M3 E36 bucket seats

[fwaggie]

The standard seats are too high, banging head on roof when wearing crash helmet.

I've guesstimated the BM seats are about 20cm or just under from floor to bum (at the back of seat base).

Anyone got any suggestions on which bucket seats would give me an extra couple of inches headroom? Preferably reclining, preferably comfortable for a tall, not very slim chap

There seem to be loads on EBay but going by the pictures they look around the same seat base height.

I suppose a couple of alternatives are stripping the roof lining or stripping the standard seat adjustment mechanism, either one should give a bit more room.

[dan101smith]

Almost all reclining buckets will be base-mounted, and the subframes will raise the seat compared to stock, not lower.

You'd be better off replacing the driver's seat with a side-mounted bucket on a custom subframe. Mine dropped a couple of inches when doing this (that included cutting the carpet though). Keep the standard passenger seat to allow access to the rear, if you so want.

And most decent buckets come in "GT Width" for the larger gent.

[teabagger]

Here are my seats, I had to actually increase the seat hight to get the seating position as i wanted it, much better than the standard vaders and comfortable too!

Edited by teabagger on Monday 14th September 08:31

[fwaggie]

dan101smith said:

Almost all reclining buckets will be base-mounted, and the subframes will raise the seat compared to stock, not lower.

You'd be better off replacing the driver's seat with a side-mounted bucket on a custom subframe. Mine dropped a couple of inches when doing this (that included cutting the carpet though). Keep the standard passenger seat to allow access to the rear, if you so want.

And most decent buckets come in "GT Width" for the larger gent.

Cheers Dan.

I plan to remove the back seats and add a loose cross bar with a couple of straps to hold 4 wheels + tyres so will need access to get at them.

Don't mind putting a fixed back drivers seat in and using existing passenger seat to get in the back.

[fwaggie]

teabagger said:

Here are my seats, I had to actually increase the seat hight to get the seating position as i wanted it, much better than the standard vaders and comfortable too!

Nice teabagger.

Did you get those subframes made or can you buy them off the shelf like that?

What seats are those BTW?

[teabagger]

fwaggie said:

teabagger said:

Here are my seats, I had to actually increase the seat hight to get the seating position as i wanted it, much better than the standard vaders and comfortable too!

Nice teabagger.

Did you get those subframes made or can you buy them off the shelf like that?

What seats are those BTW?

The seats are Cobra Monaco's. I had to make the base frames up myself which was fairly straight forward if you can weld. The steel was purchased for £4 from a local fencing company! I used the rear seat belt receptacles so no need for harnesses at this point.

[dan101smith]

This is basically the same as I have except my seats are side-mount.

My comment about raising the seat is when you use a manufacturer-supplied sliding subframe - with custom mounts like these you're fine.

[fwaggie]

No problem.

Custom fixed seat mounts like those it is then.

I've got a mate who's got all the welding gear (I know its an excuse to buy my own but after a serious case of arc-eye last time I tried to learn I'm rather hesitant to try again!)

[fwaggie]

I don't suppose you live anywhere near Milton Keynes teabagger?

I want to see if I fit into those Cobra seats before ordering one.

I like the looks of the Cobra Misano but the base is a lot thicker, don't think I'd gain much at all by fitting those.

[teabagger]

fwaggie said:

I don't suppose you live anywhere near Milton Keynes teabagger?

I want to see if I fit into those Cobra seats before ordering one.

I like the looks of the Cobra Misano but the base is a lot thicker, don't think I'd gain much at all by fitting those.

I am in the North East.
Try a Halfords with a ripspeed department. I have seen my seats on sale in there where you can try before you buy.

[dan101smith]

They look the same as the Sparco Sprint 5 to me? In which case there's one in my garage in Berkhamsted you're welcome to try...