Seatframe Fabrication

[Rob]

I need to fabricate a sturdy seatframe to mount the slider for my
race seat.

Any engineers here who can help me with some tips ?
I was thinking about making a 'box' out of square tubing, and mount it to the
reinforced space where the original seatmounts are.

For strength I'd mount a bar diagonal across the 'box'.

Hope this is somewhat clear

Any hints/tips are appreciated.

Rob.

[Sandeep]

Just make sure you have room to sit and put on a helmet incase you ever race it :agree:

Sandeep

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Sandeep

Just make sure you have room to sit and put on a helmet incase you ever race it :agree:

Sandeep

hehehe, no worries. The seat is currently mounted on the stock seatframe, so I know that the height will be ok.

Rob.

[super vw]

I fabed up a frame for my Porsche seats to mount in a 74 super.

Do a search, there are pics of it some where here.
I have mine made out of 1"/1" square tube and 1"/1" angle and 3/16 plate.
I have a box config whats made out of the angle, then the legs are made from the tubing, and the feet made from the plate.
It mounts in the original seat tracks, and tower aswell as bolts onto the floor pan (But all the weight in suported on the tracks) so there are 7 (yes 7) mounting points for each frame.
One thing i would NOT recomend is making a frame and bolting or welding it directly to the thin floor pan. unless you strengthen it some how, otherwise you might run the risk of having your seats rip out in a crash (no good) not the mention your seats will move around becuase of the thin metal :S(But this wont apply to you as your using the stock tracks to)

[thomas_niji]

Hey super vw is your beetle a standard or a super?

I am working on my standard and trying to put some new seats in there. I am fabricating my seat bracket, and would appreciate some input on that.

Thanks X 1000

Thomas

[super vw]

Originally Posted by thomas_niji

Hey super vw is your beetle a standard or a super?

I am working on my standard and trying to put some new seats in there. I am fabricating my seat bracket, and would appreciate some input on that.

Thanks X 1000

Thomas

It's a 74 super... exactly what would you like to know?

Jonathan

[thomas_niji]

mine is a standard.since i don't have a welder, i will have to build a frame (with steel angles and bolts....) then bolt it down. but now the problem is where should i bolt it to? the stock tracks? i have seen in some posts that say i shouldn't bolt or weld to the floor pan.

[boygenius]

I was thinking of using the bottom of my stock seats for the tracks and welding up some tabs on to them to bolt my nissan 240 seats on. That way I wouldn't have to cut any holes in my floor that I just repainted.

[super vw]

Originally Posted by thomas_niji

mine is a standard.since i don't have a welder, i will have to build a frame (with steel angles and bolts....) then bolt it down. but now the problem is where should i bolt it to? the stock tracks? i have seen in some posts that say i shouldn't bolt or weld to the floor pan.

Here is what i did.

since you dont have a welder... im not to sure on how you would do this. only thing i can think of if you have no accces to welding is to use the stock seat frames, them modify them to allow seats to bolt on top. but doing so might be the tricky part. maybe add some steel plate that you bolt on that the seats would bolt to... iffy, but might work.

Bolting ONLY to the floor pan is no good, you run the risk of your seats pulling out, and your seats will move due to the flex in the floor pans. so you will need to use the stock tracks some how, or beef up the mounting points on the pan so they dont flex or pull out if you dont use the stock tracks.

there are many ways to do different seats, but a welder or access to one has more options than not... do any friends weld? maybe you can have a local welding/ fab shop do it for you (shouldent cost more than 50 bucks to do JUST the welding)

[thomas_niji]

man your brackets look sturdy!
i am trying to leave my stock seats untouched.....
so that i can sell them if i can put my new seats...

i think what i am gonna do is to cut 2 sections of steel square tubes, and then mount them with bolts perpendicular to the stock tracks
then fab a bracket under the new seats, and mount those brackets onto the steel square tubes......
so it would look like this from the side:
/______\ <- bracket for new seats
D____D <- square tubes
--------- <- stock tracks

sorry for the crappy illustration....
the brackets would be made from 1" square tubes and 1.25" angle and the "sandwich" square tubes would be 1" too. do you think they would be sturdy enough?

thanx thanx