Recaro SPG install

[VW16VRacer]

Well I went and done it, I "invested" in a Recaro SPG HANS seat and thanks to Matrix Integrated here in Portland Or. WWW.Matrixengineering.cc (http://WWW.Matrixengineering.cc) (plug) I have a work of art in my shop. I would like some input on how others have installed there seats. It is a FIA seat so I do not need a back brace and I am planning on using the alum. brackets that bolt to the seat. I just want idea's to make a trick lightweight install that doesn't use the pan of the car. I am planning to use the rear part of the factory seat rails as a starting point. I have 10+ years of fabrcating experence, just would like some input to spark an idea

Thanks

Jon Bonforte
#99 ICSCC EP
Portland Oregon

[This message has been edited by VW16VRacer (edited November 21, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by VW16VRacer (edited November 21, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by VW16VRacer (edited November 21, 2004).]

[Knestis]

You're going to love the SPG. I have the non-HANS version and I use the aluminum side plates bolted to RECARO "race" sliders. They in turn bolt to a pair of 1" square tube bars that are welded (on plates) between the door sill and the top of the tunnel-side stock slider rail. (Very strong points, both.) We plated the tops of the square tubes to reinforce them even more.

K

Edit - you don't absolutely NEED the sliders, of course. On the rally car, we just bolted the side brackets to the cross bars (with VW CV joint bolts and nylocks). Also, I have a spare "thick" seat cushion for the SPG, with the independent leg support thingies, if you end up with the "thin" one and want to upgrade.

[This message has been edited by Knestis (edited November 21, 2004).]

[VW16VRacer]

Kirk
I saw the picture of your seat on the other thread. It is amazing how different your seat is compaired to mine, your's is a lot deeper than mine.

Car looks good...

[Knestis]

Technically, mine is an SPG "Racer" - a different model.

I should get a chance to work on the car this weekend so I'll see if I can get some pics of the mount that we built.

K

[Knestis]

http://it2.evaluand.com/gti/images/seatmount.jpg

Here's a view from the back of the rear mount. Notice that we cheated the seat as far to the rgiht as we could, to gain elbow room and crush distance at the door. That bar (1" square) is welded to the tunnel and sill, and to the tops of the stock rails.

It took a lot of measuring and grinding to get the two bars in the same plane, the entire rig tilted at 5* (so the sliders move you both back AND down), and the fit nice and tight.

K

[Knestis]

http://it2.evaluand.com/gti/images/seatmount2.jpg

Here's a bettter shot of the seat mount under our sliders.

K

[VW16VRacer]

Kirk

I am going to use a simular set up but I am going to try and X the two bars and then use threaded bungs that will weld into the X brace to mount the seat. I have drawn out the pattern on the floor of the car and am now locating the correct angles to cut. Lots of head scraching and measuring but I think the tri-angulated method will not only be stronger for the seat but add something to the chassis. Thanks for the picts, if I can figure out how to post pictures I will show you what I am thinking, help with that would be good.....

Jon

[Knestis]

Originally posted by VW16VRacer:
... I think the tri-angulated method will not only be stronger for the seat but add something to the chassis. ...

...which is probably the best reason for NOT doing so: You are inviting someone to ding you for illegally stiffening the chassis.

A diagonal in that rectangle above won't do much at all to strengthen the mounting points of the seat, the way the loads are likely to be put into it. They WOULD resist "lozenging," thereby stiffening the area between the tunnel and rocker, albeit not enough to ever see on the watch.

That won't stop someone from making a deal out of it if they want to, though.

K

[VW16VRacer]

I am a bit on the lucky side of this one, I do not run SCCA here. Confrence rules are a bit different. We are real close to IT rules but some changes can be made. Most importantly I can move the battery to the back, remove the heater box and all controls, free on wiring, full porting of the head and manifolds are just a couple of examples. I do have to run the factory exhaust manifold and factory camshafs though. Passing the "seat mounts" will not be a issue. This car is far enough past IT rules that it wouldn't make sence to return it back. International Confrence of Sports Car Clubs (ICSCC) is a spin off of SCCA here in the Pacific NW a lot like NASA. I can shoot you some picts of the car if you want.

Jon

[Knestis]

I grew up in Seattle and actually started my "racing career" (LOL) at a Conference driver in 1979, so I'm familiar with the organization. We ran ICSCC events for a long time and won a couple of I-Production races with our Renault Alliance. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

K