Home made seat.

Howard Jones · 05-12-07, 11:42 PM

I looked and looked and just couldn't find a aluminum seat to use for track days. The main problem has been my body size and "shape". I'm not in it. Shape I mean. So I made my own.

The other thing is, as always, I have no money. So anything I can do myself I try to do. This project required a little practice with a mig machine and more than a little help from my friend but in the end it cost me nothing and it works.

I had a sheet of 6140, 1/8" thick laying around and some fire resistant padding pieces I "found". I made a wooden seat to get the lay-back in the ballpark and then made the aluminum one you see here with revisions. It was all cut out by hand with a skill saw, a hole saw, and a air powered reciprocating saw. I have more than a few hours in this one believe me.

Came out OK. I does fit me and my car perfect and it was within my budget.

What do you think?

Jonathan S · 05-13-07, 01:01 AM

That looks great! I am sure it was time consuming to make with the tools you described. I work with a similar assortment of tools so I can appreciate the effort that must have taken.

JackW · 05-13-07, 04:17 AM

Howard your car keeps getting better and better. THe black wheels look great, the new seat for track days looks, er, uncomfortable, but pretty sturdy. Good to see you doing things to continually get more enjoyment from your car.

Cheers

Jack

Bill Musarra · 05-13-07, 08:40 AM

I like that helmet pad. You must be planning to pull some nasty accellerations to keep the vibrations away from your head bone.

Bill

Ron Earp · 05-13-07, 08:59 AM

Nice job Howard, excellent! I've also looked for an all aluminum one piece seat suitable for competition work but haven't turned anything up. Kirkey doesn't make anything with that layback, and the other companies that do aluminum seats don't either. Most are set up for the dirt stocker market with high bases.

The two main requirements, layback angle and ability to work without a base, don't seem to be met. The cloest I found on the market was those Saker seats, but I don't think they'll work well since they'll probably sit you too high.

Yours looks great! You could fill a need in the market for sure.......

R

Gary Gibbs · 05-13-07, 02:07 PM

Using Saker now. Works great. Made my own side brackets that let seat down all the way to floor.

Ron Earp · 05-13-07, 02:20 PM

Gary, who did you use to buy one? I called one of the distributors but could never get someone on the phone or call me back. Wanted to ask them some of the questions you've already solved about brackets. Do you have some pictures of yours and install?

Ron

MReid · 05-13-07, 03:04 PM

When I saw the title of this thread, I was going to suggest Kirkey. They will make any seat to your specifications. You can also see all of their engineering drawings and options on their web site (Kirkey Racing Fabrication Inc.), but you did a fine job for a fraction of their price. Nice work!

Pete · 05-13-07, 11:28 PM

Howard, you crack me up. Your statement "I have no money" rings true for all of us probably more than we care to admit yet it never seems to stop us. Thus truly clever things are created for the benefit of all. Thanks.

Pete

Pat Buckley · 05-14-07, 12:09 AM

Looks great.

Those edges look pretty sharp - have you considered welding some round tubing on them?

Howard Jones · 05-14-07, 03:03 PM

Kirley does make a seat that is the correct width and height. If you left off the mounts and bolted it directly to the floor it would fit. The problem is it is only 20 degree lay back. The GTD seat is about 35 degrees more or less.

I thought about cutting a slice though the seatbelt hole and adding a pie shaped section to lay it back some more.

In the end I figured that the amount of work making a new mounting bracket, welding on strips onto the bottom like mine, and the pie work would be nearly as much work as making a whole seat. I was wrong about that but oh well.

Anyway the main thing was to get the shoulder straps over the back of the seat at the correct angle. The orginal GTD seat are all wrong for a short person. My seat is nearly perfect.

I intend to only use it for trackday work. The sessions are usually 20 min long and it will be ok for that long. The sharp edges in fact are not and since the armpit cuttouts are made for me I don't really rub against them anyway.

The edge stuff is a good idea.

Phil · 05-16-07, 01:32 AM

Howard
Nice job...I think you are selling yourself short as I have seen a lot of work by so called pros that doesen't look as good as that. I am wondering about the welding...looks good, and if you did that also. I also am wondering about that alloy you mentioned (6140) I am not familiar with that...is it something new?
Cheers
Phil

Jac Mac · 05-16-07, 02:39 AM

Stamped 6061 in one pic, Us old fellers are all starting to show signs of Alzheimers & eyesight problems eh!

Jac Mac

Howard Jones · 05-16-07, 05:11 PM

Ahhh....... Jac Mac to the rescue again!! 6061 it is. Thank god for friends, No money and can't see!!

Jac Mac · 05-16-07, 05:23 PM

In my case its ' cant see no money'!!

Jac Mac

Gary Gibbs · 05-16-07, 07:00 PM

Here are a few pics