JMortensen Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I've been dragging *** on my project for the past couple weeks, and I think this really lit the fire again. I looked and looked and looked at seats and talked to a bunch of different people and I had pretty much decided on the Ultra-Shield Pro Road Race seat but for one thing. The side bolsters were really big, very similar to a Kirkey. I just wasn't sure I wanted to deal with trying to get in around the steering wheel with the gigantic side bolsters in the way. Looked some more and found Ultra-Shield's Spec Miata seat which has less prominent side bolsters, but no shoulder bracing at all. Then I found it. The RALLY SPORT seat has the lower bolsters and the shoulder braces. Next was to search for the best price. Looked and looked and looked at websites, finally came up with this: http://www.whittlesperformance.com/seats.html. The Rally Sport seat with a cover was $205 + $20 shipping! Paid him cc over the phone, seat showed up UPS about a week later. If you need a seat just call Dave over there, he'll hook you up. With my roll bar hoop about to be bent I figured I HAVE to have the seat installed where I want it so that I can make sure it clears all of the roll bar tubes. Now all I have to do is figure out how to mount this sucker. Gotta retain sliders so that the wifey can race it too... This seat weighs 13 lbs with the cover. The recaros I'm taking out were ~30 each. That's a nice up high weight savings. The seat is super comfy and I'm sure will provide 8000% more support than the Recaros did. Recaros were a great street seat but this is in a whole other league. Pics: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Nice looking seat! You'll have to show us some pics once it's mounted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spork Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing with the recaros? Interested in selling them, have any pictures of them. I could use some new seats for my daily driver... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 I'd happily sell them, but they aren't in the best of shape. They looked OK when I got them, but they've had 8 years of abuse since then. The passenger seat looks OK, but the driver's side really needs to be recovered. PM me if you're interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 81na ZX Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Have you sat in a couple Kirkey's so you could compare the two? I'm almost set on Kirkey's for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 I have sat in the Kirkey intermediate, but not their road racing seat. This one is much more comfortable than the intermediate for me. The intermediate holds your thighs in a particular position and they feel like they are really close together, like your knees are pretty much touching all the time. The other thing about the Intermediate that was a big problem was the side bolsters. They stick out pretty far, which gives you a ton of lateral support, but if you have more than one driver in your car the smaller person will hit their elbows on those bolsters. My buddy and I used to swap cars during fun runs after autoxes pretty much every time, but it got to the point where I couldn't drive his car anymore. He's a lot wider than me, and every time I drove his car I ended up smacking my funny bone on those bolsters, and that hurts!!! Plus as I said before my friends who got Intermediates all shortly thereafter got detachable steering wheels. It's just really hard to get around the bolsters and into the seat. I think that was the key thing for me in deciding on this seat. I just didn't want to bother with the detachable wheel at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preith Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I have sat in the Kirkey intermediate' date=' but not their road racing seat. This one is much more comfortable than the intermediate for me. The intermediate holds your thighs in a particular position and they feel like they are really close together, like your knees are pretty much touching all the time. The other thing about the Intermediate that was a big problem was the side bolsters. They stick out pretty far, which gives you a ton of lateral support, but if you have more than one driver in your car the smaller person will hit their elbows on those bolsters. My buddy and I used to swap cars during fun runs after autoxes pretty much every time, but it got to the point where I couldn't drive his car anymore. He's a lot wider than me, and every time I drove his car I ended up smacking my funny bone on those bolsters, and that hurts!!! Plus as I said before my friends who got Intermediates all shortly thereafter got detachable steering wheels. It's just really hard to get around the bolsters and into the seat. I think that was the key thing for me in deciding on this seat. I just didn't want to bother with the detachable wheel at this point.