Competition seats

Race seats from such companies as Recaro, Sparco, Bride, Momo, and Corbeau

are available to replace most factory seats. Exactly how comfortable and use-

able seats like these are for a daily-driven vehicle depends on your body type,

personal preference, and the particular model seat you choose. Pure shell-

style, non-reclining bucket seats might not be your best bet for a street-driven

car, but function and performance can coexist. Recaro produces seats for fac-

tory equipment for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer) from Wolfsburg

to Tokyo, as well as some of the finest race seats ever constructed.

Design

Racing seats are less adjustable than factory seats, but they significantly

increase support, they can weigh as little as six or eight pounds each, and

they can withstand much more impact force than factory-installed seats.

Aftermarket seats are any seats other than those installed as factory equipment.

They are available with or without adjustable recliners, in many guises, and

with many functions. Non-adjustable shell-type seats are lighter and stronger

than adjustable seats, and compatible with five-point harnesses and a seat-

back brace to secure the seat to a roll bar or cage. They lack the comfort and

utility of a factory seat, and are considered an extreme modification with the

sole purpose of racing your car.

Construction of aftermarket seats varies, depending on manufacturer and

intended use:

-

 Rigid-shell seats (as shown in Figure 4-9) made of such materials as fiber-

glass, aluminum, carbon fiber, carbon/Kevlar, or some similar material

-

 Tubular steel framing similar to factory seat construction

All reclining seats (as shown in Figure 4-10 and Figure 4-11) use a tubular

frame

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