Gauging Opinions on Race/Touring Seats

[rreign]

I've been doing a lot of research on different seats from different companies and have found so many that I can't seem to make an end decision on what I might want. Shapes, sizes, prices vary so much from different companies (ie. Corbeau, Sparco, Buddy Club, Bride) that it's hard to really know what is going to fit and look right. I'll post some links to the different seats and prices I was looking at. I'm at work and can't post pics from here. If you guys could check them out and give me some solid input or experiances (especially our track guys) I would really appreciate it.

(These are all from different sites, so prices may vary from others)

Corbeau CR1 Black Microsuede = $455.00 per seat
Corbeau CR1 Black Microsuede Racing Seat [S20901] - $455.00 : Performance Parts - Ford Mustang - Cobra - Dodge Viper - Chevy Corvette - C6 - LS1

Sparco Torino 2 (Black) = $598.00 per seat
Sparco Torino 2 Street Racing Seats [946] - $598.00 : Performance Parts - Ford Mustang - Cobra - Dodge Viper - Chevy Corvette - C6 - LS1

Sparco Monza (Black) = $698.
Sparco Monza Racing Seat [00945MNR] - $698.99 : Performance Parts - Ford Mustang - Cobra - Dodge Viper - Chevy Corvette - C6 - LS1

Bride Ergo II (Black) = $1,130
BRIDE Racing Seats - Gear - BRIDE ERGO II Seat Free Shipping

Bride Brix II (Gradating Cloth) = $1,129
BRIDE Racing Seats - Gear - Bride BRIX II Racing Seat Free Shipping

Thanks Again
-Rick

[Modshack]

I'm about to put some Sparco Milanos in my car. I had them sitting around from a previous install in another car. Sparcos are awesome street seats. I've done 800 mile days in them which is a good trick for my ancient body!

The problem you will face for any seat is this:

1) You cannot use the stock sliders and bases as they are integrated into the seat assembly. (Trust me, I've looked)

2) No one makes a 370 seat base.

That said, i did some measuring. The 350Z base is simlilar in Hole centers front to back and side to side, but the contouring of the 370 floor pan is different. I'm thinking this can be done with some cutting and re-welding or spacing to get it to fit. I have a base on the way as we speak to experiment with.

I've talked with Wendell at Wedge Engineering > HOME who specializes in seat bases. He is ready and willing to fab up a 370 set-up but would need a car for 2 days to do the measuring and fitting. He is in Long Beach CA, so any volunteers give hime a call...It might be worth your while and help us all out..



In my old AUDI:

[rreign]

I appreciate your input bro. I looked at the Milanos too, just didn't care for the style much. I really like the Torinos though. I also like the Corbeau CR1 but they are a little on the cheaper side, so I wasn't sure if they were crap, ya know? Not to mention, as you said, there's no rails that are made specific for the Sparco seats (or any other seat) so that could turn into a problem. I know Mike from DDM was getting rails and brackets but I think they were only for Bride seats. Hopefully someone on the West can get something going for all of us.

[drewthesuit]

use to love my recaro srd's....might want to check out recaro speed as well

[travisjb]

The stock seats are pretty good for the road and occasional track day... my plan is to hold off on seats until i get the car caged, but to each his own... after that, I'm leaning towards Bride

Talk with DDM... there may be a rail option available now or very soon... I suspect he will be the first to offer

[rreign]

Originally Posted by travisjb

The stock seats are pretty good for the road and occasional track day... my plan is to hold off on seats until i get the car caged, but to each his own... after that, I'm leaning towards Bride

Talk with DDM... there may be a rail option available now or very soon... I suspect he will be the first to offer

Yeah, I noticed in a few other threads that Mike had mentioned the rails but I wasn't sure if they were going to be, well "universal" or if they were strictly for bride seats. Also, I have driven the 370 and love the seats, however, I am just getting the base model and I want some more agressive but comfortable and aesthetic seats ya know?

