Topic: Racing Seat Question

Hello, I'm preparing my first Lemons car and I've been trying to find a cost-effective yet still legal racing seat.  I found this Corbeau for sale and it looks decent.  Bought new a year ago, so it should be in spec I would think.  Does it have all the proper openings for the harness, and would it be considered legal?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it … 873344098/

If not, what are some other cheap racing seats that fit the Lemons racing spec?  Seen a lot of aluminum seats but I don't know anything about them.  Thank you!

Re: Racing Seat Question

If you have a tight budget, I think you have the right idea.  Buy a lightly used seat. I think we have basically the same seat.  It's not a bad first seat at all.  Just keep in mind that the seat has to fit everyone on the team.  If you have a someone on your team with... wide hips, you might want a wide seat.

If you have a less limited budget, those halo seats are the stat of the art in safety.

Re: Racing Seat Question

pierj1006 wrote:

Hello, I'm preparing my first Lemons car and I've been trying to find a cost-effective yet still legal racing seat.  I found this Corbeau for sale and it looks decent.  Bought new a year ago, so it should be in spec I would think.  Does it have all the proper openings for the harness, and would it be considered legal?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it … 873344098/

If not, what are some other cheap racing seats that fit the Lemons racing spec?  Seen a lot of aluminum seats but I don't know anything about them.  Thank you!

That looks like an FX1 and we use an FX1 for FX1 Pro in pretty much all our cars (pro is just an 1" wider).  Legal as long as it is not a counterfeit and I am pretty sure the fakes were "Sparko" with a bad hologram sticker.

Re: Racing Seat Question

Thats not an FX1, I believe that's a Forza.  The Forza is a tube framed seat.  Tube framed seats are not illegal in Lemons.  However, the head of tech is not a fan of them and sometimes requires additional seatback support to be added.  I'm personally not a fan of them as my old FIA tube framed Sparco used to leave me bruised after a weekend.  Easy way to spot a tube framed seat is if the back of the seat is covered in fabric.

But you are on the right track here.  I've bought several used quality composite seats in the $100 range and sometimes less. Especially this time of year in the racing off-season.  A ripped seat cover in sideways hat Sammy's Honda can lead to a bargain for you.  As far as aluminum seats go, they are often the cheapest but most seem to be drag race or circle track based seats.  The drag race ones usually have no upper body side support in the shoulder area.  The circle track ones may mostly have support on the right side.  That said, it doesn't stop me from searching on Kirkey for an Intermediate Road Race or Style 47 seat.  Ultrashield and Butlerbuilt also make road race seats but like Kirkey the vast majority of the used ones are drag or circle track. 

That Corbeau Forza retails for $250 so it better be awful cheap and fit me well for me to consider it.  IMHO, hands down the best value for a new composite seat is the BiMarco Hummer which is $300 delivered and it is a containment seat.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Racing Seat Question

cheseroo wrote:

Thats not an FX1, I believe that's a Forza.  The Forza is a tube framed seat.  Tube framed seats are not illegal in Lemons.  However, the head of tech is not a fan of them and sometimes requires additional seatback support to be added.  I'm personally not a fan of them as my old FIA tube framed Sparco used to leave me bruised after a weekend.  Easy way to spot a tube framed seat is if the back of the seat is covered in fabric.

But you are on the right track here.  I've bought several used quality composite seats in the $100 range and sometimes less. Especially this time of year in the racing off-season.  A ripped seat cover in sideways hat Sammy's Honda can lead to a bargain for you.  As far as aluminum seats go, they are often the cheapest but most seem to be drag race or circle track based seats.  The drag race ones usually have no upper body side support in the shoulder area.  The circle track ones may mostly have support on the right side.  That said, it doesn't stop me from searching on Kirkey for an Intermediate Road Race or Style 47 seat.  Ultrashield and Butlerbuilt also make road race seats but like Kirkey the vast majority of the used ones are drag or circle track. 

That Corbeau Forza retails for $250 so it better be awful cheap and fit me well for me to consider it.  IMHO, hands down the best value for a new composite seat is the BiMarco Hummer which is $300 delivered and it is a containment seat.

Thank you very much for all the information, I'll keep looking then.  Guy wanted 350 from it because he got it from a friend, I'll definitely pass on it.  I'll be on the lookout for those composite seats!

Re: Racing Seat Question

We use a Kirkey Intermediate Road Race seat and we all love it.  For what you pay its a great seat.  Like others have said if you only have so much cash now is the time to snag a seat during off season. 

As others have said, make sure the seat fits all of your guys, dunno about your team but my guys and gals are all over the place with height and weight so we spent a ton of time making sure it was right for everyone.  Sending one of your buds home with bruises is not the right way to do it ;-)

Team Sucker Punch: Winner Class B Doing Time at Joliet 2023 Autobahn ,Winner Org Choice award Were the Elite Meet to Cheat 2015
Chevy Camaro (Tiger striped #38)  (1989-2017 RIP old friend)
Chevy Corvette 1984......and still racing!

Re: Racing Seat Question

Tiptoe the rat wrote:

We use a Kirkey Intermediate Road Race seat and we all love it.  For what you pay its a great seat.  Like others have said if you only have so much cash now is the time to snag a seat during off season. 

As others have said, make sure the seat fits all of your guys, dunno about your team but my guys and gals are all over the place with height and weight so we spent a ton of time making sure it was right for everyone.  Sending one of your buds home with bruises is not the right way to do it ;-)

Thankfully we have a smaller team, both number wise and size wise, so we’re all pretty much the same dimensions.  I’ll look into the Kirkey, hopefully I can find something that works now instead of the summer.

8 (edited by SpaceFrank 2020-12-28 02:35 PM)

Re: Racing Seat Question

For seat fitment, also keep in mind for taller drivers that the top of the seat must extend past the middle of your helmet. The Corbeau FX1 was too short for this 6'4" driver, although I also have relatively short legs (~32" inseam) and a tall torso. The old Series 47 Kirkey Intermediate Road Race fits me just fine, although I can't speak for the newer series that replaced it.

Re: Racing Seat Question

SpaceFrank wrote:

For seat fitment, also keep in mind for taller drivers that the top of the seat must extend past the middle of your helmet. The Corbeau FX1 was too short for this 6'4" driver, although I also have relatively short legs (~32" inseam) and a tall torso. The old Series 47 Kirkey Intermediate Road Race fits me just fine, although I can't speak for the newer series that replaced it.

The Series 65 replaced the 47.  The 65 seatback is adjustable vertically which should fix the helmet/seatback issue (Pagel has signed off on the Series 65).  I have a Series 47 and agreed it's a good seat and perhaps the 47/65 Series is the only real option if you need an 18" seat for your fun sized drivers.  I'm just not sure it's the best value at $500 when a Bimarco containment is $300 delivered and the non containment is even less.  However in the Kirkey's favor replacement seat covers are readily available.  I continue to use the Kirkey because a containment seat would impede egress out of one of the cars.  Kirkey does sell the headrest ears to turn your seat into a containment seat if you so choose.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Racing Seat Question

More seat question, since I couldn't find an accurate answer on the rules or the forum.  If it's FIA rated, does it need to be in spec?  I found a guy with a beat up Sparco Sprint but it's rated as 1999.  Even though it's out of the spec date, could I still run it?  Don't want to know if I should, just want to know if I can.

Re: Racing Seat Question

Lemons does not require an FIA certified seat nor do they verify for expiration.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)