Cobra Nogaros In!

[Stradagene]

Thanks Gary!

BTW - I sent you an email (through the forums). Check your spam if you didn’t see it in your inbox.

[Stradagene]

Stradagene said:

Thanks Gary!

BTW - I sent you an email (through the forums). Check your spam if you didn’t see it in your inbox.

Because the forums only allow one to email someone once. Ha ha
[My guess is to avoid spamming someone]

I sent you a couple of questions, but I also wanted to ask where you ordered your OEM heating elements. It seems to make sense for me to order them local to Cobra and have them shipped directly to the factory on my behalf.

Excited! These are going to be nice!

[GaryF]

Hi Christopher,

Got your email - you won't have any issue with seat travel on the runners as they give just as much movement as the OE seats forward and back.

I ordered my seat heating elements (two per seat) from my local Mini dealer and shipped them over to Cobra (only to have them sent back again, though to be fair, Cobra offered immediately to take my seats back to be reworked to add the heating pads but I elected to fit the myself). I suppose you could ring up a Mini dealer near to them and order / pay over the phone and either get the dealer to deliver / post them, or for Cobra to collect them. I presume the US fit items are exactly the same as the UK...

Please share pics when you get them.

What's the latest on availability of orange stitching and no logo (though I actually like the Cobra logo, so wanted to have that myself!). Also, are you going 'Street' or 'Circuit' and what about carbon fibre, or having the seatbacks painted Spice Orange?...

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

you won't have any issue with seat travel on the runners as they give just as much movement as the OE seats forward and back.

Sounds good! However I am still concerned about the minimum distance from the pedals to the seat back. I am guessing that the Nogaros are somewhat deeper than any of the OE seats, and that one naturally, therefore, sits a bit further back no matter how far forward the seat is adjusted.

If you do have a chance to take a measurement, like Harry does (https://youtu.be/ukaSsQTPC9c?t=289), except in the forward most position, that would be wonderful!

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

What's the latest on availability of orange stitching and no logo (though I actually like the Cobra logo, so wanted to have that myself!). Also, are you going 'Street' or 'Circuit' and what about carbon fibre, or having the seatbacks painted Spice Orange?...

I am already in touch with GSM, and so far they have been wonderful to work with!

I'm asking for the 'circuit' shell, with black leather, factory installed OE MINI heating elements (still to be coordinated), logo delete, and orange top stitching.

I like the way the OE seats look on the interior, and I want the Nogaros to be a subtle compliment to the current look. I think the color matched orange stitching will be perfect!

BTW ~ I currently have seats that look like this

[Stradagene]

We're getting close!

I'm still trying to coordinate the Cobra factory installation of the MINI heating elements with GSM. And we're still working on identifying the precise hardware that you used for your installation.

GSM recommended side mounts that don't look like the ones that you used (https://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/product/cobra-nogaro-side-mounts/), but it's not certain that the photos posted are the actual product. I sent them a copy of the photo that you shared in the original post of this thread and asked them to double check that they would be sending me the same. I really like the height and angle of the ones that you used!

Did you use this subframe: https://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/product/bmw-mini-r5...
I think that this is supposed to replace the OE factory rails...
Did you use something similar or were you able to use the OE rails with out changing them?

[GaryF]

Hi Christopher,

Here are the side mounts that I ordered from GSM :-

https://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/product/cobra-bmw-m...

However, that is not what came in the box from Cobra... They sent the ultra-low varients that you can see in my pics and also the bases and runners to match (even though I had not specifically ordered bases or runners!).

It became a little complex in that the runners they sent, well, I struggled with my own sanity thinking I was stupid as I could not get them to fit. It transpired that they sent narrow gauge runners as opposed to wide, so they did not allow for the width of the seats.

When I sent them a pic of me crying into my Nogaros, they realised what was wrong and dispatched a wider set (essentially the bar that goes between the runners to allow you to move the seats back and forth is longer and hence the runners are pushed further apart to allow the side mounts to encapsulate the seat base and the runners to line up with the holes in the metal bases).

I was rather pleased with the whole setup as I'd originally expected to have to fix the side mounts directly to the floor allowing no seat movement, but this is much better.

There are so many applications and nuances, that I'm sure it's a bit tricky to get this 100% right, but hopefully Cobra will recall what they needed to ship to make sure you have what you need to complete your little jigsaw puzzle

[GaryF]

Here is a close-up pic of one of my side mounts. Note, the two holes at the rear and two slots at the front to give a little adjustment. As you can see, I have gone for the most reclined position (bottom hole at the back, top slot at the front).



Hopefully that will help GSM/Cobra confirm the type that you need.

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

Here is a close-up pic of one of my side mounts. Note, the two holes at the rear and two slots at the front to give a little adjustment. As you can see, I have gone for the most reclined position (bottom hole at the back, top slot at the front).



Hopefully that will help GSM/Cobra confirm the type that you need.

Yes. That does help! Thank you.
I already sent them one of your original pics that also shows the side mounts, but the new pic shows it much better. Hopefully they can identify what they actually sent you from the two photos.

I am still unclear if you were able to use the OE rails (the ones bolted to the floor). It sounds like, 'Yes'. But everyone I correspond with want to sell me what look like a base plate that replaces the factory OE rails (https://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/product/bmw-mini-r56-cobra-seat-frame/). I don't want to do that if it isn't necessary, and it sounds like you didn't need to. It sounds like all you needed was the side mounts and properly spaced runners/sliders to get the seat to fit and slide back-and-forth like normal.

If you have a chance to do the measurement, that would really help (whenever you get a chance).

