Corbeau New Style Sport Seat Installation

[ClarkTheShark]

Glad to see my post help someone out. also like the idea of using a little thicker steel. I don't have any issues with the bracket flexing, but a little thicker piece wouldn't hurt.

You will need to weld your factory rails to your bracket you made. fasteners are out of the question unless you make them extra short and tap your bracket.

the bottom "wings" of the seat will likely rub slightly on the center console but wont affect the sliding function of the seat.

[toplessexpat]

I'm about to embark on installing with the Corbeau brackets. I'm fitting a smaller steering wheel anyway, and given this is the wife's car and she's 5'2" - height shouldn't be a problem. Now... for me, it could be - but she'll be driving it most of the time.

A

[phaetn]

Thanks for your pics and this thread, Clarktheshark.

My seats are finally all in and belts installed. Took a bit longer than I would have liked, but there we are.

Rails were welded on and it all lined up. I ended up having to use some nuts as spacers because the Clubmans were leaned too far back when mounted to the floor and I had to raise the back end up a bit. It wasn't just the backrest angle, but the foam insert of the front panel was actually uncomfortable under the leg (the seats have very deep buckets). I have barely enough room for my right leg under the steering wheel.

All in all a success, but I tore the fabric of the driver's seat a bit (grrrr) -- and especially displeasing since it's in a very visible area. I had originally put the seats in with the top up, then for easier access I put the top down today (still right at the freezing level here) and it turns out the scissor mechanism of the top can protrude into the seat. Doh!!!

Getting in and out the car is interesting. I have a technique down pat. It should be interesting for my wife, but maybe I'll always be a gentleman and rush to her door to help her in and out.

Pics:






Driver's side has 5 point 3" belts with a central camlock, passenger has a 3 point (there's a y union for the shoulder belts) 2" with a conventional type of buckle. I hope the seats and new wider belts are comfy for more than short distances.

Cheers,
phaetn

[AriK]

You gonna be one comfortable dude cruising down to FFO. VERY NICE!

[spiderdan]

Nice job phaetn. Looks good.
Just wondering, how will the girls get into the back seat?

[phaetn]

He he. Yes. The girls.

The little one I lift in and out and we sing "I believe I can fly!" The nearly ten year old will just have to step on the seat bottom and make her way through the middle -- it's pretty much what she did before, anyway. Surprisingly, they'll probably actually have more leg room now, but it will be more close quarters up top.

Tomorrow: carb work!

Cheers,
phaetn

[RRoller123]

Man those seats look nice! This seat mod is really nice!

[toplessexpat]

So - I got these into the 2000 yesterday, using the corbeau brackets. Besides the allen head bolts being a b*gg*r to get in (you can swap these for a conventional bolt with the same thread), it's a pretty smooth installation, and the seats really don't feel high at all. Even at my 6'6", it's a pretty comfortable position to drive, although I have got a smaller steering wheel.

Photos when I get everything else done.

A

[phaetn]

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

My wife just sat in the racing seat and did up the belts and said it felt fine. She got in and out no problem, too. This is very good news! She has metastatic cancer that spread to her bones so it's all up and down her spine (along with arms, legs and a bunch of other places) so she has to be very careful and I was really quite nervous about the whole ingress/egress business for her because the side bolsters are so high. Yay! Yay! She did it quite easily.

She questioned me: "Isn't this a weird angle? Do you sit with your head all the way back? Are you really going to drive for eight hours like that? " She was referring to my heading down to Pittsburgh for the FFO. "Then you'd have to drive like this," she added, and struck the most racing driver position I've ever seen her in. I totally beamed.

"Yup, that's the idea!" I replied.

I'm grinning from ear to f&#%*&* ear right now.

Cheers,
phaetn

[RRoller123]

God bless her, and praying for good outcomes, and great Spider rides!

[phaetn]

You too, brother, you too. Hang in there!

[spiderdan]

[phaetn]

Well, it isn't the biggest smile ever (because my wife is very self-conscious in photos after thirty-six (!! !!) rounds of chemotherapy -- hey, at least she has eyebrows on! ) , but the smile is big enough for me. It was even better when we went for a boot around the block and she was laughing and agreeing how great the car is!

I couldn't help myself... When taking off a doorcard yesterday I tried to turn the engine over. Battery started to die, so I put it on a tender overnight and during the day today.

Got home after skiing with the kids and it was still a (relatively) balmy 4ºC/39ºF so I decided to kick it over again. Got the 20W/50 oil moving around and it started up. Very lumpy at first (almost like one cylinder was missing) but then when it idled for a bit and warmed up it was fine. This is without a proper operating choke, mind you. Backed it out of the garage so I could more easily get at the driver's side door card to remove it for some new vinyl.

Looked at it. Listened to it. Really wanted to drive it.

Just then my nearly ten year old daughter came out back and said she needed the keys to the Mazda 5 that was parked out front to get her bag. Just a second, I said, I'll drive you there. Took the long way around that included two roundabouts. Lots of laughs. Then I had my wife come out for a spin, just for two or three blocks and those same roundabouts. I probably set off a few security sensors at the Prime Minister's.

There's dried salt still on the road, so I didn't want to go anywhere where the road was wet as then the salt would get in places it shouldn't.

Damn I love the sound of the car's exhaust.

Cheers,
phaetn

[btoran]

and if his wife ever sees the woman and her smile, it's all over.

[4uall]

I hear ya