Fitting Race seats in an Impreza

Rustybin · Post by **Rustybin** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:07 am

I am struggling to fit some race seats (Sparco Sprint 5) to my 99 Impreza. The car is used for trackdays and this year will be used for some sprinting so the mounting needs to be MSA scrutineer freindly i.e. side mounted and fixed (not on runners). Being a tad on the tall side I also need to try and move my brain down away from the roll cage as much as possible. The problem is the mounting points for the original seats mean that the usual side mounts bolted through the floor trick wont work. Anyone been here before and solved the problem?

Great site incidentally, nice to come across proper enthusiasts doing what cars are for (and vaguely responsibly

)

stockcar · Post by **stockcar** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:58 pm

depends on how permanent you want it..............

we normally remove the old seat frame supports and weld in new cross braces

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:27 pm

I sprinted all last year with runners on my Corbeau seats and not a problem with scrutineering.

Where will you be sprinting your car? A number of us are entered in AEMC & JISC champs that cover eastern counties mostly. I'm inBeds. and there are others in Cambs. Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, so all quite local.

Go say hello in the newbs section then take a look in the Sprint section. Be good to see you at some events this season.

Rustybin · Post by **Rustybin** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:52 am

Thanks for the tips guys. I managed to get to speak to a scrutineer at Race Retro on friday who confirmed that if they were solid then at MSA level they were pretty happy and gave me a few ideas as to ways of solving the problem. Luckily he was a fellow Impreza wagoneer and so new the problem.

Gerry H wrote:Where will you be sprinting your car? A number of us are entered in AEMC & JISC champs that cover eastern counties mostly. I'm inBeds. and there are others in Cambs. Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, so all quite local.

Go say hello in the newbs section then take a look in the Sprint section. Be good to see you at some events this season.

I'm registered with the HSA this year so mainly Midlands and west, hopefully taking in Curborough, Prescott, Gurston Down and Shelsley.

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:14 am

When you say 'solid' do you mean non-adjustable?

Those venues are mostly hill climbs. I did Curborough long, last year and enjoyed it. Love the timings you get, 60ft. Straight speed trap, etc. Never done the others but would like to give them a go. Let us know how you get on.

Rustybin · Post by **Rustybin** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:36 pm

The whole thing seems rather loosely defined to be honest. His view seemed to be that as long as it was a seat and subframe (on runners or otherwise) pairing from a recognised manufacturer or the original seat you would be fine. If one were to DIY then the Blue Book regs would apply regarding spreaders etc if you did not use the original mounting points. Broadly good engineering practice would be required but as long as it didn't look too bodged and withstood a bloody good shake one would probably be fine. I was inadvertently trying to aim for FIA compliance which is obviously a rather higher target and does exclude moving frames and adjustable backs etc.

His suggestion for mine was to use the bottom mounts and bolt through the floorpan with a spreader on the outside and through a box section via a shrouding tube. Unfortunately due to my being easily distracted the floor pan is currently full of bits of air con, air bag and the ECU at the moment so it is difficult to measure up and see if this will work.

Gerry H · Post by **Gerry H** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:51 pm

Sounds far too complicated for me. My seat rails pick up on the OE mounting points and no scrutineer has even commented on them, so I'll just keep quiet.

It seems to mostly boil down to common sense and good engineering practice.

Tk · Post by Tk » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:50 pm

these look alright and am tempted my them myself as there large size :lol: might have to go see him and see if i can squeeze into them
im sure the rails would be fine for scruts http://bbs.scoobynet.com/private-sale-g ... ounts.html

Mr Fletcher · Post by **Mr Fletcher** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:18 pm

trevor if you don't need them both i will have one of them ,let me know if you don't buy them please .

cheers

jason

Tk · Post by Tk » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:40 pm

i have sent him a pm on s/nett he is going away for easter but can go look monday if i want, i should be spending the cash on an ecu really but these have come up and very tempted