miatagiraffe
miatagiraffe None
6/18/13 10:28 a.m.

I have a predicament. I picked up a 99 miata this past weekend (3rd one in the family) and am setting it up for autocross. One obstacle is it has stock seats and I'm 6'4"... I knew I'd have to change the seats from day one.

I'm looking to be as far back and low as possible, I don't need sliders either. I'm looking for a little comfort since I will be driving to events and on weekends. What seats should I look at to do this?

My father (and co-driver) is really hopped up on the Marrad Miata seats but at $900 each that's beyond my budget.

I've looked at Sparco Sprint V's and Corbeau Forza's but I'm not 100% sure what will fit and if they will be low enough. I don't have a roll bar to worry about yet (I'll cross that bridge when I get there).

Please help.

DeadSkunk
DeadSkunk SuperDork
6/18/13 10:59 a.m.

Look at an aluminum seat , like a Kirkey and add cushions for the drive. Take 'em out to lower yourself for the autocross. I'm only 5'10", but long in the torso and I used an aluminum seat bolted directly to the floor of my SpecMiata to keep my helmeted head low enough not to rub the hardtop.

EvanB
EvanB GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
6/18/13 11:06 a.m.

Lotus Elise/exige seats bolted straight to the floor?

Turboeric
Turboeric GRM+ Memberand New Reader
6/18/13 11:28 a.m.

There are a huge number of threads on miata.net on this exact problem, and there are a few solutions out there ('though none of them are miracle cures). Most involve removing the rear hump that the stock seats bolt to.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/18/13 11:43 a.m.

I've tried the Marrad seats. I found them to be unexceptional.

Get a seat that's comfortable for you. Remove the humps on the floor and bolt it in with side mounts. Investigate replacing the bottom cushion with Confor blue foam.

miatagiraffe
miatagiraffe New Reader
6/18/13 11:44 a.m.

I've also got a 36" waist, just to further complicate things. I have to use the OE mounting holes per the rules of my class.

Jaynen
Jaynen Dork
6/18/13 1:14 p.m.

Sad thing is I am using an airhawk buttpad in my bride seats. The bride pad is too thick and puts my knees into the steering wheel and too close to the rollbar. Airhawk is well known in the cruiser community for long distance motorcycle riding. Just toss one into a aluminum seat

redstack
redstack Reader
6/18/13 3:50 p.m.

spec miata seat, a 16" - 16.5 without hammer work, will fit. On miata.net they have a good set of photos of using flat bar to bolt the seats in the stock holes. Then if possible, smaller wheel with an extension that brings it closer to you and frees up your knees. That's the hot set up in CSP for my tall friends.

SnowMongoose
SnowMongoose Reader
6/18/13 3:59 p.m.

I've got a Corbeau FX1 mounted on memoryfab low rails in my 95.
In addition, I cut the 'feet' off of the seat as seen on the Targa Miata, removed the rear humps, bent the back 'feet' of the rails so they'd be flat to the floor, and bolted that rear through the floor.
Phew.

I'm 6'3'' and mostly torso, when I take out the 'butt cushion' I sit pretty low, getting any lower will require cutting more off the bottom of the seat.
Main issue I'm running into now is undoing the left side hardtop latch, it's doable but really tight.
(side of the seat runs up against the tranny tunnel, I need to massage the tunnel a bit to get enough room forward to clear the latch)

unevolved
unevolved Dork
6/18/13 4:31 p.m.

Definitely an aluminum Spec Miata seat, preferably one without the shoulder bolsters. With one of those down and back all the way, it'll be quite comfortable.

miatagiraffe
miatagiraffe New Reader
6/18/13 5:23 p.m.
redstack wrote: spec miata seat, a 16" - 16.5 without hammer work, will fit. On miata.net they have a good set of photos of using flat bar to bolt the seats in the stock holes. Then if possible, smaller wheel with an extension that brings it closer to you and frees up your knees. That's the hot set up in CSP for my tall friends.

Can't change the steering wheel because of integrated airbag (at least its a nardi!) but an aluminum spec miata seat with a cushion if I need it seems like the way to go. Now I've just got to convince my father.

Thanks guys!

toddk
toddk New Reader
6/18/13 7:41 p.m.

Get a big seat and make two sets of cushions. Use the spray foam in a trash bag trick to get a good fit. I did an enduro in a Miata with a girl that was 4-11 and 103 pounds. Lets just say I'm bigger than that. Swapped cushions with each driver change.

CarKid1989
CarKid1989 SuperDork
6/18/13 7:50 p.m.

next miata i do up will have floor mounted stock seats. I kinda mocked it up when i had my old miata and i fit great, lots of room and much lower and ill have a hard time seeing out. haha i am 6ft 3in 193lbs

codrus
codrus GRM+ Memberand Reader
6/18/13 8:42 p.m.

I like the Recaro Pole Positions that I have in my Miata, they're cheaper than those Marrads, but not by a lot. Around $700 each, I think.

thestig99
thestig99 HalfDork
6/18/13 9:16 p.m.

6'3" NA Miata owning friend has a Kirkey bolted to the floor then cut and re-welded the pedals further away.

I'm 5'8" and I can barely drive it. Can't see over the dash, can't reach WOT. The door line is ABOVE my shoulder. In a MIATA. WTF.

YMMV

KazeSpec
KazeSpec New Reader
6/19/13 2:19 a.m.

If you have to use the factory humps, get a PCI v2 seat mount.

Ian F
Ian F PowerDork
6/19/13 7:04 a.m.

In reply to miatagiraffe:

Coincidence?

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/ultrashield-spec-miata-seat/65879/page1/

(NMNA... )

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