Racing seats for a daily driver?
Racing seats for a daily driver? Being a newbie, I did my search on these forums and didn't find a thread that addressed this topic, so here goes:
My '97 TransAm is my eighth lifetime vehicle (my first was a '76 TransAm). Of all the cars and trucks I have owned, none have been so uncomfortable as my current! The seats themselves are very comfortable, but because of my stature, the seatbelt cuts right in to the side of my neck. I've tried an adjuster (designed for children!), and the thing works for about five minutes, until it migrates down and over; after that, it's just another extra piece of something pressing against my body for no reason. I've also got one of those seat belt wrap around cushion things, but it just makes the "cutting in to the neck" more of a "pressing in to the neck." Besides that, it also constantly migrates and need to be adjusted.
So... I started looking around at seat replacements, and found several nice racing style seats with lots of support and good looking materials. I'm thinking a pair of these for the front with four point belts would solve the problem. I'm not worried about keeping it stock since I'm keeping it for myself. My wife has said she ain't wearin' a five point, so the four point harness is what I would get.
Is this dumb? Are most of you guys going to laugh at me if I do this? Has anybody else done this for their daily driver? Will these seats send me subliminal messages to race? Does anybody want some nice dark graphite leather firebird seats? (wait; don't answer that last one; I'm still a Padawan and can't sell yet).
Thanks in advance for the seasoned commentary!
addendum for non-nerds:
Padawan (pă'də-wän)
1 A Jedi pupil or student, or broadly used as anyone that is learning
My '97 TransAm is my eighth lifetime vehicle (my first was a '76 TransAm). Of all the cars and trucks I have owned, none have been so uncomfortable as my current! The seats themselves are very comfortable, but because of my stature, the seatbelt cuts right in to the side of my neck. I've tried an adjuster (designed for children!), and the thing works for about five minutes, until it migrates down and over; after that, it's just another extra piece of something pressing against my body for no reason. I've also got one of those seat belt wrap around cushion things, but it just makes the "cutting in to the neck" more of a "pressing in to the neck." Besides that, it also constantly migrates and need to be adjusted.
So... I started looking around at seat replacements, and found several nice racing style seats with lots of support and good looking materials. I'm thinking a pair of these for the front with four point belts would solve the problem. I'm not worried about keeping it stock since I'm keeping it for myself. My wife has said she ain't wearin' a five point, so the four point harness is what I would get.
Is this dumb? Are most of you guys going to laugh at me if I do this? Has anybody else done this for their daily driver? Will these seats send me subliminal messages to race? Does anybody want some nice dark graphite leather firebird seats? (wait; don't answer that last one; I'm still a Padawan and can't sell yet).
Thanks in advance for the seasoned commentary!
addendum for non-nerds:
Padawan (pă'də-wän)
1 A Jedi pupil or student, or broadly used as anyone that is learning
People go for racing seats for their DDs all the time. I personally like the look of both the Corbeau CR1s and the LG1s. I'm a fat guy so a normal racing seat wouldn't fit me good if at all. They make those both in the wide versions which I believe would fit okay. They are lighter than stock (I believe 30-33 pounds each) and also available in leather which I would prefer.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Manteca, CA
I'm not sure how comfortable the racing seats are, but if you're worried about comfort, which it sounds like you are for a DD, I'd make sure the seats are comfortable to sit in. One thing I remembered about my dad's '02 SS was I liked the seats...then I bought a 2006 GTO and hated the seats in his SS after that! I'd make sure to sit in some if possible but might not be readily available. Maybe check out the manufacture sites and see of local vendors to possibly test them out and just look, then find your deal wherever you were planning. Good luck and let us know what you find and/or go with for your DD!
