Seating options

Alohas all,

Can you pretty much install whatever seats you want in these cars? I have read some posts concerned with limitations in width for seat tracks and such.

I'm interested, because I think a nice set of Recaro or Sparco touring seats would look nice with the right interior and paint scheme.

Also, has anyone fitted a functional roll bar without welding a diagonal through the passenger area?

mahalos,
Joel

No on the seats; some replicas are pretty narrow and require special or modified seats.

I'm having my new IM Speedster Carrera replica built with a removeable roll bar, but retro-fitting a roll bar to a replica can be a problem and a lot will depend on whether is pan-based or has a tubular frame.

Joel, I installed (with a lot of help) a double hump stainless steel, 1 1/2" schedule 40 roll bar in my 2001 VS mid flare. I wanted a real roll bar, not a show bar. The bar is welded to the cross frame below the rear package area in four places as well as having two rear braces welded to the frame horns. I now have a digital camera, so when I figure out how to use it, and how to post pics on the site, I will post. Coincidentally, I now live on Kauai, only an inter-island hop away. Regards, Jim

Alohas all,

Hmmm...that's too bad about the seats. I really like these cars, but wanted to try and outfit one with more modern racing components. Same as with the roll bar: want it to look good and be functional. George, having looked at a few manufacturers, I really like the tube-frame chassis that IM uses. I know its really far from the stock chassis, but that's alright.

Jim - where on Kaua'i are you at? I have lots of friends and family over there. Mostly Wailua, Kapa'a and Kilauea is where they're at.

mahalos,
Joel

I have installed roll bars in a lot of cars. I see no problems installing one in the Speedsters, the only trick is that you can't buy one prefabbed from a volume dealer. You can go look at the files section, Members, Rollbar to get an idea.

About the seats, I think you can easily fit the right Recaros in the car. It is a simple measurement. If you see a VW, go measure the space in the pan half betwen the tunnel and the outside edge. I think a Recaro will easily fit there, and in my experience, a Recar doesn't have a lot of pad depth, so the head room won't be pinched.

Hi Jack,

That's a nice setup you got there for the rollbar. I would prefer to have something similar to that in a speedster. I wonder how it would hook up to an IM with the tubular frame?

alohas,
Joel