SLC Aftermarket Seat Option

[Allan]

Allan, that is good to here and know. Are they comfortable? Theses are my planned seats now.

edit- Allan, how did you mount yours? Did you have to buy a mount, make your own or just bolt it to the floor yourself. Pics?

They are comfortable, good padding for the back and seat bottom plus you can adjust the seat back.
They come with sliders for both seats. I used the sliders on the driver's side but mounted the pass. side directly to the floor. There's already threaded places in the seat bottoms that bolts go directly into.

 

[Troy Truglio]

Allan. Amazing car. Great job and an inspiration. Ordering the seats today.

Edit
Trying to decide on microsuede or cloth center. Ugggg Decisions.

 

[Troy Truglio]

Just ordered Cipher. Looked on eBay and found they sell them there also. $329 shipped for the black cloth set with seats, sliders and hardware.

 

[Dave Lindemann]

They are comfortable, good padding for the back and seat bottom plus you can adjust the seat back.
They come with sliders for both seats. I used the sliders on the driver's side but mounted the pass. side directly to the floor. There's already threaded places in the seat bottoms that bolts go directly into.

Allan - VERY nice! Thanks for posting the pictures of the seats. I have to say that blue paint is really amazing!

I'm curious, it looks like you may have a different center console? If it is a custom console, do you know how the width compares with the RCR unit? Also, with the seat reclined that far have you had any issues with the bottom of the seat back causing discomfort on your lower back?

On another topic - does your car have the stock steering column? The only reason I ask (sorry for all of the questions) is that it looks like the wheel is actually in a comfortable position. I haven't hooked my column up to a battery yet but the wheel is really low, it may just be at the lowest tilt setting.

Regards,
Dave L

 

[Allan]

Allan - VERY nice! Thanks for posting the pictures of the seats. I have to say that blue paint is really amazing!

I'm curious, it looks like you may have a different center console? If it is a custom console, do you know how the width compares with the RCR unit? Also, with the seat reclined that far have you had any issues with the bottom of the seat back causing discomfort on your lower back?

On another topic - does your car have the stock steering column? The only reason I ask (sorry for all of the questions) is that it looks like the wheel is actually in a comfortable position. I haven't hooked my column up to a battery yet but the wheel is really low, it may just be at the lowest tilt setting.

Regards,
Dave L

Thanks Dave. The pictures make the seats look like they are reclined further back than they are but still there is enough clearance to unrecline them with the adjustment lever. My lower back doesn't bother me at all in the seats even though it does in other situations. There's good lumbar support in them.
I made a custom center console and it's basically the same width as the supplied one. I do have the stock column. It has a very wide tilt adjustment and you'll need to have it all the way down to get the dash in.
You can manually adjust it if you disconnect the flex shaft from the motor end and turn it. The tilt adjustment is on the right side of the column.
Hope that helps,
Allan

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Allan - Thanks for the info it definitely helps....now to read through your build thread again ;-)

Dave L

 

[Dave Lindemann]

I'll be trying one of these < Bucket Seats | NRG Innovations > this weekend. They also have reclining seats with similar dimensions. I'll be trying the racing seat for fit, finish and comfort.....

Dave L

Well, another aftermarket seat that won't fit. All dimensions are good except for the width of the headrest. No matter how I adjusted the seat mounting bracket (seat tilt) the headrest interfered with the door on the driver's side. I didn't bother trying the passenger side.

 

[Troy Truglio]

I got my Cipher seats. They are actually pretty good and you can not not like the price. The only issue I had was I ordered cloth black with silver stitching. Both bottoms are correct and one top, but the other top is black with red stitching and suede center. That one actually looks pretty good. Now I need to see how good the service is to fix it.

 

[Tom]

Dave,

If finding the right seats is difficult, and the NRGs are close and comfortable (and affordable), I'd think an upholstery shop could cut down the width of the headrest, modify, and recover with the same material.

