Because i'm a moron, i bought some seats that few people are running. Cobra Monaco Pros.

Because i'm a moron, i figured that maybe with some Cobra side mount brackets, i could bolt these to stock sliders so both my wife and i could drive the car.

Because i'm a moron, i actually tried it.

Because i'm a moron, it obviously doesn't work. I should clarify that i DO have the seat mounted and my idea worked, but i obviously don't fit. I'm about 1" off from passing a broomstick test and my legs don't clear my steering wheel. (Smaller than stock, Momo Competition.)

Just cutting the rear stock seat mounts out of the car isn't going to fix everything. I'd pass a broomstick test at that point, but still wouldn't be able to drive the car.

Near as i can tell, here are my options:

1) Cut BOTH stock mounts out of the car, straight sliders, bolt directly to floor
2) Cut rear mounts out of car, give up on sliders, bolt Cobra mounts directly to floor behind stock front mounts.
3) Punt on the whole ******* thing and just get some PCI brackets if someone can tell me that they've been successfully used on these seats.


Anyone have input? Option 1 is honestly most appealing to me at the moment because it's $free.99 and would let my wife still drive the car. Option 3 would be next most appealing because less work and time.

The seats WILL physically fit in the car just fine, they aren't too wide or too tall or any of that jazz, which pleasantly surprised me.

 

I gave up on mounting my own seats years ago, but the way TC does it is by cutting out the rear humps and retaining the front hump, then running two pieces of flat bar from the front hump to the floor just behind the rear hump outline. Bolt the steel down to the floor, then weld brackets from the seat to those mounting strips. That probably makes no sense to anyone who has never seen one, so I'll snap a picture of one I have floating around the shop on Monday.

FIA seats and sliders just don't mix in a Miata, sadly.

 

Thanks Andrew, i would definitely appreciate a pic.

Going to call Henry on Monday as well to ask about the PCIs.

I did some measuring and if i butt the side mount brackets right up against the front hump, it will fit me perfectly, but screw my wife. Center me just right to the wheel and require minimal trans tunnel rape.

Might have to do that for now because it's free and work on a solution for my wife over the winter.

 

You could try an make something similar to this. These are designed for a Recaro seat and look to be pretty much ideal for the lowest seating position for an adjustable seat.

Seat runner for RECARO sports shell

I've been eyeing these off for a while and figured I could make something up myself pretty close.

 

Makes perfect sense, that's exactly as mine are mounted .
FIA Alu side brackets bolted to "ramps" between the front "hump" and the humpless rear floor.
My brackets were of the three peace style, making things a little easier (cutting and adjusting to size).

Found an ugly image of something similar regarding seating (but this looks flimsy).

 

Yeah i ran across some pictures and details of some setups like that.

That said, i'd first like to try not removing the humps. If i remove the humps, i don't really need help at that point, as i could just bolt my side brackets through the floor and the height will be perfect.

I have adjustable PCI brackets en route. Will update this thread with the latest batch of horrors that will undoubtedly occur.

 

Mine look exactly like that drawing. Though I have the "luxury" of aluminum seats so I just drilled through wherever I wanted. Pics are in my build thread somewhere.

 

In for the PCI review. I have two Sparco Sprints that I need to mount and I have been wanting to see what adjustability can really be achieved with them.

 

If your looking to chop and weld a seat base we have a Liquidation of Sparco 500 seat bases going on. These will bolt on to a set of side mounts. Probably be cheaper then getting the stock from home Depot and building your own. if your going to chop and weld just get any model and make it fit.

Search results for: 'sparco 500'

 

Mine are basically like Post #5, but I added multiple bolt-down positions on the Driver's side instead of a slider.

Seat Brackets: https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...6/#post1125642

Seatback Braces: https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...9/#post1130499

For an AL Ultrashield. Seems a FIA composite is harder since you don't want to drill them. I like the Ultrashields though -- much more comfortable than they look.

 

Make sure you add a good seat brace to those aluminum seats. #brokenrecord

 

+1. I catch people running AL seats without seatback braces all the time. Really, really dangerous.

 

This is basically what you're going to have to end up doing.

*Remove rear mounting bumps with a spot-weld cutter so you don't drill holes in your floorpan
*Cut up and weld an AWR mount or custom fab your own out of 1/8" steel, just like the drawing above
*Bolt side mounts to the fabbed bottom mount

I posted some pictures of what I did in my Build Thread, hopefully might be helpful. It was the ONLY way I could make the seat sit on the floorpan to pass the broomstick test.

 

I tried using the PCI mounts, and even with the Sprint in my passenger seat I was unable to get the seat low enough and not have the seat bottom webbing sitting on top of the mount. The Sprint needs an "open" bottom mount. I was successful using an AWR passenger mount with rear stock horns removed and with Sparco side mounts, I only had to lightly tweak them to make it fit.

 

How tall are you? I'm just a little guy, 5'9".

We'll see tomorrow if they work.

 

I'm also 5'9" with a 30" inseam. Not a big guy. These cars simply don't have any headroom.

 

I have the PCI mounts with a Recaro Profi SPG XL. They work well enough for my purposes, I wish I was lower and more centered but that's more a fault of the bigass seat than the mount. Don't have the rollbar installed yet so no input on the broomstick test. I may be screwed though, the seatback is stupid tall (headrest is taller than the top of my head) so I may clear the broomstick but the seat itself might not.

ETA: I'm 5'11" and 245 lbs.

 

This is exactly how I have my Monoco Pro mounted. Except I am 5'11 with a 30" inseam so I still fail the broomstick test. :/ Going to have to go aluminum and toss the Cobra in the passenger side. At least it works for autocross.

 

+2
I've been one of the idiots for a few years thinking it was OK since my seat is almost leaning against the rear bulkhead. Then I watched tech at my last event grab the top of the seat and shake it. I was amazed just how much it moved. Drivers brace was installed last night, passengers is sitting in the basement waiting to be installed. It makes a huge difference.

 

The PCI brackets worked. I'd like another inch lower but i pass a broomstick test now. I'll recline it one notch and get a 330mm wheel and it'll be pretty good.

The seats themselves, not a huge fan of. Too wide for me.