[cheshirecat]

Cobra Misano AL, IMO. They can be expensive but just throwing it out as an option.

[rreign]

Originally Posted by cheshirecat

Cobra Misano AL, IMO. They can be expensive but just throwing it out as an option.

Damn, those are nice, but the price tag is pretty ugly! $1600!! WTF I'm really leaning towards the Corbeau CR1 Microsuede seats. I can get the whole set-up for $1400 both seats and accessories. I'm just waiting on a reply about the seat brackets from them. They have made them for the 350 so I'm sure they'll make em for the 370

[MightyBobo]

^--- That car looks like its all show and lots of slow anyway. Just get something cheaper that is just as functional :-p

[rreign]

Well, I talked to Corbeau and they don't have anything in the works for brackets for the 370 right now, but I mentioned that there is a whole forum full of guys (some ladies) that are stranded with all sorts of seats and no brackets yet. They are gonna gauge the interest levels (however they do that) to determine if it's gonna be profitable. (***Is that just a nice way to say, "Go F*** Yourself?***) Oh and the company that I was going to buy them through also said that they talked with them and they said they got nothing going for the 370 but for the time being, I could modify the 350 bracket. Anyone have any ideas on how to accomplish that feat yet?

[Chad68]

Originally Posted by rreign

Well, I talked to Corbeau and they don't have anything in the works for brackets for the 370 right now, but I mentioned that there is a whole forum full of guys (some ladies) that are stranded with all sorts of seats and no brackets yet. They are gonna gauge the interest levels (however they do that) to determine if it's gonna be profitable. (***Is that just a nice way to say, "Go F*** Yourself?***) Oh and the company that I was going to buy them through also said that they talked with them and they said they got nothing going for the 370 but for the time being, I could modify the 350 bracket. Anyone have any ideas on how to accomplish that feat yet?

I sent Katzkin's an e-mail asking if they were planning on making seat covers for the 2005-2009 Tacoma bench seats, since I just bought a '09 in April. They more or less said nope, try an custom shop, have a nice day. I did find another place that sells custom bench seat covers in any material just like Katzkins for my truck, so they will get my money later this year. Don't ya just love that too bad so sad attitude ya get from some places.

Ok now back on topic. 5 years ago I bought (regular width) Corbeau CR1's for my old Nissan PU. I was going to get rid of the factory bench seat and use the CR1's. Everything was great but the seat was too narrow in the kidney/rib cage area for my big ***. I ended up selling them brand new for about half what I paid for the seats and sliders.

They do make very nice soild sliders. The seats were built really strong as well because I was so pissed, I tried to bend the frame sides back a smidge to make them fit and couldn't get them to budge. The seat was laying on it's back and I was standing on both bolsters and kinda jumping on them (no air though) but I was afraid I would break the welds first, so I came to my senses and just sold them. No I wouldn't have done this with Bride seats. The return policy from racing-seats USA was a nightmare, so i didn't even really try to return them. They pretty much only do returns if they screwed up the order or shipping damaged returns only. If the size is wrong yer SOL.

On the bright side they do have a list of local walk-in retailers by State, so you might be able to have better luck that route.

The only thing I didn't care for was the fabric. I got the all grey CR1's. It just seemd kinda thin. The microsuede on the other hand is probablly much much better. The other thing with Corbeaus is a lot of people including myself find that their brackets will sit you 1-2" higher in the car. In my lowered truck, it felt like I was driving a farm tractor.

They can custom shave 1" of foam off the seat bottom if you request it, for like 50 bucks a seat.

Thought about getting the wide version of the Corbeau A4's which I know one guy with a 350Z had but I'm just afraid I will sit to high in my Z. I have an aftermarket wheel w/quick release and I sit perfect right now with the stock seats. Any higher and I would have to scrunch down to see the tops of the gauges.

So I will probablly keep the stock seats and just buy a CG-lock to help keep me planted in the stock seats better. 50 bucks is a lot cheaper than $1,500.

