Can you fit the stock seat on new brackets?

[cheekychimp]

I realize that my driver's seat is on the wrong side to you guys but the principle should be the same. I scored a GVR4 specific Recaro seat slider from Japan a few weeks ago because I want to drop my seat an inch or two to give my 6'5" frame a bit more headroom. I don't mind losing the height adjustment on the stock seat but given that it is adjustable, can the base just be separated from the stock slider or not?

And if not, would a stock US passenger seat work for me and would I get away with just using the base or would I need the whole friggin' seat?

 

[mitsuturbo]

I had a little trouble following this, and see that nobody else has replied.
I wonder if you could maybe rephrase the question, or even provide pictures.

 

[cheekychimp]

Well I guess the answer will become obvious if I remove the seat I was just trying to get an idea before I did that.

The question basically is that the driver's seat has a mechanism on it to adjust seat height. I was told that because of that I cannot simply remove the stock seat from the stock slider and remount it on an aftermarket slider. I was just trying to ascertain why that would be.

 

[Muskrat]

It's only 5 bolts to take the seat out (4 for the seat, one to detach the seat belt). I'd say just pull one out and look. It only take a few minutes.

 

[cheekychimp]

Yeah like I said, I am basically being lazy because it is ridiculously hot out and humidity is way up there too. I'll take a look and report back.

 

[iceman69510]

Paul, this is a hard to question to answer accurately for US guys. Reason is, the US had different seat bases due to the fact that we had the passive restraint system because of no airbags. (US law at the time required some sort of automatic restraint in lieu of airbags to protect us, therefore we had the padded knee bolster and glove box, automatic seatbelts, etc. from 91 and up). Because of the auto seat belts, the US seat bases had the seat belt buckle attached to the seat base, not the body directly. I don't have familiarity with the non-US seats, but I know the mounting is different and that is why the Recaro bases made for non-US seats do not fit our cars.

Understandable?

 

[cheekychimp]

Very! I have to double check a lot of times when I do stuff on this car based upon things I have read on the forum. I picked up a set of non-ABS brake lines without thinking once which of course didn't fit. I was trying to avoid having to change the stock seats on this car and maybe at most just get them covered. It might not be possible, but I'm going to have a go!

 

[curtis]

Paul the seat bottom comes off but the steel bottom mechanics are part of the hinge mechanics of the back. After the bottom is removed you might be able to remove the tabs the bottom bolts to then lower the seat down by welding in pieces of metal on the 4 tabs. Not hard but need a welder and some time. As for hooking to seat brackets that could be done as well because the 4 little feet are rivited in I think. I've mounted so many different in so many different cars makes it hard to remember. But the galant bolt holes are in the floor and in different height positions and makes things a pain in the butt.

 

[misterfixit]

Paul the Base is the same on the height and non height adjustable seats. The frame itself supports the back, so you can't remove the frame and have the seat seat shaped.

What you could do is use a 1989 non gvr4 us passenger side seat frame, (only need the runners and under frame) Don't see how thats going to buy you the extra headroom though.

Rich

 

[cheekychimp]

^ No, I think doing that would defeat the object Rich. I'll just remove the seat and fit the new bracket and see if there is a way to attach the seat and reduce height. If not I guess I need to start looking for some comfortable front Recaros ... probably from a late EVO but I'd rather keep the VR4 seats if I can.

 

[RedTwo]

There is not much to be gained in hacking up the factory seats /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif The seat mounts are pretty much level with the slider bases. If you hack up the seat frame/cushion supports you could drop around 60mm before you hit the transverse seat mount/floor member.
Have you got the lever adjusted variable height drivers seat? In the lower positions (but not the lowest), and as the worlds tallest dwarf at 4'24", I have sufficient headroom to wear a helmet with some room to spare AND I have a ~25mm lower roof line than sedans. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[cheekychimp]

Thanks guys, that all makes sense. It would actually be nice to retain the height adjuster since if I do lower it my wife will no doubt complain that the seat is then too low for her.

Red, I'm actually 5" taller than you and part of my problem is I prefer to sit with the seat back very upright. The other issue is my legs catching under the steering wheel because the seat doesn't slide back far enough. I would think a 60mm drop would actually work quite well. It might even be possible to mount the seats a little bit further back on the brackets to give me more leg room. I just need to make sure if I do that, it still slides far enough forward for Shan to be able to reach the pedals.