Bucket seat Subframes? How low?
Turbo Mini Forums

Hey, was just wondering what kind of subframes you guys use with your bucket seats? You can get ones that mount to the original points or you can get ones bolt to the floor behind the cross member? Now i like the seat to be nice and low as i have seen minis where the seat is really high and it looks a bit overloaded inside.

Any idea what i should get? Piccies of your interiors would be welcome.

Many thanks.

James.

Hi,
I've seen one Mini where the guy had halved the height of the box section in the middle to lower the seat.
That way you can get the seat lower without sitting too far back and not loose the strength in the floor.
Cheers,
Gavin :)

Edited by Bat on 27th Apr, 2007.

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mine are attached to tube that runs front to back attached to the cage and box section across the floor. and also welded along their length down the tunnel and inner sill.

they mount just behind the front box section/cross member so basically are on the floor but the mounts have various holes for adjustment.

Well i take it theres quite a few ways of mounting them.

Im just looking for what subframes are best to get? Because there are ones that mount over the crossbar and go onto the original mounts, or completely new ones that mount the seat behind the cross bar on four bolts into the floor?

the ones that mount behind i think are better and stronger if correctly installed.

plus they get the seat a lot lower.

My seats use side mounts, which are basically an L-shaped plate that goes up the side and then bolts to the floor (cage in my case).

Just make sure you sufficiently strengthen the areas where you bolt the seat through.

Cool, i think im going to go for them then if they get the seat lower. Would they be the universal ones? As it seems the tailored ones go to the original mounts?

Ah, sounds quite cool actually.

Yeah, iv been told to do that. Will reinforce it somehow.

Got drawings for sparco side mounted brackets if anyone wants them. :)

side mounts is the way to go.

although sparco sprints are nice seats and cheap, bottom mount but you can figure it out i'm sure. dont worry about missing out the original mounts though!!!!

Yeah, its seems it cos you can adjust the angle too.

I really want Cobra Imolas but im going to get a set of Monacos for now til i can afford imolas. Should do the trick for the time being.

I have no choice but to mount above the crossmember ...... no the tallest person in the world (5'7")! I have modified the crossmember in the past to put two grooves in to allow seat runners to sit lower, box it all in and it works ok.

I would really like to side mount the seats in my track car but short of repositioning the crossmember I'm not sure how I can do that .... any other ideas?

Edited by RogerM on 28th Apr, 2007.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Hehe, im the about that height, maybe taller so it wouldn't be a good idea to have the seat to far back but my mates seemed fine. Because you are lower it makes it easier to be further back i think.

Hmm, im not sure about that apart from modifying the cross member which i cant say i would like to do.

Rob, get back to the soldering station mate .... leave these sorts of discussions to the (not so) grown ups ....

Seriously though I was looking at the seating positions the other weekend when mocking up the Meastro column. Came to the conclusion I am going to have to shorten the column or else it will be through my chest and I'll have to steer from behind the seat!!!

You don't want straight arms on a track biased car as it limits how fast you can wind the lock on when you get it out of shape ..... then again with your driving Rob there will be plenty of time to catch the spin ... they don't happen very fast at 15 MPH :) ONly kidding bud.

That said when ever I drive my bosses car I have to move theseat back to get comfy and he is 6' at least! Strange isn't it.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Hi,
Roger ... Height and leg length aren't in any sort of ratio. You can be tall with shorter legs, or short with longer legs
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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I'm 5,11 6ft....but I drive quite close to the wheel. Hate that Ford Capri stretched style! Its a mini...not a Formula Ford! You adapt surely?