I will be installing a Sparco Rev seat and needed to know if a 4,5 or 6 point harness is required. I know that Schroth makes a 4 point harness specific for the mini, but is a 5 or 6 point better? I heard there is also seat brackets made specifically for the mini. Could someone link me to a site that sells them. Thanks, Cheers.

 

I ordered a Sparco EVO-2 about a week ago after trying several seats on at OG Racing. Depending on what you are using your seat for might make a difference in what you NEED to do seat belt wise. Although I have a 4 point harness in the car already, I think for autocrossing purposes this seat fits me so well that the O.E. seat belt is all I will need and that the harness will do little more to hold me firmly in the seat. If however, you are Road Racing, Rallying or running Solo 1 events, it is at least a very good idea and in most cases a requirement to have a 5 or 6 point harness.

The REV, I believe is a side mount only seat and will require a MINI specific Base #00499038DX and a side mount kit. My side mount kit # 00490NR is black and Steel and weighs 4-5 lbs. Red (00490RS) is also available as is a black aluminum 00490W, which weighs apx. 3/4 lbs. less but cost 3x as much. OG Racing has a web site http://www.ogracing.com and a toll free #, 1-800-934-9112. If you search this site and MINI2 I believe you will find several other places that sell Sparco seat products.

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2001 & 2002 SCCA, STS, Pro Solo National Champion,

2003 STX, Solo 2 Nationals, Me 8th, codriver 2nd

 

gowest, I'm finding your posts very informative. Thanks!

With a side mount kit, the seat is fixed, as I understand it, or at least as my eyes see it. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Initially, I was fairly adamant on getting a sliding a seat bracket that would allow for sliding, forward and back. Without having a back seat, I have no issue losing tilt functionality...

There are probably two reasons why I wanted a seat to slide, that now I'm beginning to scrutinize more.

1. I often find myself doing various projects in my MCS where sliding the seat out of the way, like when working under the dash, is very helfpul.

2. If someone else is wanting to drive my MCS, like an instructor, for example, well, such a sliding mechanism would make this adjustment very easy.

I'm starting to talk myself out of that now as it appears that a seat could be removed or repositioned quite easily. Yes? Here is a link to these brackets:

http://www.ogracing.com/eshop/itemde...mp;showbrake=1

For as often as I have someone drive my MCS (not once, yet), and with only a handful of dash-area projects left, I see that this might be a way to save - money, and still further weight. I didn't see any weight figures for the various bracket options, but I recall someone saying that sliding units can weigh like 15+ pounds. I can't imagine these being more than 5 or 6...

Thanks again!

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2003 IB MCS

 

>>With a side mount kit, the seat is fixed, as I understand it, or at least as my eyes see it. If I'm wrong, please correct me.>>Thanks again!
>>

I got a slider kit for mine #00493. You might be able to put the seat in the car without it but with a short codriver and me being tall I didn't even consider not getting one. EVO-2 seat only, 16.5 lbs. by SCC. Base, sliders, side mounts and hardware kit. 17 lbs.

REV weighs apx. 3 lbs. less and is not STX legal unless weight is permanently added to bring the weight of the seat up to 15 lbs.

 

The pdf for the Rev shows it at 15.75, so maybe no additional weight would be necessay:

https://www.ogracing.com/files/Sparc...at%20Specs.pdf

Given my slight build, that is my first choice of the Sparcos, then the Evo, at least until I sit in them...

So, when you say that I might be able to put the seat into the MCS w/o it (a slider kit, thanks for the part#!), you think it might need some modification to mate-up?

 

>>So, when you say that I might be able to put the seat into the MCS w/o it (a slider kit, thanks for the part#!), you think it might need some modification to mate-up?
>>
>>

NO, I think you can just bolt the base to the floor and the seat to the base. Just what I think is a good guess though.
:smile:

 

I'm going to call them next week to see what they have to say...

Will you be using the stock belts with your EVO's? I can't tell if there are provisions for their use on these Sparcos...

 

when i put in my milanos, the steel base (seats and brackets from QG, by the way)bolts to the floor using the stock bolts and holes; mine fit fine, although i drilled out the holes slightly to aid alignment. the seat belt attachments fit to those bolts. the seat itself is attached to the slider upper part. The nice thing about the schroth 4 pt for the mini is that you bolt in a small connector to the driver's left seat side and to the rear seat belt bolt, left side. when you use the harness, one lap side clips into the stock clip and one into the dangler you added. the rear belts clip into the stock rear clip and the dangler you put there. the stock belts remain functional, and since it has the inertia reel, it is what i would recommend for street driving; i only use the harness for the track.

 

If you are doing your seat be sure to read Mark's instructions about how to put the resistor in the the seat belt plug. If you turn on the ignition once without it you have a light until a BMW center clears it as it is not a typical ODB code.

I went the 3", 5 point route as with a little work, you can do both seats for less than the price of one Schroth set. You can pick up new, out of date belts on Ebay for $50 (sub belts a very cheap) and buy clip on connectors, backing plates and all ot the associated hardware here:

http://www.racerwholesale.com/Mercha...nting+Hardware

The submarine belt really helps keep the lap belts in the right position when the shoulders are tight. Be careful when you drill the sub belt hole on the passenter side as there is a wire harness that runs just left of center. Could be the harness for the Nav as it fits under the pass. seat. Drill slowly and probe.

The eye hooks screw into the existing outside anchor bolt holes but you have to drill the inside front (if you want the lap belts to be easily removable otherwise they just bolt to the existing attachment point), rear and sub attachment points. I leave the laps in and clip the shoulders in for events.

 

>>Will you be using the stock belts with your EVO's? I can't tell if there are provisions for their use on these Sparcos...
>>
>>

Yes, I will be using the stock belts on the street at least, that was something I was worried about though. I didn't want to have to use the harness on the street for several reasons but once in the seat I saw there would be no problem still using the stock belts.

For those that may not understand what the problem may be, what I at least was concerned about was that with the high somewhat wrap around back and the moderatley high sides and bottom that it would be like sitting in the bottom of a bucket with the O.E. seat belt stretched across the top. Not. good if that was the case because then in an accident the belts would provide no restranit until your body moved the distance from the bottom of the bucket to the belt. I the case of me in the EVO-2 the stock belt will still make the same contact to me as in the O.E. seats. This may not be the case with everyone in every seat! If this is an issue for you I highly recommend you make sure the seat fits you in every way before you buy it. Once again I'll say, Try it before you buy it. OG will take back unmounted seats though, so if you are not in a position to get to a place that has seats you are interested in trying on, this at least would give you another option. You, of course, would bare the cost of sending the seat back and forth but at least you could take it out of the box and sit in it.

_________________
2001 & 2002 SCCA, STS, Pro Solo National Champion,

2003 STX, Solo 2 Nationals, Me 8th, codriver 2nd

 

I totally understand what you are saying, and what your concern was. Good to hear that you not only got the stock belts to work, but that they "fit" properly!

I will sit in a few seats next week. I sent an email to OG yesterday with a few questions as well. They actually have a price match! I found the EVOs (pair) for $920. The Arnold (CA DMV) refund will get me half way there

Yes, I saw Marks How To, and will be printing it out. That is cool info on the Schroth 4 pt. in relation to our MINIs. Good stuff guys. Much appreciated.

On a bad day, my commute is one hour each way. I need to plant myself in some of these seats now

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2003 IB MCS