I got the seats today. Very happy with them. The color is a very close match with the Fiat interior. The driver seat has a spot that needs attention. On the back rest, left hip area, there is an area about the size of a half dollar that has worn through the leather.I will repair that. Overall, both are pretty nice, especially, considering I only paid $175 for the pair. Got em home, and immediatley removed the pass. side heat, and started figuring out how I am gonna install them. I started comparing the pics from the link I posted in the E30 set thread. I came up with another, easier way to install them, especially considering that I dont own a welder.
My plan is to install some steel "stock" 1/4x1 1/2 scross the front from left to right seat mount bolt. I am drilling holes through each end of the steel over the original mount holes and securing it with replacement bolts. The mount holes for the Miata seats roungly 1 1/2 inch closer together. Since the Miata seat front mount holes are closer together, I am drilling through the steel cross "mount"I bolted in, and using 1/2 inch g-8 bolts, with washer on top, and lock washer on bottom. I figure this would be sufficient sheer strength incase of an accident.
The rails on the Miata seat are a few inches longer than the fiat so I am running them past the risers onto the floor, and drilling 1/2" hole, and bolting to the floor using 1/2 g-8 2" bolts, once again, using g8 washers on top, and lock washer on bottom.
Before starting to install them, I had to grind off a steel spike that was on the front of each miata rail. I will also have to bend the fron of the Miata railstraight. The area with the bolt hole is at a downward angle. I will also have to do the same at the rear holes.
This seems to be a pretty safe set up. The only issue that I saw was the fact that front seat weight is not direcctly centered over the original spacer rails. I came to the conclusion that it would be OK, because the leg of the Miata rail does overlap on to it. I hope this overlap will reduce any flex int he steel when someone sits in the seat.
I have taken pics of what I have done so far. I will continue to do this. Also, when finished, I plan on compiling all of the materails I had to purchase, inclusing size of bolts and all the other goos stuff. If I do this right, if someone decides to use this as a plan for thier own install, they will have a good shopping list.
I hope to get a couple hours int he garage tomorrow night, so hopefully I can have more updates.
Seat update
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JeremyB
Re: Seat update
Round 2
Well the good news is that I talked to a very Dr. where I work (who has his doctorate in science/physics) who is also a classic car guy. I ran my plan by him, and showed him a diargam of what I am doing. He said it looked fine in terms of safety. I was hesitant about this if the car was in an accident.
The bad news is that I verified the fact (once again) that I am a dumbass. I had no problems drilling installing the stell peice across the front. Th eproblems came when I attempted to drill the holes for the seat to mount on the same peice. On the first attempt, I decided to set the seat in place, mark one hole, drill it, then mark, and drill the other. The first hole was 1/4" off. I drilled it too close to the stock rail riser. The only way I could've used this hole was if I took a hammer and beat the riser in a bit, or used my dremel to cut a peice out. Instead, I decided that it was better to drill another peice of steel. I can replace that, not the seat riser.
Then, I decided to actually measure, mark, drill and install on a 2nd peice of steel. Measured the distance on the seat holes on the other miata seat, measured on the steel, remeasured on the steel, did all of the math, marked it drilled it and set it in place. Bolted it down, fit perfect on teh seat risers, bolted it down, got the bolt through the right hole for the seat, and realized the holes on the left side did not match up! SON OF A BITCH! Cooled off, cleared my head, went back to it. My neighbor who has been helping out with this quickly figured out that the center to center measurment on teh drivers seat is different than the pass side!
Once again, proving that I am a dumb ass!
Oh well, I'll go at it again tomorrow. I think Im gonna need a new drill after this. My current one really does not like drilling through 1/4" steel. It was getting too hot to touch while I was drilling.
Well the good news is that I talked to a very Dr. where I work (who has his doctorate in science/physics) who is also a classic car guy. I ran my plan by him, and showed him a diargam of what I am doing. He said it looked fine in terms of safety. I was hesitant about this if the car was in an accident.
The bad news is that I verified the fact (once again) that I am a dumbass. I had no problems drilling installing the stell peice across the front. Th eproblems came when I attempted to drill the holes for the seat to mount on the same peice. On the first attempt, I decided to set the seat in place, mark one hole, drill it, then mark, and drill the other. The first hole was 1/4" off. I drilled it too close to the stock rail riser. The only way I could've used this hole was if I took a hammer and beat the riser in a bit, or used my dremel to cut a peice out. Instead, I decided that it was better to drill another peice of steel. I can replace that, not the seat riser.
Then, I decided to actually measure, mark, drill and install on a 2nd peice of steel. Measured the distance on the seat holes on the other miata seat, measured on the steel, remeasured on the steel, did all of the math, marked it drilled it and set it in place. Bolted it down, fit perfect on teh seat risers, bolted it down, got the bolt through the right hole for the seat, and realized the holes on the left side did not match up! SON OF A BITCH! Cooled off, cleared my head, went back to it. My neighbor who has been helping out with this quickly figured out that the center to center measurment on teh drivers seat is different than the pass side!
Once again, proving that I am a dumb ass!
Oh well, I'll go at it again tomorrow. I think Im gonna need a new drill after this. My current one really does not like drilling through 1/4" steel. It was getting too hot to touch while I was drilling.
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Danno
Re: Seat update
Jeremy, I didn't read your post more than once, so I'm not sure how you are fabbing the spots to drill, etc. Let me offer that Posterboard or a sheet of cardboard is your fabrication friend. using it to lay where you want to get your drilling holes lined up, etc can really save time in the long run.