Passenger Seat/ballast question

[Conover]

9.1.3.e Front passenger seat, rear seat back, rear seat bottom cushion(s), sun visors, seat belts and their attaching hardware and bracketry may be removed.

9.1.3.l. Ballast may be used. All ballast shall be located in the front passenger footwell/seating area, aft of the firewall and any footwell angle, and forward of the aft-edge of the forward-most passenger door opening, unless otherwsie specified on the vehicle’s spec line.OEM front passenger seat location.

So can I remove part of the sheet metal seat bracket that is welded to the floor in order to mount ballast so that it lays flat?

[Bill Miller]

9.1.3.e Front passenger seat, rear seat back, rear seat bottom cushion(s), sun visors, seat belts and their attaching hardware and bracketry may be removed.

9.1.3.l. Ballast may be used. All ballast shall be located in the front passenger footwell/seating area, aft of the firewall and any footwell angle, and forward of the aft-edge of the forward-most passenger door opening, unless otherwsie specified on the vehicle’s spec line.OEM front passenger seat location.

So can I remove part of the sheet metal seat bracket that is welded to the floor in order to mount ballast so that it lays flat?
[/b]

Sure, it says you're allowed to remove the bracketry.

[Conover]

Ok, well, I just wasn't sure that what I call a Bracket would be called a bracket by everyone else. But, I'm going to be putting a huge chunk of steel in it's place, so I figure no one will care much.

[Hahn63]

Do you have a picture to share of said bracket?

[bldn10]

If what you are describing is like the seat mount in a 2nd Gen. RX-7, I frankly have some doubts whether that should be deemed a "bracket." In my car it is more of a "spar" that extends from the tranny tunnel to the rocker panel. It is so permanently afixed to the floorpan that I think it has become part of the bodywork and cannot be removed. In any event, it may be that it provides some stiffening in that area that is beneficial. I'd work it into my ballast installation rather than eliminate it.

In my mind the seat bracketry would be the mounting hardware between that spar and the seat itself.

[lateapex911]

IIRC, the "spar" which Bill refers to on the 2nd gen RX-7 is an upside down "U" that has it's "serifs", (if you will) spot welded to the floor pan, the trans tunnel, and the rocker. I would consider this a gray area at best, and could see arguments that that was part of the unibody. But, I could also see that it could be argued from the other side as well.

[Greg Amy]

IIRC, the "spar" which Bill refers to on the 2nd gen RX-7 is an upside down "U" that has it's "serifs", (if you will) spot welded to the floor pan, the trans tunnel, and the rocker.[/b]

I've done exactly the same thing in my NX2000:

http://www.kakashiracing.com/images/DCP_2446.jpg

Note in this photo:

http://www.kakashiracing.com/images/DCP_2452.jpg

...I did NOT remove the passenger side.

My reasoning? If its sole intention is for seat mounting (i.e., it wouldn't be there if we didn't have to bolt a driver in) then it's seat bracketry.

BTW, make those rear mount plates larger than I did. After a couple of years they eventually cracked around the welds and I had to re-do them. - GA

[Eagle7]

I've done exactly the same thing in my NX2000:... - GA [/b]

Cheater - now I know how you're faster than me at Mid-O. :P

[Greg Amy]

Uh, did I give up that speed secret out loud...???