Elise Seats or Bucket Seats?
Discussion
The roll bar I am fitting is not going to cover my head when I have a helmet on, therefore I am looking to replace my seats with something lower. The car is mainly going to be used for track days.
Which is the best solution?
Bucket seats are going to be hard to get in and out of with the roof on and will need to be fixed directly to the floor if I am to get enough head room, but will hold you in place.
Elise seats can keep the adjustment rails but will they offer enough track support? I will only be able to use 4 point harnesses but they will be better when driving to and from the track with the original seat belt.
Anybody got any experience with seating mods?
Which is the best solution?
Bucket seats are going to be hard to get in and out of with the roof on and will need to be fixed directly to the floor if I am to get enough head room, but will hold you in place.
Elise seats can keep the adjustment rails but will they offer enough track support? I will only be able to use 4 point harnesses but they will be better when driving to and from the track with the original seat belt.
Anybody got any experience with seating mods?
Take a look at my last contribution to this thread.
Ideally I should be a bit lower as I'm quite tall and HD Deuce and that tall. I don't mind though as my car is on road more often than on track and i don't have harnesses (yet). Probably fine with HD Hard Core or similar.
Elise seats are a compromise though. They sit you much lower than stock seats and give a lot better support but aren't as supportive as proper buckets and aren't ideal for harnesses as there are no harness holes (though these can be cut in).
Ideally I should be a bit lower as I'm quite tall and HD Deuce and that tall. I don't mind though as my car is on road more often than on track and i don't have harnesses (yet). Probably fine with HD Hard Core or similar.
Elise seats are a compromise though. They sit you much lower than stock seats and give a lot better support but aren't as supportive as proper buckets and aren't ideal for harnesses as there are no harness holes (though these can be cut in).
Hi,
This is exactly the problem I faced when I started competing in my MX-5.
I had a Hard-dog Hardcore rollbar (the highest you can have and still keep the hood) and couldn't get anywhere near low enough with the standard seat. I couldn't get a standard bucket seat that would fit in the car and I could fit in and would be lower. BTW, I'm 6" and 17 stone!
I tried S1 Elise seat (see this thread on Planetmx5 with pics: http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=272... ) but found the harness didn't fit round the seat properly.
I settled on a Kirkey aluminium seat (see this thread with pics: http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380... ) This setup was fantastic on track. Support like you would not believe and when strapped in, I felt like part of the car. It was surprisingly comfortable on road - I did over 6,000 road miles with that seat - furthest single journey trip was around 400 miles.
I now have a VX220 and I'm having to go through it all again!
This is exactly the problem I faced when I started competing in my MX-5.
I had a Hard-dog Hardcore rollbar (the highest you can have and still keep the hood) and couldn't get anywhere near low enough with the standard seat. I couldn't get a standard bucket seat that would fit in the car and I could fit in and would be lower. BTW, I'm 6" and 17 stone!
I tried S1 Elise seat (see this thread on Planetmx5 with pics: http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=272... ) but found the harness didn't fit round the seat properly.
I settled on a Kirkey aluminium seat (see this thread with pics: http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380... ) This setup was fantastic on track. Support like you would not believe and when strapped in, I felt like part of the car. It was surprisingly comfortable on road - I did over 6,000 road miles with that seat - furthest single journey trip was around 400 miles.
I now have a VX220 and I'm having to go through it all again!
Edited by kevham on Tuesday 24th November 20:26
Thanks for the info. I'm leaning towards a set of Elise s2 seats. While I think the buckets and harnesses would provide more support I'm not sure I like the idea of being harnessed into an open top car. (I have also read that without a full cage a harness isn't always the best plan)
The Elise seats would allow me to keep the standard seat belts although with perhaps the addition of a CG lock.
If I was in a roll, given the ability to get intrusion into the cabin I wonder whether having the ability to move the upper body could well be a serious benefit.
The Elise seats would allow me to keep the standard seat belts although with perhaps the addition of a CG lock.
If I was in a roll, given the ability to get intrusion into the cabin I wonder whether having the ability to move the upper body could well be a serious benefit.
If your car is track-oriented and you're concerned about safety, get a proper roll bar, proper seat and harness. It's the only way to go.
In a roll, you chances of survival without a rollbar, seat and harness depend largely on luck. Don't begin to assume that you will be able to control where your body goes - the forces involved in even a low-speed roll will have your body, head and arms flying about uncontollably. I've seen several cars roll at trackdays and in competition and it is not a pretty sight.
The other option is to drive the car well within the limits and therefore minimise the risk of rolling......
In a roll, you chances of survival without a rollbar, seat and harness depend largely on luck. Don't begin to assume that you will be able to control where your body goes - the forces involved in even a low-speed roll will have your body, head and arms flying about uncontollably. I've seen several cars roll at trackdays and in competition and it is not a pretty sight.
The other option is to drive the car well within the limits and therefore minimise the risk of rolling......
kevham said:
If your car is track-oriented and you're concerned about safety, get a proper roll bar, proper seat and harness. It's the only way to go.
I've got a TR Lane roll bar with harness bar and cross braces on order but due to my height, my head is always going to be very close to the top of the bar and I worried that any cabin intrusion will cause me problems if I'm completely strapped inkevham said:
The other option is to drive the car well within the limits and therefore minimise the risk of rolling......
I fully intend to but having seen a few mates spin off when 'taking it easy' it would appear that’s not as straight forward as you'd think.Clearly more thought is needed. One solution is to go with the Elise seats, see how it get on and if there is a decent amount of head room, then fit 4 point harness but we shall see
zac510 said:
MX-5 Lazza said:
You went on a track day with a hard top on?
Yes, better aerodynamics 
I've never even had the soft top up on track - it's 100% more fun with the top down. These cars aren't about top speed anyway (even with FI). Even when I've been on track in heavy rain I've put the top down!!!
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