Recommendations on racing seats for 02 Camaro Options

[fst02z]

Hi guys!

I am a new member here and I just started to run my car (02 z/28) at some track events. I had a blast at a spectator event last weekend and I am going to be putting some new parts on the camaro. I am wondering if you guys had any suggestions on seats for me. I am trying to keep the cost relatively low and would like reclining seats as I still drive the car on the street quite a bit! Any help is appreciated! I am currently looking at the Corbeau CR1.

Thanks,

Justin

[Pony Exp.305]

welcome here..do search "racing seats" and you ll get there.

[mesospeedy]

I'm gonna be putting some sparcos in my car soon, got a deal on a pair from a friend of mine. I'll let you know how they work out.

[trackbird]

I bought a set of Corbeau's for my 2002 Z28. Kept them in there an entire week before selling them for a $250+ loss (because I didn't have the time to pull them out any sooner or they'd have been removed in a day). The brackets are pretty much junk, you'll lose about 1" of head room (and the bases sit "flat" so you have no support for your thighs) and the seats I bought (I bought them new) were not particularly well constructed.

If you're luck is anything like mine, I'd look for something else.

[Blainefab]

Hi guys!

track events
cost relatively low
reclining
drive the car on the street
Corbeau CR1.

Thanks,

Justin

Corbeau is popular because they are cheap. They are cheap because they are designed poorly,
and manufactured poorly.

I recommend picking up a used set of Pontiac 4th gen seats - they have deeper thigh bolsters than the Camaro seats, and a more useful, adjustable headrest. Should be able to find them cheap, they fit, and are OEM sturdy.

[Steve91T]

I've got a 97 and I put Corbeau's in it. I absolutely love the seat. They fit me really well. The seat that is, not how they are positioned in the car. The brackets are crap. They are a terrible design and put me way high and reclined too far forward. I shimmed the front of the seats up, which makes them comfortable for me. They are still too high though. For now, I'm just sitting in them without the seat bottom cushion. I'm going to find someone to cut and re-weld the seat bracket to lower the entire seat about an inch and a half.

I can't for the life of me figure out why nobody will put some time and effort into designing a decent seat bracket that slides.

Steve

[fst02z]

My brother has the Corbeau's in his 82ta and he likes them, he runs NASA HPDE and will be in CMC2. If I do go that route I am going to make my own brackets because it seems that everybody says they suck. My brother does have a sparco pro2000? seat that he will sell me but its blue (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbsdown.gif)

[Racing Geek]

I've got Corbeau Forza fixed back seats in my car and I use them for autocross and what little daily driving I do. I got the pair of seats, sliders, and mounting brackets (for a C3) for ~$130 two years ago. I 6'3" so I ended up selling the C3 mounts and making my own which put the seat pretty much on the floor. I also agree there isn't much thigh support so I made my brackets to tilt the seat back to allow more headroom and better support for my legs. They're pretty comfy now. Enough so that I've made a 6 hour road trip in them with the only stops being for gas. From a video I made with the camera pointed at me I noticed that either the seats, sliders, or brackets I made are allowing some flexing in the turns. I plan to remove the sliders because they are made from cheap thin gauge metal and I'm the only one that drives the car and i also plan to redo the seat mounts to try and fix the flexing problem. The fabric used on the seats is similar to headliner material and isn't very durable for a daily driver but I didn't expect it to be. Lately I've been having trouble keeping the plastic seatbelt hole trim pieces in place. They keep wanting to separate and fall out. I wish they were a little more durable but I am pleased with what I got for $130.

[Jeff94TA]

The Corbeau brackets and sliders are complete garbage and I concur with everyone about them placing you too high and too vertical. You can read my response in this thread to the slider problems I had. Click here

[KCC455]

Corbeau is popular because they are cheap. They are cheap because they are designed poorly,
and manufactured poorly.

I recommend picking up a used set of Pontiac 4th gen seats - they have deeper thigh bolsters than the Camaro seats, and a more useful, adjustable headrest. Should be able to find them cheap, they fit, and are OEM sturdy.

Any other suggestions besides used set of Pontiac 4th gen seats. I like more prominent bolsters than the factory Pontiac 4th gens have.
Thank you

[BumpaD_Z28]

My Corbeau's have treated me well for A LOT of years they are the CR1's ...

