Vintage Seat Thread!

Camshaft · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:00 pm

I've seen a thread for vintage alloys, vintage steering wheels, and there was even a stillborn thread for cool shift knobs. But after searching I couldn't find a thread for cool vintage aftermarket seats! I want a pair of blue reclining Brides for my RX-7 but I don't see them that often. Post 'em if you've got 'em!

jt191 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 7:22 pm

Bride Histrix
http://www.bride-jp.com/
http://www.j-specperf.ch/index.php?main ... ts_id=2387

Retro modern, looks at home in a Rocky Auto built retro-mod.
Leather, really expensive, no headrest. Japanese, not much sign of even special order import in the US.

Kameari GT Bucket
http://kameariengineworks.co.jp/catalogue-P49.pdf
http://kameariusa.com/L6_GTseat.htm
http://www.rhdjapan.com/kameari-gt-buck ... ther-58328

Reproduction of the 60's Nissan racing seat.
Might be leather, pretty expensive, does have a headrest. Special order import from Japan.

GTS Classics (fixed back)
http://www.classiccarseats.com/
http://www.camp914.com/products/bfseats.html
http://www.gtsclassics.com.au/
Avus

Nurburing

Rallye

LeMans

ST

Also Silverstone and Hockenheim, but only thumbnail size images of those.
These are various versions of European style racing seats from the 60's, mostly inspired by Porsche and BMW. Choice of fabrics and headrests. Not cheap. Supposedly made in Texas. US and Australian distributors.

Rennsport (fixed back)
http://www.wwclassics.com/index.php
Race

Safari Rally

Sprint

GT

German and British style racing seats, referencing inspired by Recaro. Eerily similar to the GTS Classics seats above. Not cheap. Choice of fabrics and headrests. UK/Britain.

GTS Classics (folding)
http://www.classiccarseats.com/
http://www.camp914.com/products/bfseats.html
http://www.gtsclassics.com.au/
Monte Carlo 910R

Monte Carlo 911R

Monte Carlo 9112R

Monte Carlo 914R

Sports S

Inspired by Porsche and BMW production sports seats from the 60's. References Recaro as inspiration. Choice of fabrics, headrests. But no chrome hardware/hinge. Not cheap. Supposedly made in Texas. US and Australian distributors.

Rennsport (folding)
http://www.wwclassics.com/index.php
Vitesse

Sports

Milano

Triumph

Cites inspiration from German, Italian, and British production sports seats. First two are eerily similar to the GTS Classics seats above. No chrome hardware/hinges. Not cheap. Choice of fabrics and headrests. UK/Britain.

john · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 7:36 pm

Corbeau Classic is a nice "budget" option. :tu:

http://www.corbeau.com/products/fixed_b ... ic_bucket/

jt191 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:07 pm

I forgot about the Corbeau seat. It didn't make my list because I am looking for seats with horizontal quilting for my application.
It's about half the cost of the lower cost of the GTS Classics and Rennsport seats. But still makes a noticeable $300 hole in the wallet.

The Kameari seat description goes into great detail about how older Japanese cars have high seat mount pedestals, and that using most modern seats mounted with normal seat rails will end up being too high. It's not much of a stretch for a taller westerner to fear having their head pressed firmly against the headliner.
A lot of the Bride website stresses seat position, and many of their modern seats have the butt of the seat well below the forward edge and sides. I like the pictures where the bucket seat is resting on the bowl of the rear of the seat and the sides and front are well above the ground. A few of the side views look a lot like a hunch back inspired seating position with no lumbar support at all.
Several of the GTS Classics and Rensport seats, especially the folding back ones, look like the butt of the seat is deeply recessed.

Between the need for a low slung seat and a seat rail that occupies negative space for an older Japanese car, and the worry of buying a classic style seat for a modern, more generously sized western human being, finding a replacement seat gets a little nerve wracking.

john · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:15 pm

JT191 wrote:

Between the need for a low slung seat and a seat rail that occupies negative space for an older Japanese car, and the worry of buying a classic style seat for a modern, more generously sized western human being, finding a replacement seat gets a little nerve wracking.

No doubt.

