrics, it would wash out the color - no matter what cleaner I used. Also had some minor issues with the plastic belt hole grommets falling out of the sides. The only other seats I have used were Recaro. The fabric was much better, but had some of the same issues with the belt grommets.
I would not hesitate to buy them again - but only in black!

John Rogers · 06-17-2002, 04:01 PM

I originally had one in my race and has since been sold and I now use one of the aluminum race seats for several reasons: Better support, wider inside dimensions for same outside, better feel when driving, sitting 2 inches lower and last of all tube frame seats are not real safe in a rearend racing crash. The quality was great, fabric held up well and I actually mounted it to the stock rails but some vintage organizations do not like movable seats? You can check the article I wrote on the site here for mounting it which was not too hard. Good luck.

Zeke · 06-17-2002, 05:11 PM

I got a Momo floor sample (new) for $200. I think $600 is too much. But I guess in seats you get what you pay for.

The aluminum sounds good to me. Is it upholstered?

Efrain68912 · 06-17-2002, 05:41 PM

Not great for a seat for a daily driver - mine are wearing out - but plenty of support for racing. I'm a pretty skinny guy (5'8, 130) and they are too wide for me.

CHA914 · 06-17-2002, 05:57 PM

I am going to be removing the cross bar that allows the stock seats to raise up and down, and then bolt the seat to the floor, so it should give me another inch or two lower than if I used the stock seat rails. I will probably be driving the car at most 2/3 days a week and then at the track. I guess if I cant find a good deal on the sparco's then I will go for a black one...cant really beat the price :P

Thanks,

Tony

Jim Smolka · 06-17-2002, 06:32 PM

Check out the alum race seat made by Ultrashieldrace.com Great seats for the money.

IMHO, the seats that are tube framed are like lounge chairs (made of weaved web and a frame). Not something I wish to be in going over 100 MPH on the track. Fiberglass or kevlar seats will break in a wreck. Alum might bend but will not break. Just my $0.03 worth.

John Rogers · 06-17-2002, 07:00 PM

The words "you get what you pay for" is very true here. This is what is holding you in the car and has to be strong, well made, able to absorb shock, and last a while. The Ultrashield is what I use and it was well made, fit in the car great and the padding under the fire-proof fabric is pretty comfortable. Good luck.

Joe Ricard · Joe Ricard's Garage

Now that I finally drive my car everyday I can start evaluating the wear characteristics. So far after three months I have to agree with difficulty to clean. Seems like "dirt velcro". The support springs are not comfortable in my back ie. no padding under back covering.
Since there were no seats when I bought this car except one Forza I will use them till they die. switch em side to side and use them some more. 928 comfort they are not (50 plus pounds). Forza 16 pounds what do you want. He, he, narrow seat keep the fat chicks from riding. Almost like a GO - NO GO gage.

David McLaughlin · David McLaughlin's Garage

I have two new Forza seats just waiting to go into my /6. I really wanted the Sparco Evo seats, but a friend on the 911 board offered me a deal that I could not refuse. I got two Corbeaus for 1/2 the price of one Evo.

Can't help with the quality issue, but for the price, the Corbeaus hold better than stock.

CHA914 · 06-18-2002, 10:24 AM

John,

Are the ultrashield seats FIA approved? and when you say they are pretty comfortable...do you mean for the track or would they be pretty comfortable on a hour or two drive through the country?

I will have to check into them more....

also, are they supposed to hold up better than the kirkey alum seats? Cause I have heard some issues with those seats in crashes.

Tony

John Rogers · 06-18-2002, 01:16 PM

As far as I know none of the aluminum seats are FIA approved, but they are approved by NASCAR, SCCA and most vintage groups. As for comfort, I can survive a 30 minute race without any butt problems! Of course I don't think I have ever thought of it either so I guess the seat is okay. I like the way it supports my ribcage and shoulders much better than the older seat did. Good luck.

campbellcj · 09:38 PM

I had the Forza's in my last teener for a while.

Basically, as you might guess, "you get what you pay for". I don't think most of the issues are unique to the Corbeau tube-frame seats, but rather "webbing-over-tube" seats in general.

They are fairly light, but not very comfortable or supportive. They certainly hold you in place well during canyon carving or autox/track driving, but entry/exit is not for the weak-backed so these are definitely track-car seats only. All of the $200-300 entry level tube-frame seats are basically a few strips of elastic stretched over some tubes, with about $2 of fabric stretched over that. You can feel springs and webbing in your back, in my experience.

The Forza's fabric is extremely thin, a super lightweight synthetic weave that seems like it would tear if you look at it sideways although in my limited firsthand experience it actually held up very well and it has reinforcements on the bolsters & shoulder areas.

Also FYI the brackets they sell as "914" adapters are completely worthless (at least the ones I got). You have to either redrill the brackets and/or the seat rails to do the install. I have no idea what car their 914 bracket kit was made for, but is wasn't a 914.

All in all I would still recommend these these seats if you want to buy new and can't afford more than $500-ish/pair, but otherwise I would really lean towards a padded-tubeframe seat or a fiberglass or kevlar or aluminum shell seat. Much better support and strength and durability, at a somewhat higher cost of course.

HTH,