[GaryF]

You do need all of the items I mentioned in prev post inc. runners :-

When speaking with GSM ask them to ensure you get the following:-
- Pair of Cobra Nogaros (either street or circuit) to your specification (fabric/leather/colour(s)/painted back/carbon/GRP and stitching colour / logo /no logo)
- Pair of seat bases
- Two pairs of ultra-low side mounts
- Two pairs of runners
- Pair of Cobra seat belt clips
- All required fixings
- Installation diagram
- Agree on whether you are sending heating pads to Cobra for install

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

You do need all of the items I mentioned in prev post inc. runners :-

When speaking with GSM ask them to ensure you get the following:-
- Pair of Cobra Nogaros (either street or circuit) to your specification (fabric/leather/colour(s)/painted back/carbon/GRP and stitching colour / logo /no logo)
- Pair of seat bases
- Two pairs of ultra-low side mounts
- Two pairs of runners
- Pair of Cobra seat belt clips
- All required fixings
- Installation diagram
- Agree on whether you are sending heating pads to Cobra for install

I think part of my confusion is based on the definition of the terms. ~ For instance, when I have asked about using the factory OE rails (those bolted to the floor), I am imagining the rails that are stationary and are bolted to the floor. When I mention runners/sliders I am imagining the parts that travel with the seat and slide within the rails mentioned above. And when you refer to a "seat base", having not seen these seats or the installation in person... I actually have no clear idea what that piece is. It could be something that bolts to the bottom of the seat that the side mounts then bolt to OR it could be a base that is fixed to the floor and includes the rails (the stationary rails).

I have asked GSM to reference your order in terms of identifying the hardware that I need (and I have also sent them the photos of your installation to help identify the side mount brackets). They have not indicated that they have done so.

I have also asked them to send me an installation diagram in the hope that this will clarify what the respective pieces are called so that when referring to them I'm on the same page as everyone else.

And, yes, in terms of installing the factory heating elements I have clearly told them that I want the OE factory elements installed by Cobra. I even referenced Mark at the Cobra factory as a contact who could coordinate this.

We'll get it worked out. And I appreciate all of your help and enthusiasm.

Edited by Stradagene on Thursday 17th September 20:52

[GaryF]

Hi, some further clarification...

• Seat bases bolt directly to the floor (they are fabricated square metal fixings about an inch high)
• Runners/sliders bolt to the top of the seat bases
• Side mounts bolt to the top (moving part of the runners/sliders)
• Seat bolts to the side mounts

Partial pic of the jigsaw here minus side mounts and seats - this is what they sent me when I was having diffs due to incorrect runners/sliders:

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

Hi, some further clarification...

• Seat bases bolt directly to the floor (they are fabricated square metal fixings about an inch high)
• Runners/sliders bolt to the top of the seat bases
• Side mounts bolt to the top (moving part of the runners/sliders)
• Seat bolts to the side mounts

Partial pic of the jigsaw here minus side mounts and seats - this is what they sent me when I was having diffs due to incorrect runners/sliders:

Thank you SO MUCH Gary! This entirely clears things up for me. It looks like what you are calling the "seat bases" is what GSM refers to as the “Direct Fit Seat Frames”, and it sounds like I need those!

From your text description and pics, I mistakenly thought that you had used the OE MINI tracks and that the Cobra sliders fit directly inside of those tracks. It now makes sense that you replaced the OE MINI tracks with the Cobra “Direct Fit Seat Frames” tracks.

I'm still trying to coordinate the Cobra factory installation of the OE MINI heating elements with GSM. Cobra doesn't have an email address on the webpage, so I am relying on GSM to make that contact. I did refer them to Mark at the Cobra factory as a potential contact, and I filled out/submitted the inquiry form on the Cobra webpage in hopes that they might get back to me directly. It sounds like once that contact is established this should not be a problem either.

If you happen to have a chance to measure the closest the Nogaros can be slid forward to the brake pedal (similar to the way that Harry did in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ukaSsQTPC9c?t=289 ), that would still be appreciated.


BTW - This is the photo for what GSM is calling the "Direct Fit Seat Frame". It looks very similar to the "seat base" in the diagram that you posted. I am sure they are the same thing. GSM told me that the photos posted on their website are not always pics of the actual part. This pic might show the "Direct Fit Seat Frame" for another vehicle...

[GaryF]

Hi again, if you look at the seat bases in my diagram, the look exactly like the ones Cobra supplied and they have a "FRM-07" reference for these in the table.

The GSM pic is not of the same type of base that I have, but as you note this could just be a generic pic. I think GSM should be able to now sort this with Cobra for you so you get the right items - they have done ot for me, though I did step in and contact Cobra direct when I could not complete my build due to incorrect runners. They were very helpful, dredged up that diagram and sent on the correct runners.

Keep the chin up

[Stradagene]

GaryF said:

The GSM pic is not of the same type of base that I have, but as you note this could just be a generic pic.

I think this must be the case. GSM told me something similar when I noted that the side mounts they linked me to did not look like the ones that you used.
They specifically said: "The images of the side mounts are not the correct one online, I can confirm the Nogaro Side Mounts I linked are the ultra-low ones."

[Stradagene]

Seats are on order. Now just trying to coordinate with the factory to get them the OEM MINI heating elements.

Thanks for posting that detail here! So much better that they will build them with the OEM elements installed. Makes for a much cleaner installation.

Do you happen to have an email address for Mark at the Cobra factory? (If you just want to share the username, I think I can guess the domain name. That way you don't have to publish his email address on a public forum)

Yeah... I'm excited. Your seats look great!

[GaryF]

Hi PM sent

[Stradagene]

My seats are made and are on their way!

Edited by Stradagene on Saturday 16th January 02:29

[GaryF]

Happy days. They look great

[Stradagene]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing them in the flesh.
I went with orange stitching to match the exterior of the car (Spice Orange MINI R58)