Removal of factory Seat Mount Humps?

[Greg Amy]

Here ya go:

9.1.3.D.9.e, "The driver’s seat (only) shall be replaced with a one-piece bucket-type race seat. Factory seat tracks/brackets may be modified, reinforced, and/or removed to facilitate replacement mountings provided they perform no other function. All other seats may be removed."

My emphasis.

I expect entertaining arguments that these items in question aren't "brackets"; well, they are. Anything used to attach and/or support the seat to the car is a "seat bracket"; those sheet metal humps on the floor serve no purpose other than to support/mount the seat. Thus, they are brackets and are legal to remove.

GA

[tom91ita]

.... I expect entertaining arguments that these items in question aren't "brackets"; well, they are. ....

brackets, in terms of racing, are better to be considered as an allowance or a handicap between predicted elapsed time between two cars over a 1/4 mile.

if you remove those brackets, you then have just good old head to head racing.

cut them, beat them down or dril out the spot welds and save them for when someone tells you that you have to have them. just don't expect a protest from me if you don't have them.

as Greg noted, some rules really do say that you can do something...

[Knestis]

I typically represent the most militant conservative views re: rules allowances and I cut all of the spot-welded seat brackets out of my driver's side.

I'm not sure what a "hump" is, exactly, but to ME the distinction is between a bit that's welded to the tub for the purpose of mounting the seat ("bracket" etc., per the rule Greg noted) and the tub itself. I'd stop short of changing the shape of the tunnel, floor, sills, etc. within the allowances of that rule.

Intersesting however - I did NOT push to that extent on the passenger side. In hindsight, it's because i didn't really have a compelling reason (fitment of the seat) to worry about those brackets, but they could come out too. Heck - looking at the build pics now, I'm reminded that I actually REPLACED the main passenger side seat bracket. Funny how we think about things sometimes.

http://www.it2.evaluand.com/gti/build4.php

K

[splats]

The humps not only are mounts for the seats, but also STRENGTHEN the floor pan & are part of the uni-body. Therefore they serve a dual purpose & removal is (IMHO) against the GCR. To be safe, check with your local Tech Inspector. Even though the GCR is a national rule-set, it appears that every region interprets the grey areas different.

[Chip42]

I think the "hump" in this case (EF Civic, CRX)is the stamped, spot welded forward driver's seat mount. it's shaped like a "hump" and runs from door sill to tunnel. it's removable per all of the above.

[D. Ellis-Brown]

It is nice to see that the debate still continues about the removal of brackets.....among other things--- "Things that don't change have the tendency to remain the same" . I go back to a request I submitted to the IT Advisory Board a in 2009, to reinstate the verbage under "Intent"..... "Other than those specifically allowed by these rules, no component or part normally found on a stock example of a given vehicle may be disabled, altered, or removed for the purpose of obtaining any competitive advantage"..... I would imagine that 50% plus of the debates aired in this site, would be eliminated. What do you think? Is removing a bracket, welded or bolted, gaining you any competitive advantage? Is removing a horn, windshield washer resevoir, light bulbs or some wiring gaining you a competitive advantage? I think that most of the competitors understand the difference. What do you think?

David Ellis-Brown

[jimbbski]

On what hand i agree with you but on the other there is always going to be someone that will try to push the "envelope" so to speak.

But i do feel that when that kind of stretching of the rules occurs , especially when it results in a real or perceived advantage that it needs to be slapped down hard!