Just an idea if this is becoming a time suck for you.

Tom

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Dave,

If finding the right seats is difficult, and the NRGs are close and comfortable (and affordable), I'd think an upholstery shop could cut down the width of the headrest, modify, and recover with the same material.

Just an idea if this is becoming a time suck for you.

Tom

Tom -

You're definitely right, the seats would be fairly easy to modify given that the shell is fiberglass and the upholstery is nothing special. I guess I've entered into a bit of a quest and I hope to find the seat that's "just right" given the special nature of the SLC.

The quest continues....

Dave L

 

[Schills]

Anybody think these would fit?

Bimarco Futura FIA Homologation Racing Bucked Individualize Seat Momo Sparco | eBay

Regards,

Colin

 

[Will Campbell]

I doubt it. Too wide, and too high unless you are munchkin-sized.

The SLC needs a very low, very narrow seat. Several builders have found that the Tillett seats work well, and, of course, the stock seats fit.

 

[Ruth]

It may sound blasphemous, but has anybody measured the seats in a Miata? My colleague was showing off her new Miata to me this morning, and in between thoughts of "just you wait" I found myself wondering if they'd fit. They look itty bitty.

Cheers,

Ruth

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Ruth - I haven't measured them but I looked at the seats in an older Miata and it appeared the seat bottom cushion/frame would be too tall. I haven't checked the seats in a new Miata.

Regards,
Dave L

 

[Ruth]

For consideration. The NRG seat measurements. Dave tried the FRP (I think). Maybe the RSC would work, but its not as nice looking.

http://new.getnrg.com/files/node_images/seat%20spec%20chart%20Master_0.jpg

 

[Ruth]

The Bride Stradia seats fit in the SL-C very well. It's how you would fit in the Bride seat that's the issue. They are very tight in the shoulder/rib area, perfect for aggresive track driving but not comfortable getting into and out of. They look great and fit the car's style but it's whether you'd be comfortable in them or not.
2 BRIDE STRADIA VERSION II LOW MAX BLACK RACING SEATS | eBay

FWIW. . . Having stared at the pictures for way too long, I'm now fairly certain that the Bride seat and the NRG reclinable racing seat are actually the same seat.

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Ruth - You are correct, it was the FRP (medium) that I tried. It wouldn't surprise me that the reclining NRG is similar (identical?) to the Bride seat. However, even if they look similar I would say the quality of a "true" Bride seat (made in Japan) would be significantly better than NRG. One of the challenges I've come across with seats is once they're ordered they're yours - no returns. One has to be very selective when purchasing.

Dave L

 

[Tom]

Unless it's for the passenger, or a car owned by a woman, it weirds me out to sit in a seat with big letters saying "Bride"!!!! :laugh:

 

[Ruth]

Mastercraft might be an option

MasterCraft Safety®: Performance Off-Road Suspension Race Seats

In the right color some look ok.

Did I interpret correctly that there is less room for a seat on the passenger side in the SLC than on the driver side? Why is that?

 

[Will Campbell]

Mastercraft might be an option

MasterCraft Safety®: Performance Off-Road Suspension Race Seats

In the right color some look ok.

Did I interpret correctly that there is less room for a seat on the passenger side in the SLC than on the driver side? Why is that?

Those seats all look like they are too high in the seat bottom unless you are short. You really need something like the stock seat, or the Tilletts (which put the occupant higher than the stock seats, but lower than most all others) to maximize headroom. If you and all of your friends and acquaintances are all 5' 8" or less, the universe of possible seats is much wider. But for taller people, the stock seats (or a similar design that places the seat bottom on the floor) are the ones to use to maximize headroom.

There is less width on the passenger side of the SLC because the center spine is offset 2" towards the center for the driver. Same for RHD and LHD cars.

BTW, race versions of the SLC can be specified with an additional 2" offset to further center the driver- that's the only chassis difference between the 01 and all other street SLC cars.