If I loose some weight I might change my mind.

[rreign]

[QUOTE=Chad68;85780]Ok now back on topic. 5 years ago I bought (regular width) Corbeau CR1's for my old Nissan PU. I was going to get rid of the factory bench seat and use the CR1's. Everything was great but the seat was too narrow in the kidney/rib cage area for my big ***. I ended up selling them brand new for about half what I paid for the seats and sliders.QUOTE]


Thanks for all the info bro. That's pretty much the exact thing I was looking for in experiences, so on and so forth. Two questions though... how big are you? I'm 6' and about 160lbs and I was thinking the standard size would work out just fine for my build because the width in the shoulders is like 19" or so. That might even be a little snug for me. Would you suggest doing the CR1 but the wide version?

Rep point for info by the way.

[Chad68]

[QUOTE=rreign;85900]

Originally Posted by Chad68

Ok now back on topic. 5 years ago I bought (regular width) Corbeau CR1's for my old Nissan PU. I was going to get rid of the factory bench seat and use the CR1's. Everything was great but the seat was too narrow in the kidney/rib cage area for my big ***. I ended up selling them brand new for about half what I paid for the seats and sliders.QUOTE]


Thanks for all the info bro. That's pretty much the exact thing I was looking for in experiences, so on and so forth. Two questions though... how big are you? I'm 6' and about 160lbs and I was thinking the standard size would work out just fine for my build because the width in the shoulders is like 19" or so. That might even be a little snug for me. Would you suggest doing the CR1 but the wide version?

Rep point for info by the way.

Best thing would be try to find a dealer in your area and see if they have one in stock. I'm 6 foot as well but weigh about 240. I would imagine you would fit perfectlly fine in the regular CR1 size. You can't possibly have love handles at 160lbs and 6 foot LOL

Only thing you might need to worry about is how high you will sit in the car. There is a 4x4 place where I live and they had a Corbeau LG1 and some other non Corbeau seats on display. Just for the hell of it I sat in the LG1 and thought wow this must be the wide version because I more or less fit ok. Good enough fit that I would have put them in my Z though not that style of seat. I asked the guy if this was the wide version and he said no it's the regular. Always the chance he may had been wrong. If I had a tape measure i could have compaired it to Corbeau's spec sheet.

One last thing is some people have had issues with the wide versions of their seats touching the door panel and or trans hump. Again I think you would be fine in the regular version anyway.

I have seen other pics of the microfiber seats and they do look pretty nice.

One reason why I was thinking about wide A4's is because somebody already had them in his 350Z with no problems fitting. Of course he apparently wrecked his car, sold or scrapped it and left the boards, so I couldn't get more details from him.

By the way the guy with those Cobra seats. Those are in my top 3 favorite looking seats. Nice choice!

[rreign]

I actually just looked up the seats and their specs. The regular ones are 21" across the shoulders. My shoulders are 17" side to side. I think I'll fit nice and snug in the seat. Also I took a measurement sitting down and from my tail bone to the top of my head is 34" the seat is actually 35" so now, I am just hoping that it doesn't sit me too high because I need a little head room ya know. Well, thanks again for your input.

[rreign]

So, I have contacted Corbeau once again. This time I sent them an email to their Marketing Department rather than just Customer Services. Yet again, this was the response that I got.

Richard,

We will definitely look into this. I would have to say we pay very close
attention to the demand for aftermarket seats in new vehicles and so far the
demand for the 370Z has been very low. Until this picks up we more than
likely will not be making a bracket. I will have our R&D department look
into this in more detail. Thank you for taking the time to email us.

Regards,
Nate Smith

I pretty much figure that this is going to continue to be a problem for us and many other enthusiasts if we don't start getting into these companies' heads and letting them know how we feel. If I have to, I'll email them every day until they either decide to make me a bracket or start manufacturing brackets for everyone LOL