Just had my first weekend at the track (VIR) with Tar Heal Sports Car Club. First time in a car with helmet. Had a real issue with my head on the headliner, when looking out the side window was really annoying. I am 6'2 (longer torso than some I guess) with a bell BR-1 helmet, was not as bad in a fellow drivers GFORCE helmet but still hitting. Tried seat forward and leaning seat back but not enough. Something about driving around a track with head on roof and no additional roll over protection limited my uphill S's speed a tad!!

I have the non electric seats and no sunroof.

I am going to install race seats and roll bar for next event but want to lower the seat height.

We have full fabrication equipment here at work (lasers, press brakes etc.) and will have one of our engineers design our own brackets and would like to get some input before doing this as we could make as many as needed for forum members and fellow RX-8 owners. having slides would be a bonus as we have a few guys that may drive the car. We made some for our spec miata that worked out great for the aluminum seat we bolted in.

Any suggestions or input would be great.

As far as the first time on a track (no autocross or any other experience on four wheels) it was awsome. Was really impressed with the car. All stock with exception of Wildwood brake fluid and hawk performance street pads).

Thanks.

 

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/roll-bar-racing-seat-install-117063/


Are you sure the seat is cranked down the entire way? Try sliding the seat all the way back and sitting upright as much as possible in terms of incline with the height adjustment fully pumped down. I'm 3.5" shorter than you, but i don't feel anywhere as constrainted as what you're describing.

 

I have tried every possible position. If I where 1" shorter I would not have the issue. Will take another look but several people checked the seat to make sure it was all the way down.

 

the key is custom side brackets and/or floor mounts

here is some info on how I did it using Recaro PP seats and sliders. Sorry it's not completed yet, just haven't had the time. The key is to get the bottom rear of the seat about even with the OE seat's floor mount bracket height (where they meet the OE sliders). This will buy you several inches of head clearance from the roof over the OE seats.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-recaro-pole-position-seats-sliders-137133/

I cut the OE mounting brackets loose from the OE sliders and re-used them on the Recaro sliders. I figure you'll probably skip the sliders

 

Thanks for the info, we'll take a look. What size person will these seats accommodate? I use a 17" wide aluminum seat in the spec miata we just built.

 

the p-sser is that I also bought the Recaro $$$ aluminum side brackets as shown and they don't let the seat bottom sit below the bracket mounting plane as shown.

It became a moot point after they changed our class rules to require a 25 lb minimum combined weight for the seat and mounts. I built a set of polished 10 Ga stainless steel side brackets which along with the sliders helped make that weight limit.

I still have those AL side brackets laying around if anyone is interested in them.

 

Anyone tried the memory fab seats?

 

you still have the same mounting issue to get them as low as possible for the maximum headroom

you will have the same issue using the Wedge Engineering seat mount bracket

 

We will make our own bracket that should give us the lowest possible mount height.

Now looking to select the seats. Are the memory fab seats a good value?

 

You may want to make some extra brackets. Afew of here may want them. Maybe me too.

 

Will make as many as needed!! If anyone close to Pinehurst NC has a race seat they need a bracket for let me know we would be happy to design and fabricate you a set at no charge just to nail down the design. Goal would be to make it work for as many seats as possible.

 

There's really no substitute for a good seat retailer. I went to Sube Sports in Huntington Beach. I walked in, they looked at me, and told me which seat would be the most comfortable. I tried all the rest, and they were right. 65k miles later, I still love those seats in my Bimmer.

You can also go to a show like SEMA or PRI and try them all.

 

I'd be interested in brackets too. Would they be generic and useable with any brand of seat? I'm also wanting something that would lower the seating position significantly.

Seat height seems to be a pretty common issue on this board. Something that worked would probably do us all a big favor. I'm sure most of us would be happy to compensate you for your time and materials.

 

Just purchased pole position seats from Teamrx8 and brackets are with them. We will take a look when we install these seats. We will make some that would work for as many seats as possible. I am not sure if we can lower the stock seat but will check it all out when everything arrives.

 

That setup will likely accomodate most any side-mount seat by simply locating the seat mounting holes as required in the side brackets along with spacers between the seat and side brackets.

Changing the height of the OE seats is not going to be feasible once you see how they're put together. It's not really possible to alter the height except to reduce the thickness of the lower seat cushion material.