First time seat set-up for Competition Coupes

Bob Woodhouse

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Frank Barba among others have some seat questions. Here is my experience:

On the drivers seat you will notice the seat does not face forward, it is pointed about 15 degrees outboard. This works but I prefer to be facing parallel with the axis of the car or slightly pointed inboard. If you remove and reinstall the driver seat you will find adjustment in the bracket to floor bolts that will allow you to reach at a minimum, parallel to the chassis centerline. Then get your best seating position with the floor to seat brackets using the bolts that attach to the seat. Once comfortable I found none of the other brackets, ie: the ones on the back and upper side near the window net, to be close at all. So the answer was to fabricate my own bracket for the backrest (photo if needed)then use lots of long bolts and shims to bring the side brace near the window net into position.

On the passenger seat, I ordered the large seat, then found you can't fit it in the car unless the fire-bottle is moved. So I unbolted the fire/battery tray and rotated in 90 degrees, not fun. Other solutions that don't come to mind right now should be considered. All of this is much easier if you are working on the car without the roof panel in place. As to mounating, I think the floor is adequate, you don't need to take the passenger as near to seeing God as you do yourself so the extra safety of a back brace should not be necessary. Also the roll cage is not designed to take a hit on that side with a passenger on board. So two sculptered angle iron in the fore-aft position gets the bracket mounts done, (photos if needed). Now for the belts. A 6 point I assume, you can dig the putty out of a number of the stock holes. I had to fabricate one floor anchor, that one uses the beam on the back side of the floor pan. Put a large washer on the back side. On the shoulder harness I went to the original SRT-10 bolt holes by cutting two small slits in the rear CC bulkhead. You may need to use a little fabrication of the brackets here. OK, put it all together, your done. Sorry about no pix. I don't know how to include them here.
 

JoeB

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Bob,
I wish you posted this 2 days ago. I probably would have copied your installation. I'm on my second day of work to duplicate the factory installation of the drivers seat. We used "C" channel that runs front to back and notched it into the floor brace to lower the seat position with holes drilled through the c chanel and nuts weld to the bottom, so the seat brackets can be bolted in.
I have 3-- 3/8" X 8" slits cut into the rear bulkhead for the seat-back/Belt braces to be installed.(the ones behind drivers seat with all the holes drilled in it)
We have the Fuel cell disconnected and moved back a foot to gain acess to weld the 3 brackets in place. All custom fabrication--each bracket has a different obstacal to go around. We have the roof off and it sure does help.
I could have done it a lot easier way, But when completed it will look better than the factory drivers side installation. When painted and complete-there will be about 20 hours in all.
The next one I could do it 8 hours--trial and error. I'm not completely comfortable in the drivers seat--well thats another day


Joe B
 

VOI9 ASP

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Dan Cragin and crew did a great job on my second seat installation. It looks like it was done at the factory (even better)! They also installed a protective plate to cover the fire bottle and battery area as the passenger climbs inside. He also added a few custom screens to stop debris from entering places they are not wanted at the front and sides of the car. An air deflector was installed under the hood air intake to better direct the air as it enters the hood scoop.
 

nitro

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Bob, can I get some pics of your beautiful competition coupe? :D Nice lawnmower you have in your avatar. :eek:
 

FrankBarba

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Still looking for seat installation help. I have been seraching since mid July for someone to install this seat for me correctly. Needs fabrication. Have found no one in my area to do it yet.
 

viperbuild

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Its time consuming to fabricate the seat. The battery and firebottle was put there not really thinking of a passenger seat. It was great to test the fire system for the first time on a mock up CC. It was a mess to clean up.

Hemidaytna,
You might have to take the car out of state to someone whoo can do the work. Maybe call someone at the factory and see if they can do it or pay someone to come to you and do the work.

Viperbuild
 

Russ Oasis

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Hemidaytna,
Tom Sessions is probably closest to you. He's in North Carolina and often posts on these pages. He is certainly qualified to put the passenger seat in.
 

FrankBarba

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It is not the passenger seat. It is the driver's seat. Car has been sitting for 4 months with no help in site. If i can not find help getting the drivers seat to fit, then i know down the road i will have trouble finding others to work on the car for me. I have put the car up for sale and have a pending offer. I appreciate all the help i have gotten from you racers, Tom Francis, & Eric Petersen. I have come to the realization that i have not found a crew chief, crew or on hands help of any kind. This car would be too much for me to handle myself. So i have to let her go to someone that can appreciate the vehicle more than i can at this time.
 
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