Roadster seats

Phil, had an IM roadster with roadster seats for a few years. Just saying

Yes I think the IM roadster seats will fit in a Vintage MotorCar Coupe.  A VM Coupe is built on a pan.  Question is about the attachment points.  I want sliders on the seats so they are adjustable front to back.  Also will the added height restrict the diameter of the steering wheel?  And of course what is the cost difference between roadster and speedster seats?  So is it worth the extra money, time for custom work and compromise in the size of the steering wheel?  My butt thinks probably yes.

550 Phil posted:

Yes I think the IM roadster seats will fit in a Vintage MotorCar Coupe.  A VM Coupe is built on a pan.  Question is about the attachment points.  I want sliders on the seats so they are adjustable front to back.  Also will the added height restrict the diameter of the steering wheel?  And of course what is the cost difference between roadster and speedster seats?  So is it worth the extra money, time for custom work and compromise in the size of the steering wheel?  My butt thinks probably yes.

Reach out to Greg Leach to see if he thinks the IM seats might fit. When he built Al's coupe he used Speedster seats so I'm not sure what will fit. The Speedster comfort seats may fit since they are made with the same base shell (IIRC) as the Speedster seats.

Ditto on the reach out to Greg. He's putting roadster style seats in my coupe. He said he has a company he likes to work with. I saw a pair when I was visiting in April, but they were on a workbench so I didn't;t get to sit in them. They looked nice and had recline feature. 

JMM (Michael) posted:

Ditto on the reach out to Greg. He's putting roadster style seats in my coupe. He said he has a company he likes to work with. I saw a pair when I was visiting in April, but they were on a workbench so I didn't;t get to sit in them. They looked nice and had recline feature. 

Michael.  I would love to see pictures of your sea and your build.  I know there is a coupe being built with AC.  Is that yours?  I am going to drive this car a lot on weekends and to my other home in the mountains.  I need it to be cumfy.  I'm trying not to bug Greg until I decide definitely on the build.  But I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it. 

Phil,

He's prepping my body, so it's not even in paint yet. Yes it will be built with AC, so maybe it is mine he's referring to. I opted for the roadster seats because I intend to drive it a lot, too, and my wife won' t like the speedster seats. I'm perfectly comfy in them. I was wondering if he's make me a speedster seat that swaps out with the roadster one on the driver's side. Or maybe just build it that way if it's not too weird. 

Here's a picture I took of the shop and just over the clamshell of the spyder you can see two red setbacks poking up. Not super helpful, but it's the only pic I have. 

Phil.

I still say that properly made and padded speedster seats the way Henry does them, are just as comfortable as roadster seats from some other maker.  After four seasons, and thousands of miles, I would not switch my seats for anything else.

Henry makes his seats somewhat wider and the bottom is more padded.  Add in three way seat heaters, and you can’t get more comfortable.  Four point locking seat belts are a great option, along with soft and supple Italian leather, yum.  I have to think they will provide more bolstering than roadster seats, and I imagine some spirited driving just might sneak in once in a while...

It’s a once in a lifetime build (probably), so investigate your options carefully (as I know you will).

:-)

I don't know Bob. Phil is on his 3rd Spyder. Then he's also had his IM with the straight 4.

He just may have some more cars in his future. Eh, Phil?

The only problem with IM Speedster seats is, where can you get them today?

For the record, your seats are definitely comfy, Bob. I think you'd give the same marks to my Vintage Spyder seats, no?

For the advocates of IM Roadster seats, be aware that 10 years ago when I "had to do something", Henry was offering a set of I have an extra set/ I need these out of here Roadster seats in black leather discounted to $2500 for a customer and friend (me). The regular price was higher. They are also too wide for a normal-width pan car.

I bought Fibersteel speedster seats (made in 3 widths: big boy, OE speedster, and replica speedster widths): his upholstery and molded foam. The OE speedster seat fit my butt perfectly, but wouldn't fit in a normal pan car. They were also $2500. I wanted to be comfortable badly enough to pay it. Jeanie never did like them.

If you want to spend less than $3000-- the ProCar's are nice, but EMPI makes a copy for about $250/seat. They have zero side bolstering, but neither do IM roadster seats or the ProCar's.

I think Phil is nearing being an empty nester as well as getting his kids off the gravy train so he may have many more builds in mind. ... Remember what Leno said:" One wife ... many cars " 

I like IMs speedster seats and they are quite comfortable but for long distance 7-12 hours of riding it sure is nice to lean back and have your back fully supported and your head as well when your build involves a long torso.  Just saying. 

Now we need more garage space too.  

DannyP posted:

 

The only problem with IM Speedster seats is, where can you get them today?

For the record, your seats are definitely comfy, Bob. I think you'd give the same marks to my Vintage Spyder seats, no?

Danny.  Henry is still building speedsters and roadsters, as far as I know, just electric ones now.  He has also pledged to maintain supplies and services for all his pre-battery cars.  With all the petrol powered cars he has built, he would have to.

So, speedster seats could most likely be ordered.

And, yes, your seats are great.

Yes.  I've had 3 spyders with speedster seats and one IM 356 D-type with roadster seats.  My roadster seats were much more comfortable than my spyder seats but had no lateral support.  Good thing my 356 was not fast since I would really have to brace myself with anything I could grab on to trying to do the twisties in my IM.  Bob's car is such a beast he needs the lateral support of speedster seats.  

My current spyder is also a 200hp beast that tachs up to 7000 rpms in the blink of an eye.  So honestly performance is not a big priority in a coupe.  If I want to carve up mountain roads I'll just hop in the spyder.  I want a nice stock 175hp suby engine and a 5 speed so I can go in a straight line at a nice pace.  And it should be capable of an occasional highway trip.  Hair on fire driving will not be a requirement.  

So I want the car to be as comfortable as possible.  If the car will accommodate roadster seats then I will likely go in that direction.  If it cannot then I'll ask Greg to make me the most comfortable speedster seats possible. 

Ray is right.  Put 3 kids through med school.  Daughter just graduated this May and its time for dad to reward himself.  I'm sure my wife will get the final say but she seems to be coming around.  She doesn't understand it but I think she is aware of the madness.  After 5 kit cars (I also had a Caterham Super 7) you think she would just give up.

Wifey should come along... mine did in the end but I still have one in Uni, actually dropped him off near Bob this weekend.  Looking at another car but my two car garage is filled so I need more parking for the off season 6 months of cold to store them... Panhandle is where I want to be sung to the tune of green acres