Arif Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) I've been looking at how others have installed their s2000 seats in thier Zs. As discussed before, the transmission tunnel is too wide to mount the seats with their rails on the 280Z. I didn't want to bash my transmission tunnel in order to get them to fit and I couldn't find a local shop that was interested in welding the brackets like misterz's old s2000 seats. So I headed to home depot and bought metal stock that were 3/16" thick (the others were too thin and flexed easily), 1 1/2" wide and 36" in length. I also bought some nuts and bolts. The seats I'll be installing. Still need to be cleaned after grinding off the rivets holding the brackets to the rails Here's the brackets after the rails have been cut off Here's the rails that were cut off. I won't be using them because I plan to use the stock frame rails These are the metal stock I got from home depot that I'll be using to mount the brackets to the stock frame rails Since I'm removing my Miata seats I'll be heading to the pick and pull to grab a set of stock frame rails. Then I'll bend the metal stock, drill the necessary holes and bolt the seats in. Stay tuned. Edited August 18, 2011 by Arif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvincent Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Arif, there is an S2000 seat install in the 280Z swap list here: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/88301-280z-seat-swap-list/ We all would be interested to see how your install goes, Perhaps you can post to the 280Z seat swap list thread with a link to your thread? Thanks, Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 I went over to a friends house to bend the metal on his vise. Here is what they look like: Once the metal was cut I bolted them to the stock frame rails: Here is the metal bolted to the seat bracket: The finished product: After finishing the driver's seat I've accomplished my original goal of installing the S2000 seats without bashing the transmission tunnel or welding(used locktite). The process was simple just a lot of measuring, drilling and putting the seat in and out to test fit them. I anticipate the passenger seat will go a lot faster since the measurements are close and I know what I'm doing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wedge Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Great write up thank you ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Thanks Wedge. I took it out for a ride and I'm definitely sitting up higher than the miata seats. They are more supportive and comfortable though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZmattZ Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 good write up. looks so funny seeing those seats in there after having 2 s2ks. i miss them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 After I came across this thread I decided to go with S2000 seats over Miata seats. Did you get your passenger seat installed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 DuoWing, The passenger seat was a lot easier to install. There's more room on the passenger side so there's less critical measurements needed. If you need pictures let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Unfortunately my passenger seat came first, so I'll be installing that this weekend to see how it goes. What did you have to do for cutting the rails off? Also I'm assuming since you used the stock frame rails you just removed the S2000 seatbelt connector and used the Z one? I gotta say these seats feel really nice and hold you really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 I used a drill with a cut off wheel. I think I went through 2 or 3 discs before I got the rails off the seats. It goes easier if you cut off the rivets that attach the rails to the frame of the seats. After the head is cut off of the rivets I just used a hammer and screwdriver to push the rest of it out. I'm assuming you talking about the connector that the seat belt clicks into. My S2000 seats didn't come with seat belt connectors so I used the stock ones. They are so comfortable after you get used to the higher seating position. BTW My driver's side armrest is pushing into the seat when the door is closed. I think I'm going to remove the armrest and cut about 1/2 off of it and reinstall it. The seat belt guide on the side of the seat also rubs so I'm going to cut part of that so it clears. Good luck installing them. You won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I'm hoping to have time to install these this weekend. I'm wondering how these compare to installing something like the Corbeau racing buckets. I know those supposedly leave you sitting higher as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 One more question, I can't tell from your pic, did you just cut off most of that slide adjustment handle on the bottom of the S2000 seats? I also finished removing the rails from my driver's seat. Is kind of a pain. Basically I just completely removed the seat bracket/rails from my seat, drilled pretty far through the rivets, then using vice grips crushed the one end until it pretty much twisted off, then I was able to then hammer the crap out of the rivets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Yeah I used the disc to cut off the handle right before it goes through the guide. It's not in way because the stock rails has the handle on the other side. Which reminds me I need to wrap mine in tape so someone doesn't cut themselves on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I made my brackets stupidly. I made the brackets to fit the seat first just using your pictures as reference, the way I ended up bending my metal it came out sitting up a bit higher than yours did. Maybe a half inch to 3/4 of an inch higher than your seat sits, but because of the way I did it my seat actually just clears that hump in the transmission tunnel so my seat is centered, actually when I measured it it sits slightly closer to the trans tunnel than it does to the door, but my arm rest and seatbelt guide do not rub. So it's a tradeoff. Just a little bit higher seating position or you go a little lower, but have to mount it more off center towards the door. It'll take a little getting used to, but man the seat feels so good for driving position, and holding you in I think it'll completely be worth it. Now I need to go finish up the passenger seat's bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanLA Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) Here is the metal bolted to the seat bracket: Once the metal was cut I bolted them to the stock frame rails: My brackets have holes for the seats on the top on the left and side on the right. My car had Z31 seats in it though. Are mine not the stock seat brackets or did you drill holes in the top of the right one? Edited January 20, 2012 by RomanLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 The stock s30 brackets have holes on the sliders front and back. It sounds like you've got sliders/brackets for the Z31 or a custom job. Do you have any pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanLA Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) The stock s30 brackets have holes on the sliders front and back. It sounds like you've got sliders/brackets for the Z31 or a custom job. Do you have any pics? I'm kinda thinking they're the Z31 brackets, since the seat holes line up so well. I just bought a set of driver/passenger brackets off ebay. It sounds like I'll need to wait until they arrive to finish up my project. Edited January 20, 2012 by RomanLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB240zDET Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Hmmm those seats look really good in a Datsun, maybe I need to borrow my friends s2000 seats. He shouldn't mind, haha. Although I will probably weld in the frame or just use the stock seat setup as my trans tunnel is custom and slightly slimmer then the stock tunnel was originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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