Seat Height Adjustment Options

[TMH]

Just bought an '87 Carrera coupe yesterday which we plan on using for DE/Auto-X/Track, etc. Has Recaro seats - Looks like the Speed model with 5 point restraints. Problem is - I am 6'4" tall and my wife is not, and we will both be driving the car. Seems like our best option is to mount the seats as low as possible, so I will have room inside with a helmet on. But that leaves my wife seated well too low to have necessary visibility. So, we need to get some kind of seat insert which can lift her by about 3-4" at least, and not leave her feeling like she has to "sit on a telephone book" to drive. Any suggestions as to how we would go about doing this, and what kind of "professional" options are out there?

Thanks,
Tom

[Todd Simpson]

I have a friend in a similar situation, and his wife has a seat insert that she puts in the seat prior to getting in.

I'm not sure what seat he uses, or even if it's adjustable, but I assume yours is which will increase your options.

Check out a local upholstery shop. I had some furniture done a few years ago and they had lots of foam in different densities and thickness.

Good luck sharing the car, that sounds like fun. My wife took out my 911 at Summit Point a few years ago (seat boosted as well) but the hook didn't set....oh well.

[cstreit]

Have an uphostery shop make a custom insert. Put some velcro on the bottom (just like how the kidney supports fit in) and Viola! You're in like Flynn.

[TMH]

Thanks for the help, guys. My plan is to get over to an upholstery or auto upholstery place as they should have foam pads in various densities and thicknesses. I guess that we will just make a square cushion with a small hole in the middle-front section to pull the anti-sub belt through, then cover it with some comfortable material. The velcro on the bottom is a great idea.

We are both hooked on this after we ran our first DE about a month or so ago. Don't know how well she will like auto-x, but I have no convincing to do for DE's.

Tom

[TMH]

Well, thanks to your ideas it was easier than anticipated. 2 stacked pieces of 2" foam: The narrower one fits between the bolsters on the base of the seat, and the wider one sits kind of on top of them. Now having it covered with some aircraft seat material (fire resistant, although this does not really matter for our current purpose). She "test drove" the concept last night, and gave it a thumbs-up! Did not even need to make a hole in the cushion for the anti-sub belt: Stopped just short of it. Now, some velcro hooks on the bottom, and we are all set.

Thanks again,
Tom

P.S.: A pic of her at her first DE in April. Even with the power seats in the C4, she still felt a little too low. Will no longer be an issue in the "track car".
T