But I don't recall all the details, I think I used 4th gen brackets (shorter ?) in my 3rd gen, and no headroom problems here (I'm 6')

~DaVe

[Blainefab]

Corbeau is popular because they are cheap. They are cheap because they are designed poorly,
and manufactured poorly.

I recommend picking up a used set of Pontiac 4th gen seats - they have deeper thigh bolsters than the Camaro seats, and a more useful, adjustable headrest. Should be able to find them cheap, they fit, and are OEM sturdy.

Any other suggestions besides used set of Pontiac 4th gen seats. I like more prominent bolsters than the factory Pontiac 4th gens have.
Thank you

My response was directed towards the OP's stated criteria:
track events
cost relatively low
reclining
drive the car on the street
Corbeau CR1?

He's not really looking for a racing seat - he's looking for a more supportive (assumption on my part) seat that will not get in the way of street use, and is not expensive. The reclining feature eliminates all real racing seats, which by definition do not recline. I would not recommend any piece of safety gear that I wouldn't feel comfortable using myself, and that eliminates Corbeau. Recaro makes some high quality reclining seats that I would use on track, but they are not inexpensive. The design and manufacture of a crashworthy reclining mechanism is not cheap, and is reflected in the cost of the end product.

For real racing seats, for a dedicated race/track car, I recommend a head restraint seat, properly installed, with racing harness and a rollbar/cage. Kirkey and Racetech are my top choices. For a race car in transition that will see some street use, I recommend a non head restraint seat, same brands, but avoid the bottom end Kirkey drag stuff.

This post has been edited by Blainefab: Oct 2 2010, 07:28 AM

[trackbird]

My Corbeau's have treated me well for A LOT of years they are the CR1's ...

But I don't recall all the details, I think I used 4th gen brackets (shorter ?) in my 3rd gen, and no headroom problems here (I'm 6')

~DaVe

When we tried 4th gen brackets in a 3rd gen, the Corbeau seats didn't clear the lower seatbelt retractor (which the 4th gens didn't have). Your results may vary, but I know we did try it because I sold my 4th gen seats to the previous owner of my 3rd gen (and then bought the car).

[BumpaD_Z28]

My Corbeau's have treated me well for A LOT of years they are the CR1's ...

But I don't recall all the details, I think I used 4th gen brackets (shorter ?) in my 3rd gen, and no headroom problems here (I'm 6')

~DaVe

When we tried 4th gen brackets in a 3rd gen, the Corbeau seats didn't clear the lower seatbelt retractor (which the 4th gens didn't have). Your results may vary, but I know we did try it because I sold my 4th gen seats to the previous owner of my 3rd gen (and then bought the car).

AH I think that might be the KEY as my '82 doesn't have lower retractors either ! the plastic door sill plates and lower seat belt mounting is differnet in the '82's somehow ...

~DaVe

[JoeliusZ28]

here are my yonaka seats I just ordered from double-d mods on corvette forum. I am currently in the process of fabricating my own brackets for them and so far so good. I've not yet fabricated the brackets for the rear bolts yet, but this is approximately what the seating position will be. I expect the seats will sit around a half inch higher in the back when complete from what these pictures show... which is nothing. I already drove the car with the seats just bolted down in the front (surprisingly sturdy) and I really liked the seating position. Major upgrade from stock, i feel a lot more feedback from the car!

(IMG:http://joelrdevriendt.com/files/public/automotive/95_camaro/seats/IMG_8276.JPG)

(IMG:http://joelrdevriendt.com/files/public/automotive/95_camaro/seats/IMG_8277.JPG)

(IMG:http://joelrdevriendt.com/files/public/automotive/95_camaro/seats/IMG_8278.JPG)

(IMG:http://joelrdevriendt.com/files/public/automotive/95_camaro/seats/IMG_8279.JPG)

(IMG:http://joelrdevriendt.com/files/public/automotive/95_camaro/seats/IMG_8280.JPG)

[fst02z]

Hey Joel its me Justin. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[JoeliusZ28]

Hey Joel its me Justin. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

haha yea i knew, i just figured id post here so others can see too (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Wasnt sure if you saw these pictures on mifbody or not.