Seat options

[Asiah119]

I've posted before about needing to find a way to get some more headroom (6'6" plus a helmet is asking for a broken neck). It's down to finding a e46 w\o a sunroof, or really anything trackable without a sunroof and seats. I'm all for seats. The problem is that I don't really know what I'm looking at when it comes to seats. Based on absolutely no informed choice I like the Sparco Evo II, but they're expensive, well all of them are expensive. What would ya'll recommend? It would be nice to find something that is comfortable enough that I can just leave in the car for daily use but the real need is to be able to sit in the car for DEs with my neck straight.

My current DE seat position is pretty much with my knees on the dash, head in the sunroof cut-out. My position doesnt feel comfortable with the seat further back because then I'm reaching for the wheel. And same situation with the seatback further back.

[Hermes]

No sunroof will only give you about 1-1.5 inches, you definitely need a seat as well

Edit: keep an eye out for M3 part outs. My original plan for the red car was to swap the roof and headliner from an M3 since it has a black headliner as well. I then bought the non sunroof car so I never had to deal with swapping roofs. You could get a CSL roof, but you would still need to find the right headliner for the extra headroom (or just don't put a headliner in)

[brettbimmer]

I installed a set of Sparco Monza seats in my E30 many years ago and ended up having to raise them so that my 5'10" height with short torso could see over the steering wheel as the phone books just weren't cutting it. :biggrin Not the most comfortable seats for a long trip, but man were they great for holding onto you in the corners. Ended up purchasing the seat rails and bases that were offered, and they were probably a couple of inches lower then the stock seat base, most likely due to the sea base having less cushioning. I would say that the seat backs were a little bit taller then stock seats also. Sorry I don't have exact measurements as the car was sold some years ago, and I bought it with the original seats broken. G/L with your search. (A few pics which you may find useful, even though they are from the interior of an E30, the seat spacing is not drastically different then the E46 as these seats would fit in all of them. Seat bases were elevated approximately 1" in these photos.)

17439

17440

17441

17442

[slater]

i highly recommend recaro products. i have an older recaro SRD that i loved for daily use as well - with the correct brackets (425 Motorsports in WA makes good ones), you can get it positioned low in the car and have L-R adjustment as well. this would buy you an inch or two.

i still have my recaro and actually will be putting it up for sale soon - i've been holding on to it as it's such a great seat, but after putting M3 seats w/ adjustable bolsters in the ZHP, i won't ever need it again. they are great seats and a used one with bracketry won't break the bank. make sure you find an older one (SRD, not 'speed' which is the newer version) as the thigh bolsters are much better and the seat is narrower.

peter

[Asiah119]

Any suggestions on whether to go with adjustable back or not? I've sat in non-adjustable back seats only as a passenger in cars that I don't fit in well enough to be able to drive anyway (300zx, e30 in the z my head was on the sheet metal that replaced the t-tops, in the e30 I didnt fit w\o a helmet on)). I need two, because, it seems that the BMW CCA rules say that the driver and instructor need matching seating and restraints.
The ones that have spiked my interest so far are:
http://www.sparcousa.com/product/chrono-road
http://www.sparcousa.com/product/f200
http://www.sparcousa.com/product/sprint
http://www.momousa.com/store/index.php/racing/seats/start.html It seems like this link may not be working, its for the start seat.
http://www.momousa.com/store/index.php/racing/seats/supercup.html It seems like this link may not be working, its for the supercup seat.
http://www.k1racegear.com/auto-racing/seats/monaco-seat.html It seems like this link may not be working, its for the monaco pro seat
http://corbeau.com/forza-sport.html
http://corbeau.com/sprint.html


What I've been drooling over is http://www.sparcousa.com/product/evo-ii

Also, I'll ask the stupid question. How much do I care about FIA certification? I'm not really leaning towards the Taiwanese knockoffs, but the non-race seats from each don't all seem to have a note about FIA certification.

[slater]

those EVO II's are sweet, but i think for a DD you'd really want an adjustable back.

check out recaro.

peter

[Asiah119]

I'm "at work" so I'm not doing any real in-depth searching, but what I saw of recaro is all at or above the $800 price point, like the speed that you said to take the older SRD starts at $900 new.

[slater]

yep, they aren't cheap. but they are extremely comfortable and high quality.

one option might be a used set. lots cheaper.

peter

[UdubBadger]

I'm going Sparco soon in the ///M but I'm not even close to 6'6"


GoingHAM mobile

[Asiah119]

I dropped a line to bimmerworld asking what they would recommend. After a few messages back and forth the guy I was talking to suggested the racetech 4009w (to accommodate my supple hips). I told him that that was a little rich for my blood. He next suggested OMP WRC-R XL Seat, which was a little more my speed. I've also reached out to Sparco, Corbeau and Momo to see what they have to say. Life is hard for the talls.


http://store.bimmerworld.com/racetech-4009-series-seats-p1083.aspx
http://store.bimmerworld.com/omp-wrc-r--wrc-r-xl-seat-p2032.aspx

[jakksfor20]

Here's a 4009W for $900. He's willing to sell and located north of Atlanta.
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2149740-FS-Racetech-4009w-with-VAC-Goodies

[Tnhl1989]

17567

These might work?

[danewilson77]

Damn. That's a good price.

"No flamesuit required"

[Asiah119]

Sweetbaby jesus.