I've completed the installation of Recaro Sportster seats in my 2005 MCS. My goal was to install aftermarket seats that would gain me more headroom than stock so I could wear a helmet during track days and not hit my head on the ceiling. I have the sunroof option, and that option takes away a lot of headroom.

I ended up using seat bases and sliders provided by Speedware Motorsports. The seat base looks very much like the "flat seat base" shown on the Sparco website. These bases do not have a tab that will accept the stock seat belt buckle. I did buy a set of Wedge Engineering bases, which did have a mount for the stock belt buckle, but I returned them because they were 7/8" taller than the Speedware bases. For those interested in the history leading up to this point, see this link: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=145507 .

So, I fabricated my own adapters to mount the stock seat belt buckle to the Speedware bases. The adapters fit between the seat and slider, so the buckles will slide for and aft with the seat. I had to hacksaw the seat belt mounting tab off the Speedware base, otherwise it would hit the seat back recline adjustment **** when the seat was slid fore and aft.

On the right is the adapter that the seat belt buckle attaches. The piece on the left is basically a spacer to match the thickness of the adapter.


Here's a close up of the mounting point on the adapter for the buckle.


Adapter installed on the seat with the slider.


Seat buckle installed.


I had not seen on previous posts detailed pictures on how to install the resistors that fool the airbag system, so here are pictures on how I did it. I used three 10 ohm resistors in parallel for a net resistance of 3.33 ohms. I left the leads on one resistor long so it would easily fit into the harness plug. I then used 1/2" diameter shrink tubing to hold everything together. Hopefully others will find these pictures useful. Note that these resistors take the place of the side air bags on the stock seat. The only thing I haven't done is salvaged and installed an OC3 mat like PGT did. This may come later,but until then my airbag light will stay on.





Here are the seats installed in my car.



I am very pleased with the seats. They look good and hold me snug in the car, especially in fast corners! The lumbar support is good too. But best of all, I gained myself an additional inch and a half of head room, which was my main goal!

Thanks to all who helped online: PGT, MSFITOY, xnotfunkylex, CXRK, DrPhilGandini.

 

I'm 6'2" and there's about 4 inches above my head in the stock seats. How tall are you? You must make Yao look like a kid!
But, BTW - what is the mat that PGT has, and how did it help?

Thanks, I'd like to do this as well.

 

wow those looks greattt!!! ;]

 

I'm 6'2" also, but have a fairly long torso. My car also has a sunroof, which I understand takes about 3" away from headroom.

PGT surgically removed the OC3 mat from the passenger seat of his '05 MINI and installed it in his Recaro seats. The '05 and later MINIs have this mat to sense the weight of the passenger. If the passenger is light, like a child, the mat tells the front air bag not to deploy in an accident.

 

Jeff, how hard was it to make the brackets for the seat belts? I've been trying to figure out how to do that with my seats.

Would you be willing to make another set? I'll pay you too.

 

Oh, seats looks great too.

 

I'm willing to provide you drawings of my brackets. I can't guarantee they will fit your SRDs. You may have to make some design changes so they will fit your seats. My brackets are not "universal".

To make these brackets you need access to a lathe, mill, drill press, band saw and welder. I happen to have a small lathe, mill and drill press at home. I borrowed the bandsaw and welder at my office. I can't start making a bunch of brackets since that would be an imposition on the company I work for. Do you have access to any of this equipment? I bought the steel material at my local Lowes hardware.

 

That install looks fantastic -- first rate!
I presume you are not running the passenger weight sensor (were you planning on using my solution, or another one?). Not that it's a problem, it's just that the darn light gets really annoying after a day or two.

Well done!!

 

Those are AWESOME; i've gotten to sit in a pair of those seats that were fitted into a VW R32, and they were VERY comfortable for me.

 

Thanks,all.

Dr- I like your solution, I'm just not comfortable right now with dissecting my $1300 seat to put in the mat and module. Call me chicken! I may buy a used seat so I can scavange the parts, plug them in, and then lay them on the floor under the seat.

Jeff

 

Dude.... Save yourself the hassle and leave the dummy load plugs alone. The weight sensor in the passenger seat is only for the side airbag mounted in the seat itself and not for the front airbag mounted in the right side of the dash. Its a common misunderstanding. Just make sure you get your srs dtc cleared asap. Most people dont realize that if your airbag light is on (longer than the 5 or 6 seconds when you first turn on the car) it deactivates the entire srs system.

 

I think I have a guy that could make them for me. The drawings would be a great help if you don't mind. I think I could modify it if I have to and then send the templates to my friend. Thanks for the help.

 

adbsvc - Where did you find out about this?

Anyone else care to corroborate this? This is the first time I've heard the weight sensor is only for the airbag mounted in the side of the seat.

 

I work on airbag systems for a living. PM me and I'll fill you in.....

 

Id like to see a public statement on this from someone who works on airbags for a living! It seems to contradict all the experience I've heard about, and my own personal experience.
I like the idea of buying a scrapped seat and killing it. I bet it would fit nicely inside your Recaros, like it did in my Sparcos!

Again, props on a well thought out and executed install. Those are handsome brackets.

 

Looks good and thanks for the detailed install pictures! I plan on getting some of these next year; where did you purchase yours from and how good was the dealer to work with?

 

wow. gorgeous seats!!!!!! Fantastic write-up as well. QUESTION, are these seats set at a certain height then? Is there no way to "jack them up" so to speak like you are able to with the stock seats? I'm already on the lowest setting for the MINI, but curious how much play there is with aftermarket seats.

 

Sexy Seats!... that is all.. carry on

 

When I bought my Recaro's, there was a bracket that you could get for height adjustment, but it isn't like stock. I'm not sure how it works, but it isn't as easy as sit and pull a lever.

 

Most after-market seats cannot be adjusted for height while sitting. You might be able to adjust height by using different mount holes in the brackets (like my Sparcos on the Brey-Krause brackets), but this requires some work that can't be easily done on the road. However, most race seats have substantially thinner cushions and sit lower than stock. I think mine are about 1" lower than the lowest stock setting. The seats in this thread also seem to be much lower than stock--I think 1.5" lower actually.

 

I know this is an old thread, but i just bought myself a cobra seat, and i needed help with the resistor, so i was wondering if the 3 resistor + tubing fooled the side-airbags. thanks

 

Great looking seats and nice write up Jeff

Longboard

 

any idea if the Recaro Sportster CS with the airbag option will be a PnP thing in our MINIs?

 

great job = ) looks good