Want to Try Elise or Corbeau LE seats
 

I'm strongly considering purchase of Corbeau LE - Standard seats for my car. However, at their narrowest point, they are only 30cm wide. Likely there is some give there. IDK.

Thing is, I have some wide hips. I mean bone structure itself. So, I don't know if I will fit.

I am located in Seneca, SC.

Does anyone in the Atlanta to Greenville areas have the Corbeaus (preferably) or Elise seats that I can try before I buy?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8079177918.png


DNM

I'm a bit far away for you to try a seating, but having had an Elise for the last ten years, I will say the Corbeau LE's are a far more comfortable seat than stock non-Porback's. I finally gave up modifying my OEM's with memory gell, foam, etc. and ordered a Corbeau set last Spring. I can now drive the car unlimited hours, whereas the Elise version has my ass going numb at about 45 min. I also have an early Elise seat in my new-to-me '93 NA. Both offer a much improved driving position. I am 6 ft. 1in., 185, and 34 in. waist for comparison, and fit well in both versions of the seat. Both are basically the same seat shell, but the Corbeau cushion, and padding is light years better IMO. Hope this helps!

I have a pair of the original non-Probax seats in my car and they're way too hard for long-term use.
The guy I bought them from used to put a thick rubber mat on top of them.
The shell for the non-Probax and Probax versions is the same and there is a company in the UK that manufactures the Probax padding so I got them to make me a set and send them to me - unfortunately they cost about what I paid for the actual Lotus seats since they'e very rare in Australia.
Now they're fantastic and I love them.

ManiacLachy on this forum bought a set of Probax seats and says that they're not that comfortable which I attribute to the Probax padding having gotten old and compacted so beware of this if buying an older seat.

Based on tomrev's comment regarding the Corbeau LE seat, you might be better off buying one of those new - or thr Tillett B5, which is the seat many Lotus owners swap to.

My seats are original Probax, they're quite worn and the padding is basically dead. But I drive in them daily, I've driven 10+ hours in them even with no more complaint than you'd get in any 10 hour drive in a Miata.

I recently swapped the passenger and driver seats around, but the passenger is almost as dead as the driver's was. The seats are hard on first contact - don't drop into them! - but once settled in they're quite comfortable and hold you nicely. One day I'll re-upholster and pad, I won't go to the same extremes as Lokiel though, I'll just visit a local Trimmer & Upholster and drop the seats with them.

Those Corbeau's look so good though, the want is high.

FWIW, I'm 6' and 215lbs, 36" waist.

I also have a probax seat and echo what he said. They are stiff on first contact but once you settle in they are comfy. I am not saying they are cadillac comfy but they put me lower in my miata and fit me well. I am 6' and about 180 lbs with a 34 inch waist give or take.

For reference, I used to own a pair of now probax seats and they were incredibly uncomfy. The hype for probax really is worth it, at least for me.

Another option for the Elise seat, which I plan on doing for mine, is to make up a pad similar to the Corbeau's. They have a back piece, and a second forward cushion, that are velcro'ed to the seat shell. It's pretty simple, and shouldn't cost too much for an upholster shop to do. I can put up a photo tomorrow of what I'm thinking of doing, as other than the hard/sore ass part, the Elise seats are nice.

I have probax lotus seats. Sit in them at MATG.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...761c34d2ed.jpg

I have non-probax seats, and my Miata should be in Georgia by the end of April. Maybe I can meet you half way or we can meet somewhere cool where you can drive my car.

EDIT: Just checked... Seneca SC is not even two hours away from where I live currently.

I have 3 more weeks of hip precautions, then I would love to do this. I will postpone my purchase.

Please look at the picture I posted and measure the Elise seat at the same location so I know it is comparable.

Psyber, I figured MATG would be a possible place, but I want this mod done before then. Thanks.

Elise / Corbeau Seats
 

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8b63591a44.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c1954750d2.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f563cfc30e.jpg
Had a chance to pull the Elise seat this am, and here are a few photos of what I will do to make my butt happy in it. As mentioned in the earlier post, for my 10 years of Elise ownership, I have cursed the seats for anything other than 30 min. drives, and finally decided to spend the $$ ($1800.) for a pair of the LE's shipped from the UK. They are all I hoped for; supportive, comfortable, etc. My NA also has the early Elise seat, but one I had the Corbeau's in hand, I could see that the only real difference was the better thought out cushions. These can be made up pretty simply, which is what I plan on doing in the next few weeks. Photos show my plain Elise seat, with the Corbeau pads plopped on them. I have some alcantera to use when I make up the new set, and will report back with a photo.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4cd0ccfb25.jpg
DNMakinson; Here are the dimensions from the Lotus seat, as per your first post.
A: 16in.
B: 17in.
C: 35 1/2 in.
D: 8in.
E: 13 in.
F: 19 in.
G: 13 in. (this one depends on how far up or down you go to measure, and the seat sides taper in. I measured at the base of the un-padded shell.

Also, photo of simple seat mounts I made for the Elise seat, non adjustable, but with out any mods to the Miata floor of tranny tunnel.

What sort of modifications required to fit these Corbeaus in an NB with sliders? Or is that kindof a lost cause to get them low enough? (Stock height is fine)

Should be the same as other Lotus style seat. Flipside brackets, Ryokurob or custom. I think they were targeted as direct replacements, but it's been a while since I looked into them so I may be thinking of Tillett.

If the Corbeaus are actually identical to Elise seats they can fit with no mods to the tunnel or seat mounts if you can make up the brackets. Check my build thread to see how I mounted Elise seats but I removed the OEM rear seat humps. Adding a slider into the mix of what I did would be easy and I would still be much lower than stock.

Something I will say is I have never once been impressed with the quality of any reasonably priced aftermarket seat ( less than $1000/ seat). The build quality never seemed that sturdy and the fabrics/foam have felt cheap and not durable. Not saying this is the end all be all but just my experience.

The reason I made up the floor mounts shown in my last photo is that with the Miata sliders under the Elise seat, I was too high in the cabin. I have not changed the floor or tunnel, not wanting to screw up things if I was unhappy with my seat adventures. Yes, the Corbeau was designed to be an exact replacement for the stock Elise seat, and in the Elise, takes the Lotus sliders/mounts as in stock. I drove all last Summer with them, and really liked them, but now can see that I can recreate them on my existing Elise seat in my NA without much work, or $$.

I hear you say that, with no padding, Corbeau and Lotus seats are both 13" at the minimum dimension. Is that correct?

EDIT: You have the "Pro" version, which is specified 31cm at "G". But, they all angle out pretty quickly, so, by the time my hips come into play, the seat will be much wider. I should be good. 34 waist pants fit me fine.

Measuring both "E", and "G" is kind of nebulous; the seat rounding at that point, so where is the official spot to measure? My 34in. waist fits fine, and the nicer padding of the LE is raising you that little bit, which gets your hips higher in the angle. I just went out on a 20 mile drive, with the mocked up Elise seats (Corbeau padding masking taped in), and it felt great. Now I'll get a proper pad/cushion made up, and the Lotus seat can get her padding back.

You lied to me, you tease. @psyber_0ptix

@Chiburbian I will send you PM. Am driving again and would like to get together after Easter, if possible.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...389283f67a.jpg
Here's how the Lotus seat turned out with the new pads added. It's very comfortable, night and day compared to the stock version.