Thanks Bmachine, good caution to heed.
I've done race car seats and floor reinforcement. Will move forward with the project.
Rp
I've done race car seats and floor reinforcement. Will move forward with the project.
Rp
Replace the front seats with E93 sport seats
- Thread starter Patton
- Start date
I have 2 cars with seatbelts attached to the backrest of the front seat - BMW e31 and MB SL55AMG. Yes - it is convenient, but I personally would not want to have these seats in any car where the chassis design and attachment of the seats to the chassis were not 'originally designed for them'. The basic physics aspects of 'a body in motion tends to remain in motion' relating to a 160-250 lb mass in a seat that probably weighs 70-100 pounds when a head on crash at 70 mph occurs is pretty intimidating. I would never trust my life to such a design in a 45 year old car where the structure is well known for having less integrity (due to rust) than it had when manufactured. AND - when manufactured, nothing was designed to keep these heavy seats and their occupants sternum from striking the steering column shaft. I'll stay with the slightly inconvenient shoulder harness system designed for the later e9 models.
Remember the final phrase from Hill Street Blues "Be Safe Out There" (well, perhaps not ALL of us are old enough to remember that - ha).
Gary-
PS: Since the first digit of my age is an 8, I probably have fewer years to enjoy my driving of Lorelei than many of you will with your cars. I just don't want to mess up the interior of my car IF that 'instantaneous' stop should occur!
Remember the final phrase from Hill Street Blues "Be Safe Out There" (well, perhaps not ALL of us are old enough to remember that - ha).
Gary-
PS: Since the first digit of my age is an 8, I probably have fewer years to enjoy my driving of Lorelei than many of you will with your cars. I just don't want to mess up the interior of my car IF that 'instantaneous' stop should occur!
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Rek
Well-Known Member
I am now looking at E93 seats to replace my E46's. The seat belt is always slipping on the E46's and despite my best efforts at a belt guide, it still happens. Its one the annoying things about driving it.
Does anyone know the width of the seat rails, from hole centre to centre? If they are the same as the E46, then I am in business.
Does anyone know the width of the seat rails, from hole centre to centre? If they are the same as the E46, then I am in business.
Rek
Well-Known Member
I agree completely and it is sage advice. Since I thought the original seat mounting was quite flimsy, I wanted to double down on safety with my retro fitting of updated seats.
My age starts with a 5, but I want it to start with an 8 some day, and yes, I remember Sgt Esterhaus warning and think more of it each day.
Be curious just how much weight those E46/E92 seats compare to E9s. Those E9s are tanks too.
I seriously doubt the added weight will be a safety hazard. Do fat (sorry, large) drivers/passengers of E9s carry more risk? Is there a weight limit?
Also, lots of old cars had just lap belts. The aforementioned newer seats is better than that.
I seriously doubt the added weight will be a safety hazard. Do fat (sorry, large) drivers/passengers of E9s carry more risk? Is there a weight limit?
Also, lots of old cars had just lap belts. The aforementioned newer seats is better than that.
I think the question is how the different mounting locations affect the use. A "fat" person in a stock E9 system still have the belts mounted to the chassis with factory designed mounting points. The passenger and the seat are restrained by the belts. An E93 seat would transfer all the forces into the seat mounts, which would be custom made. The belts would hold but the forces on the mounts would be a guess and you'd have to over engineer the mounts to be safe(r).
Over engineered mounts, above and below the floor pan, are the plan. Just gotta find the elusive E93s. Thanks Dan for your help.
Now, let's go install some Sparco seats in a customers race car.
RP
Now, let's go install some Sparco seats in a customers race car.
RP
I've had both my e9 and e31 front seats out. I'd guess the e9's at about 40 lbs, the e31's at about 80-90 lbs.
Gary
Took a while longer than I thought, as usual, and there is lots of finishing work to be done, but here is basically what I came up with:
The e92 seat is the best compromise between style that is similar to original e9, multiple adjustments and comfort. It is a coupe seat so it folds properly for rear seat access and uses the original seatbelt system (in my case, a '74 with the shoulder belt anchored near the rear parcel shelf). Now I need to dye the leather to match the rest of the car and do lots of clean up and hiding. But it is completely reversible since I am using the original seat rails and no mod needs to be done to the car itself.
As explained earlier in the thread the main challenge is to install the seat as low as possible because those modern seats sit way too high on the e9 seat "perches"
The end result for me is a seat that is far more comfortable for long distances. But, again, as stated earlier, that is entirely a personal thing. Many are perfectly comfortable in the stock seat.
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Bo -- In looking at your last picture, I have a question. Have you come up with something to cover the adapter that mounts your seat to the car? I have a set of period correct Koenig seats (that I bought from Gary Knox) in my car, and I would like to come up with a way to cover the adapter and the mounting hardware.
Chris, nice work on your seat.
No I have not gotten to the cosmetics part yet. I still have to do some modifications to get the front tilt as well as the lower back and side bolsters adjustments to work properly.
This is the perfect application for a 3D printer.
love the idea yet i just dont like changing the appearance of the perfect interior look
When I bought my current coupe it had the stock clam-shell seats without headrests from '69. I drove it across town when I picked it up and by the time I got home my back was killing me. I had sport Recaros in the car the next week. Function over form...
Yup. Makes long drives so much more enjoyable.
Carpet is almost ready. Thanks to those on this board for the information on how to install e24 rear seats . Done.
I will install the E93 front seats soon.
Then it will be time to learn how to post pictures....It is a very nice bright read leather color.
RP
I will install the E93 front seats soon.
Then it will be time to learn how to post pictures....It is a very nice bright read leather color.
RP
E93 seats: Installed.
RP
RP