Optimum race seat position

[sweetlokin66]

Forgive me for posting here about a seat here but I believe a good seat position is a pretty big factor in handling and drivability of the car and didn't want it to get lost in the interior forums. Here's a picture ill use as a base to start off opinions. Anyone's insite would be appreciated. I think I should move it back and down a bit? In that position the bracket underneath has to be about 12" tall to hit the pan.

[sweetlokin66]

[buildabiggerboxer]

There will always be some compromises on seating position, first thing, a Beetle is not the safest vehicle in THE most dangerous impact you may subjected to, that is a side impact to the drivers door, it's a good idea to move the seat as far to the centre of the car as your race regulations allow, the one thing limiting this is the handbrake lever, if you have to run one, but it can be moved, not to difficult if it's hydraulic, but get away from the drivers door as far as possible, the usual door intrusion bars and relevant foam impact obsorbtion material is assumed to be in place.
I would change that seat pronto and without question, again, a side impact to your head will kill you, no HANS device in the world stops the brain having nowhere to go in a side impact were the skull is so narrow, and we need to address the above to even get near a chance of survival, get a seat with built in side protection for the head,
The rest, for and aft positioning is just a matter of being comfortable and having easy reach to the controls, a rule of thumb is that you should be able to lay your rists on the steering wheel rim Top without stretching, I like to sit very low, with this, there are times in a dog fight were I can't see the track side kerbs, I have to 'estimate' were they are,, if I'm pushed out off line by traffic I just can't actually see them ,given a clear track or even in a 'train' it's not a problem, but you may want to sit higher than I do, but another plus to sitting low, is that I don't knock the granny out of my elbows on the harness buckle, I sat much higher in Rallycross events and there is a lot more wheel twiddling going on, my elbows payed the price with that. Do think about the side impact aspect, more talent is lost to us from these than even some horrific frontal impacts which are nowhere near as dangerous.
That wood rim steering wheel needs to go also, it can splinter when deformed, and it offers poor grip.

[sweetlokin66]

Thank you for the insite. Should have mentioned this will be 99% streeted with maybe some local motor cross events and a drag night here and there to contend with. Wasnt particularly aiming to do track days with it. Wood wheel is a temp regardless

[Fiatdude]

OK -- First thing -- don't even start mocking up that seat until you have a helmet on -- -- most SOLO and other things require a Helmet -- so put it on then figure it out -------

Also, with those High side seats you may want to put a steering wheel release hub in there -- -- Something I'd recommend -- there might come a time where you'd need just a little more room to get the hell out of there quick

Next -- seat placement is where you are most comfortable and where you get the most visibility looking out of the car.... Try several different locations before you lock it in -- -- I'm 6'4" and 250, so I'm limited to all the way back and all the way onto the floor LOL -- But it you're thinking of adding a RLR bolt in roll bar with a drivers side and passenger side bars (this is where you say,,, "Damn that sounds like a good idea") or whatever, take into account where those things will end up,,,,, nothing more annoying than bouncing your helmet off a roll bar going over bumps, or jamming your knee into a post every time your trying to get out.................................

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss30 ... 674627.jpg

[Marc]

Great comments so far, I have no disputes with any of the suggestions offered. Since this'll be mostly a street-driven ride, weight distribution is a relatively minor factor. Put it where you're comfortable and can see out well enough to navigate corners in intersections. I especially like Fiatdude's advice to have a helmet on when deciding where to put the seat.
Do you plan to run a stock steering column & control switches? That makes it a little harder to fit a quick-release hub, but there are solutions available if your budget allows. Back before I had my knees & hip replaced I had a real hard time just getting in & out of my daily-driver; my son installed a sweet quick-release hub for me that fits the stock shaft and doesn't interfere with the stock switches. The only thing a little flakey about it was the horn button/wiring, but you wouldn't want that on the track anyway, a simple dash-mounted button should be good enough to satisfy the law for the street...then you can fit a pad in the center of the wheel.

[sweetlokin66]

The first thing I thought of when I went to get in and out for the first trial was add a quick disconnect.
Defenitely will allow for more graceful exits. I can adapt anything to a collapsable shaft which is on the to do list.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Nice looking seats! "Back in the day" we did some pretty stupid things to look cool and a lot of them were worse than not safe .

I too like all the suggestions but if you are planning to put a cage in (recommended for sure. Something we did not even think of) then do it first... then you can start setting the rest of the pieces in place. Nothing worse than having to tear things out then redo them once much less a couple of times.

Not being able to comfortably reach or operate safety and tunnel mounted things which I think would come into play next. Checking everything with the helmet on idea is great and making room for the swinging out the legs for a fast bail (from seated position to body ejection) out would make a close second thing to consider; also take in to consideration the steering shaft and steering wheel location. There are two styles of steering wheel quick disconnects with the splined version being the stronger of the two (an octagon connection being the other style which I have been told can get sloppy over time ) but alas, the splined version costs quite a bit more. I do like the idea of a padded steering wheel hub also.

On thing I prefer is to have the passenger sitting slightly to the rear of the driver's seat. It allows the driver to see out the side window and/or side mirrors more easily.

It looks like you are making a nice start there.

My opinion is worth slightly less than you paid for it.

Lee

[Fiatdude]

Just get one of those Nitrous buttons that have a long coiled wire that attach to the steering wheel and use that for the horn button --


OH,,, Was looking at your sitting position in the picture -- -- One Comment, It looks like you're leaning a little forward in the shoulder/neck area (too much seat angle) -- In the old NASCAR days this was called 'gapping', and was considered a No-No. Your head is a little too far away from the seat back, blah blah blah -- I'd recommend taking a couple of degrees out of your recline and see how this feels... but it still comes back to what you like...

I just got a Sparco Chrono seat that reclines to replace my Kirkey drivers seat -- -- The last time I went out and did that SOLO stuff, those hard sides (even with the soft covers) made my ribs hurt for a week LOL

[volksbugly]

Another thing to think about is your heal toe action with your foot vs the gas pedal. Did a quick search to see if I could find a picture example and found this website talking about seating.

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_seating

[Fiatdude]

Great resource -- -- Trying to heel/toe with Bug pedals suck -- -- I gonna update my car with some Tilton pedals when the money tree blossoms again LOL

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Another thing to think about is your heal toe action with your foot vs the gas pedal. Did a quick search to see if I could find a picture example and found this website talking about seating.

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_seating

Well said!!!!!

[sweetlokin66]

Glad to hear everyones input. Will update more once the car is done. Keeping this one on the DL as best I can