[/quote'] I have the intermediate and my elbows do touch the side bolsters. I haven't had a problem hitting them hard, but I don't autocross either. I almost wonder if the seat you were sitting in was just a tad too narrow for you? Mine provides nice lateral support, but does not hold the knees together all the time. I do not have a detachable steering wheel, and don't bang into the bolsters at all. It's not too difficult to get into the car, which does have side bars, but it does takes the right technique. I put on leg in and go head first. Sounds difficult, but not too bad. With that said, it looks like you picked up a great seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Jon - you said you did a bunch of research but what swayed you to the Ultra-Shield brand of seats? I noticed Grassroots Motorsports put a set in one of their project cars but didn't know if that was because they were freebees or if they are really quality seats. And be sure to let us know how they fit. Thanks Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 31, 2005 Author Share Posted August 31, 2005 Price is probably my #1 motivating factor. Next was support. This seat is not as fitted as some of the higher end Ultra-Shield or Kirkey seats, but it is built in different sizes and I was able to pick a size that fit me, which I couldn't do with a Corbeau or a Sparco or Momo. It has 5 harness holes, another plus. I was pretty much deciding between Ultra-Shield or Kirkey, and after having sat in 3 different Kirkeys and talking to friends who had sat in the Ultra-Shields, I decided on the Ultra-Shield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Jon, Do you have pics of these seats mounted in the car??? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 11, 2005 Author Share Posted December 11, 2005 No. My mount is done though. I could throw it in and take a picture for you, but I just got the car on the rotisserie (FINALLY!!!) so I just took the doors off. The tightest fit was the door panel to the "wing" on the seat. Probably 1/4" gap there, but you wouldn't be able to see that with no door on the car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkspeed Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 I sat in about 10 seats at the PRI show 2 weeks ago in Orlando. I was also very impressed by the Ultra-Sheild. For the money it is hard to beat. It will be the next seat I purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Price is probably my #1 motivating factor. Next was support. This seat is not as fitted as some of the higher end Ultra-Shield or Kirkey seats, but it is built in different sizes and I was able to pick a size that fit me, which I couldn't do with a Corbeau or a Sparco or Momo. It has 5 harness holes, another plus. I was pretty much deciding between Ultra-Shield or Kirkey, and after having sat in 3 different Kirkeys and talking to friends who had sat in the Ultra-Shields, I decided on the Ultra-Shield. Have you considered adding a bead liner or poured foam insert? I was going to use one of these for my tube car but I'm now leaning more towards a bead seat that fits into a basic alloy pan to get me lower in the car. cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 No point for me. It fits me like a glove. I guess I'm the "regular" body shape. It doesn't have the torso height or the hip width that a more expensive seat would have, but it really just happens to fit me perfectly. Also, after a little tinkering with the seat bracket I was able to find a position that will fit well for me, and still gives my wife the ability to see over the steering wheel when she wants to drive, so position is at a nice compromise too. I've seen the poured foam inserts, but I haven't seen a bead seat. What's that all about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Another seat option would be a custom built seat. I shop here in Concord NC (butler built) will build a seat to your measurements for under 400 bucks. Thats the route I'm taking. 6'4" and 200 lbs fits no stock seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 No point for me. It fits me like a glove. I guess I'm the "regular" body shape. Must be nice to be a perfect *** model I slid around a bunch in my Kirkey so I made a few poured inserts to tighten up the fit. I've seen the poured foam inserts, but I haven't seen a bead seat. What's that all about? This is something fairly new to me too. Bead seats are made out of beaded foam just like a helmet liner. And they are much safer in impacts than the poured foam, which is the part I was interested in. There are some kits where you sit in a bean bag and hook it to a shop vac to get the shape you need and figure out how many beads are needed. Then you mix with resin and do it again. As I get old I seem to worry more about personal safety. And since the tube frame car is getting closer I'm trying to work on some of this. I spent a bunch of time talking to Pratt&Miller about the foam blocks on the side of the vettes they run in ALMS. You may laugh but I'll be running a HANS next year, mostly to get used to it for hillclimbing. Figure it can't hurt at an autox. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 HANS at an autox??? You guys must use BIG cones! I can definitely see that at the hillclimbs though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 HANS at an autox??? You guys must use BIG cones! I can definitely see that at the hillclimbs though. We rarely use cones at our events. But speeds can be high at times and I have hit a small tree, torn off two corners of the car on a concrete drain tile, started a small grass fire, and a few other things you don't normally see at autoxs. I guess I'm just a moving disaster, Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 ...speeds can be high at times and I have hit a small tree' date=' torn off two corners of the car on a concrete drain tile, started a small grass fire, and a few other things you don't normally see at autoxs. I guess I'm just a moving disaster[/quote'] aaAAHHH you are killin' me......... Jon: cant wait to see pics of the seat in the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 We use concrete walls instead of cones at our autocrosses... the joy of absolutely no one willing to loan a parking lot out for such affairs... to the oval it is. (where we set up a twisty course) Just a bit unnerving getting sideways next to a 4' tall concrete wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.