SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

Got some time to put the seat in last Sat. Thanks to some searching and info I collected on here, it went pretty smooth.

It's a Kirkey pro 18" hip with the black tweed cover. Picked up a set of seat brackets from Racecraft inc. and a back brace from I/O Port Racing to ease installation and minimize fabrication.

The seat brackets worked great. They're typically made for a 17" hip but they supply (for an additional $10.00) four 1/2" aluminum spacers and 4 longer bolts to accomodate the 18" seat. They also make brackets for the passenger side.

I set the brackets to the last hole in the adjustments but it just wasn't quite enough. The door bar hit (Wolfe bar with low slung bars) and it was just to close for me (6'-4" @ 265 lbs). The 17" hip would probably just sneak past the door bar.

The position I needed interfered with the snap button for the cover as well as hitting the rolled edge on the front of the seat.
A little bit of notching on the bracket took care of that.
Set the seat in place drilled 4 holes and bolted the seat to the bracket.

Next was the back brace. It's pretty straightforward. Clamps to the roll bar and the pipe slides back and forth to where you need it. Just need to bend the bracket to the seats shape, position everything, tighten down the clamp, drill 2 holes in the bracket and seat and 1 hole in the pipe. Bolt/pin and your done.

The shoulder harness wraps on the roll bar. The lap belts are bolted in the stock position but the holes in the belt mounts need to be enlarged to 9/16" in order to work with the shoulder on the stock bolts. The sub belt is bolted to the floor just in front of the back seat floor grommet.

The last thing I did was bend the seat out around my thighs to where it felt comfortable. With this set-up you do end up sitting 2" - 2 1/2" lower than in the stock seat. A spacer between the seat bottom and bracket could easily raise it up to overcome some of the difference if its a problem. There's plenty of room on the bracket to accomodate it.

As far as weight goes, it's about 15lb savings after all the braces,brackets,harness, and seat cover. Probably add another pound or 2 once I pull the stock belt/retractor. I may also chop off the extra length of pipe on the back brace. It might just come out to a pound. Swiss cheesing the seat has crossed my mind as well. Maybe another pound. So another 4lbs for a total of 19lbs if I do all that.



Stock power seat...........41lbs
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Kirkey...........................12lbs
Seat cover......................3lbs
5 point harness...............5lbs
Seat brackets/brace.......6lbs

SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

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SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

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jetlag

iTrader: (32)

Good thread...looks just like my install.

The IOPort brace is really nice, but be sure to replace that quick release pin with a bolt.

IGNANt

iTrader: (15)

subscribed! thanks for making my build a little more easier!

LS1 SPEED

iTrader: (22)

looks good

Z-RATED94

iTrader: (6)

Nice, and thank you. I'll be doing the same set-up in a month or so. Could you tell me where to purchase the back brace from? Thanks

kp

iTrader: (34)

Looks familiar here as well

I have the 17" Kirkeys and went with the genuine imitation leather covers (vinyl) covers. The brackets and I/O port brace makes putting a kirkey in one of these a breeze. I have had this I/O port bracket on several cars, looks like the new ones are unpainted stainless, looks a lot better than mine since its pretty scratched up.

SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

I got it from I/O Port Racing. If you type it into your browser or google it, it'll come up.

Z-RATED94

iTrader: (6)

Thanks, I was just wondering if one of the sponsers could hook me up.

ping2day

iTrader: (5)

Thankyou very much. That is perfect for me. That is the same setup i will be using. The brackets should be here from Madman any day and i will get started. Still have to order the I/Oport Brace (a bit expensive but nice). I am also waiting for my roll bar from Wolf, bolt in type for now. I assume i should install that first, then belts and lightweight carpet then seat.

jetlag

iTrader: (32)

Have you asked around shop to see about a custom chromoly 6pt?

I sold a mild steel bolt in Wolfe rollbar and got a shop to weld in a chromoly one...the price difference was only $50 more.

SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

I would do the bar, carpet, and seat first. If you do the belts before the seat, they'll just get in the way while your trying to fit the seat where you need it.

ping2day

iTrader: (5)

Thanks, i did get the CM bolt in from Wolfe, I will bolt it in for now. A firefighter i work with is a professional welder also i will have him weld it in when we can schedule it in. I'm sure you saved me some time with your post thanks again.

calongo_SS

iTrader: (7)

That brace is nice but it's a little expensive. Still it's probably not much more than it would cost to have someone fab something. I'll probably get one of those when I do this.

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

Actually you can use the back 2 studs to sit the seat on, and jsut put a coule washers on the studs and grind the bolts a little, and you don't even know the bolts are there. Attach the seat to the rollbar ( I'd do it with a solid bar welded to the cage that comes to the seat) and you're done.

Cheaper, and will save the weight of the seat brackets. Helps keep your head off the rollbar too.

SSmokin 01

iTrader: (14)

Another note I forgot is you do end up sitting 2" - 2 1/2" lower than in the stock seat. A spacer between the seat bottom and bracket could easily raise it up to overcome some of that difference if its a problem. There's plenty of room on the bracket to accomodate it.

ping2day

iTrader: (5)

I think i will be fine as i test fit just the seat yesterday on the stock studs and it should be fine if the brackets raise it up a couple of inches.

ping2day

iTrader: (5)

I just got my seat in last night. Those brackets are a real time saver. They fit great, i just had to put the bushing and washer on the outside bracket to get my seat to move inboard as much as possible. I had to put it inside to fit the 16 inch seat in. I test fit the seat in the car and it is great. Now the roll bar bolt in CM for now.

Beaflag VonRathburg

iTrader: (176)

That looks like a nice setup. The IO brace looks nice because you can position it where ever you want. I could see that being used with an adjustable setup.