I'm not sure how comfortable the racing seats are, but if you're worried about comfort, which it sounds like you are for a DD, I'd make sure the seats are comfortable to sit in. One thing I remembered about my dad's '02 SS was I liked the seats...then I bought a 2006 GTO and hated the seats in his SS after that! I'd make sure to sit in some if possible but might not be readily available. Maybe check out the manufacture sites and see of local vendors to possibly test them out and just look, then find your deal wherever you were planning. Good luck and let us know what you find and/or go with for your DD!
On The Tree
iTrader: (11)
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Edgewater FL. but, Jersey for life!
my friends 2006 gto had the best seats i've ever sat in. i've seen gto seats put into our cars but it seemed like alot of work and they sat high...that being said...i have 6LE seats and i love them....
Trending Topics
I have Corbeau seats in mine, they're an older style so I don't know the exact type, but they're miles better than the stock seats, and don't look out of place.
Using stock seat belt through the harness hole.
Using stock seat belt through the harness hole.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo That should keep it legal. From the bit of reading I've done, one thing that's needed for street legal restraints is a quick release.
Reading this makes me very glad that I live where the police have better things to do than pull you over for wearing the wrong seatbelt..... thats just ridiculous. Half the other drivers I see don't have their seatbelts on at all.
P.S. The force is strong with Corbeau LG1's.
P.S. The force is strong with Corbeau LG1's.
That's typical government stupidity. The whole reason I started looking at racing seats in the first place is the factory restraints don't fit me!
Yeah! I've been looking at their website, and they've got some cool stuff. They even sell fabric so you can make your rear seats match!
I'm going to get to the bottom of the street legal thing. Both Schroth and Corbeau have restraints on their websites that are supposed to be OK for street use...???
I'm going to get to the bottom of the street legal thing. Both Schroth and Corbeau have restraints on their websites that are supposed to be OK for street use...???
Reading this makes me very glad that I live where the police have better things to do than pull you over for wearing the wrong seatbelt..... thats just ridiculous. Half the other drivers I see don't have their seatbelts on at all.
P.S. The force is strong with Corbeau LG1's.
P.S. The force is strong with Corbeau LG1's.
I live in one of the most strict counties in the U.S (Williamson county...TX) and I've never worried about my 4 point harness with my racing seats. Naturally I get pulled over just as much as the rest of you. I have never been hassled for my seat belts. In fact, my car passes the safety and emissions testing here every year. As long as you have a lap belt, you are good to go and well, a 4 point harness has that and some.
BTW, racing seats are comfortable as hell if you get nice ones and aren't a fat ***.
BTW, racing seats are comfortable as hell if you get nice ones and aren't a fat ***.
but if you get pulled over for something else you are FUBAR
Great discussion! After the legality issues came up in yesterday's posts, I looked at some more of those seat belt adjusters for kids and smaller adults (I'm 5'7"). I was not looking forward to trying a whole bunch of clips and other contraptions that are large and uncomfortable.
I'm going to get some new seats!!!
I'm going to get some new seats!!!
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Manteca, CA
Yeah I remember seeing on here not too long ago at least one person installed the GTO seats...don't remember where but I'm sure there's more than one post to reference. I'm sure you'd have to fab up a bracket of some kind, but I have also heard the seats sit taller in our cars than in the GTOs! From experience in both cars, it makes sense since the seats are closer to the floors in the f-body and the GTO had more leg room and head room...I'm 6'2"...let me know if you retro fit and how!!! Haha
I have CR1s in the el camino and A4s in the vette.
Love them both. Go for the double locking sliders.
I have been driving my vetter with 4 pt harness for 7 years now with NEVER a mention from a cop. Texas rocks.
Love them both. Go for the double locking sliders.
I have been driving my vetter with 4 pt harness for 7 years now with NEVER a mention from a cop. Texas rocks.
Launching!
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
From: Honey Brook, Pa.
Where are you going to attach the 4pt harness(the shoulder straps)?? I don't think they're long enough to mount to the floor and thats not the correct way besides. Just thought I'd bring this up in the planning stage!! Good Luck!
