i forgot the name of them, but my friend has a similar one on his old mini racer.. i think it is thompson seats

as for racing seats... i have the sparco rev on the driver side only (about 17 lbs), check sparco's website for size fitment too... someone like me with a 30' waist will fit best in a small seat like the rev, but i guess larger size mini drivers will have a very tough time getting in mine (even i have trouble getting in and out, especially with a thick jacket on)

 

Tony, post #16, last sentence ...

 

Man, I'm getting old or something! Thanks Greg, and for your sense of humor about it Dang, 20 pounds is pretty heavy, especially compared to the 13.5 pound Cobra slider...

 

And again I should have made that clearer. The seat is 20 lbs so the slider and bracket (two seperate pieces to buy) are about 11-12 lbs total

 

Ok, that's for the Sparco slider/bracket, right? If so, I was inquiring about the MINI slider. From what someone shared earlier, the Evo2 makes use of our slider/bracket...

 

With all the talk of seats, make sure you can try the seats before buying. What works for one person doesn't work for all. I have the Cobra Monaco bottom mount. At 6'5" and 300 lbs I needed width and height in the seat for proper harness mounting angle. I ended up mounting to a slider that I bolted to plate aluminum thats mounted to the floor. I gained more head room and more leg room then what stocked offered even thou I'm all the way back against the roll cage. On tight courses I even have to move the seat up.

I was awarded a RACETECH seat with full halo at the end of last season.

Racetech 4009HR. Wt 18.7 lbs. The problem is my shoulders don't fit under the halo. They have a new 4009WTHR it's for tall people coming out after the first of the year. They are trying to get a copy for me to try out. And might exchange this one for me. There made in New Zealand. If your looking for a top the line seat, I have this one still in the box and packaging. They retail over $1100.

 

Yea, this is a GREAT seat, but like you I would need the larger one and unfortunatly it has not been FIA certified yet. I know you can get that seat for under $1k in glass. It's still top on my list but unfortunatly they are hard to come by to test sit in.

 

Sorry it took me so long to reply, I've been gone all day. Here is brides website www.tees-usa.com. It's the second seat under the bucket seat section.........what do you think?

 

Looks nice alright. I didn't see any info regarding the weight though...

 

Tough decision ... Unless you go to all out racing car, then go for it !!

 

Which seat (IF ANY) could you swap with the stocks for a track event, then swap back ???

I guess it would have to use the stock slider mounts

I do like my stock Red-Black heated sports seats with half cloth/leather

 

Being I have the Sparcos with the sparco slider and sparco/Mini adapter, it is a very easy switch back to stock seats. If you are not using the factory seat belt receptacle for the racing seats then it's very simple as it would just stay with the factory seat.
I would say a driver seat swap can be done in about 15 min.

 

Rptrsen
Can you provide pix and or a Link to the Cobra Monza seats you have?
I have done a seaerch with no results. I too am a big guy, and will need larger seats
Thanks

 

Zilla
Make sure you get a seat with the special " CHILI EXHAUST" option. I've heard from a few your well known for this option.

 

Anyone know where I could get the Recaro/Mini adaptor?

 

I should check what I write. The correct name is Monaco. Here is a link to Sube Sports With it being a bottom mount I was able to mount aftermarket rails straight to the seat and mount to an aluminum plate that bolts to the stock points. Sure gets the head room.

 

You can use the factoty slider with the SUZUKA race bucket been there and done that. Rank 10 out of 10 for the Cobra.

 

I have the Sparco Evo. It is a bit hard to get in and out of, especially in a lowered MINI, but once I am there I never want to leave. Nice and snug. It is great for my back on long trips too.

 

I wish these were available to sit in at local car parts stores or sporting goods stores !!!!

 

What do you think of the safety advantage of these?

http://www.motorsportseats.com/cobra/evolution_gt.html

 

So am I understanding this correctly?

From reading NASA rules (pg 16-17) it appears that Springs, struts, and sway bars are going to be only certain allowable items, whereas the Mini Challenge rules leave these items open. And the European Mini Challenge cars are running KW variant 3 coilovers.

And NASA is spec'ing 17" wheels and Toyo RA1's. No word yet from Mini Challenge on what the tire is going to be, but rumor is NOT Toyo's.

If I am reading this correctly - way to go NASA, I'd need a different suspension and different setup just to be legal for NASA events.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Bones

 

What are you blaming NASA for? That class has been around for several years (longer than the class you're current discussing).... it created as a spec-type class so restricted parts is the whole point.

 

The rule that were posted for NASA North American MINI Challange are only part of the rules. See NASA MINI Challange for the full and complete rules. This link is for 2006. This is a spec series. Items you must have are Bilstein PSS9, H-Sport front and rear sway bars, Wheels 7x17 with Toyo RA1's 205/40/17 tires.

Minimum weight 2528 w/o driver

Other than safety items, your free on a lot. Any 15% pully, race seat, brakes, LSD, CAI, exhaust.

I started setting up Bagheera for NABR MINI Challange but then the NABR and BMWCC merged and the rules were not ready in early 2005. This is why I went with NASA and the USTCC. It also fun running against other manufactures.

 

Thanks for the link for the complete ruleset.

Is there any site that lists how many cars are competing in the NASA Mini Challenge class? i have seen some Mini's running as part of USTCC, as well as running in some NASA events, but I have yet to see a Mini Challenge event sanctioned by NASA.

I think there is going to be lots of confusion between
Mini Challenge - NASA
and
Mini Cooper Championship Race series - Phil Wicks (patterned after the UK Mini Challenge).

I have been told that NASA does not have the right to use the term Mini Challenge, and once clarified Mini Challenge will be used to refer to the series Phil Wicks is planning.

What if (theoretically) the spec tire for the Phil Wicks series is a 16" Hoosier. That immediately precludes any Mini with big brakes setup for NASA.

And no NASA car will be eligible for class 1 or 3 regardless.

And if the Phil Wicks series to go with the specs from the Euro series for 2007, no currently SCCA (ssc) cars will be legal either.

It sure would be nice if we could get onto common ground with the rules so a car would be legal for SCCA, NASA and Mini Cooper Championship series. maybe that's asking too much.

 

You'll find this problem with all series. They don't mesh. But some sanctioning body's will make concession to allow other cars to compete. This is done on a one on one basis. You just need to contact the director and ask. In USTCC we have only two MINI's, mine and Vesko's

If you have BBK's it would be a good idea to keep your old rotors and calipers. If Wicks MINI Challange calls for 16's jsut change out the brakes for the race.

Most of the NASA MINI Challange cars are in AZ, I think they have 6 or 7 cars. I see a few run in SoCAl as well as NorCAl.

The problem is most MINI owners don't want to bang their cars up. And the price on used MINI's is still high. I would think that more owners should try NASA HPDE events, it's not W2W racing but driving school. Then they can turn to Time Trials. Good competition and fast. NASA in SoCAl has a great program and it's now a National event. Regional events then a National event Sept 11-17 at Mid-Ohio. You can prep your car any way you want, you just move up in class with more mods.