What about taking something like this:

http://www.kirkeyracing.com/index.php?l ... e=Series16

Or this:

http://www.kirkeyracing.com/index.php?l ... e=Series41

Cutting the seat back down a bit, and having different covers sewn up? Low, grippy, and wide enough for your ample tookus.

jt191 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:23 am

datsunfreak wrote:

What about taking something like this:

http://www.kirkeyracing.com

Well, I'm going for something that looks a little less out of place. Not quite going for the post-apocalyptic, dirt track, rural Nascar fan aesthetic.

I'm somewhere between the size of a WW2 Japanese infantry soldier and the modern, morbidly obese American. Drop me in Tokyo station and I tower over all the salrymen while I apologize for stepping on them.
I used to be considered tall over here. But in the last two decades, six-foot-two grade schoolers are everywhere. And those scary 200 pound kindergarteners... But I'm not one of those that can't fit behind the steering wheel of anything but a minivan.
So, I'm not skinny(despite my better exercise efforts), and not too fat.
However I went shopping for racing seats a number of years ago, tried to sit in a Recaro fiberglass bucket, and discovered that they had designed the seat for a tiny, little Italian man, because my body was wedged between the side bolsters and more than two inches from touching the flat surface of the bottom of the seat.
So, yes, even us formerly average sized, not quite in perfect shape persons of European descent are in trouble fitting into stuff designed for WW2 Asian veterans. As I shovel the rotted and decayed remnants of the bucket seats out of my 60's car, I look at the tiny little people pictured in the advertisements, and wonder just how the heck a westerner is supposed to fit.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:30 am

Guys, this is kind of degfeating the purpose. Anybody can go look in a catalogue for new seats. What about old, long-discontinued seats?

john · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:03 pm

Sorry, that didn't really come across in the original post... :mrgreen:

As you like it. :tu:

Yayoi · **Posted:** Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:35 am

one of the best looking retro seat....

oldeskewltoy · **Posted:** Fri Dec 31, 2010 4:08 pm

look on YJ... plenty of vintage Japanese seats, AND frames... but what do you want to spend???

for example......

older type Recaros... http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b116443918

Here is a YJ search of used Recaros - http://auctions.search.yahoo.co.jp/search?ei=UTF-8&p=recaro&oq=&auccat=26318&slider=0&tab_ex=commerce&istatus=2

You can also look on CL, that is where I found my set

stingray · **Posted:** Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:12 pm

TRD i want!

Eeyore · **Posted:** Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:54 am

I would nearly kill for a Kameari seat... or a pair. Once I got the price shipped to my door in Australia is put me off a little! :lol:

I've since bought an old fixed back SAAS (Aussie comany) seat and intend to have it trimmed in a basket weave 70's pattern to match the rest of the interior.

reintr0ducing · **Posted:** Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:15 am

It's a crappy picture but it's the only one I've got handy. I bought these old Recaros I found from a Porsche forum. The guy was gonna put it in his Carrera RS clone, but ended up selling them. Super nerve racking as the guy wanted a MONEY ORDER and didn't have Paypal. Turned out in my favor... It was delivered the day before my first show!

Stevester · **Posted:** Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:26 am

Thanks to OP for starting this thread! I've been looking for a one-piece bucket with low side bolsters for my Miata (yeah, not exactly JNC yet). Some of the seats seem like they will work; just need to find some dimensional (and price) details...

Keep 'em coming, please!!!

ewokracing · **Posted:** Fri Jan 07, 2011 8:55 pm

I spent months looking at old seats years ago as the ones in my mazda 1300 were appalling in terms of back support (and I have shaggers back).
I ended up getting new looking Cobra Daytonas as I couldn't find anything at the time that looked retro and had a reclining function (though the next buildup of the car won't have a back seat

)

burubado · **Posted:** Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:30 pm

Yayoi wrote:

one of the best looking retro seat....

where can i find these? What are they called?

Yayoi · **Posted:** Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:59 pm

Autolook...and they are about Y50000 each with out the seat rail.

john · **Posted:** Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:11 pm

Yayoi wrote:

Autolook...and they are about Y50000 each with out the seat rail.

That's actually not bad. Cheaper than a Bride seat anyway.

Yayoi · **Posted:** Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:23 pm

I think they stop making them so it will be another uber rare seat. There is an alternative:

BRE style seat. You can buy them in bare fiberglass and can be customized like the Autolook seat.

burubado · **Posted:** Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:13 pm

I had a look on the autolook site and saw that it said out of stock.
i guess that explains it.
what a shame.

Vintage Seat Thread!

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