gonna try it... sidemounts fabbed onto stock sliders

[Scotaku]

If this works, I will definitely share photos of what gets made.

I'm knee deep in building my track toy and one of my priorities has been a compromise in seating. I'd love a super-de-super light as a feather Kirkey or UltraShield, but hours in those thinly padded shells doesn't leave me thinking I'll be ready for hot lapping. I also don't need an SFI or FIA rated seat (for now) so a comfy but fixed-back alternative came to me in the form of Corbeau's FX1, wide model. (I do have a 40" waist... down from 46"... and more to lose :) )

I want to be able to take students on track as well as lend the car to people I want to encourage to get involved (like my dad, my bil, my best man, other friends, etc). We're not all the same height so seats on sliders would be great. Corbeau's bases and sliders add a lot of overall height to the seat and are not terribly cheap. A low mount that can adjust to shorter drivers would be ideal...

Salvaging the sliders off my original seats was pretty easy, but trying to build a new, flat base to bolt the seat to started making the spendy Corbeau options look good, if not just as tall. Then it dawned on me that i might be able to build flanges onto the -sides- of the original sliders such that the Corbeau side mount brackets could be used; effectively substituting the floor base brackets of their side mount kit with the factory sliding rails.

I've ballparked this idea and there looks like there will be room in the car just as if I were mounting things fixed to the floor. It also looks like there will be no interference for the relatively tall action of the slide release lever as well, but the overall height of the seat will be much lower than trying to build up for a bottom mount. I've not seen any other solution quite like this so again, if it works, I will glady share pics.

Wish me luck!

[rs4pro3]

Massive Lee already sells what you are looking for.

[Scotaku]

Ah... found it. But the "May require shimming depending upon seat width," is the kicker. My FX1's are definitely more wide at the front than the back. 1/2" shims are going to skew the seat-bracket angle more than I think would be safe. Thanks for the tip though.

[Massive Lee]

Here are a pair of shots showing how the install is being done. The seat is Sparco's Evo. A pair of 3/8" spacers (not included with the kit) has been installed to make-up for the difference in widths, and located on the outboard to move the seat inward. The possibilities are almost endless. People wanting to fit the seat directly on the floor, can make their own iron/aluminum rails. The mounts have enough up/down positions to fit most scenarii.

Sidemounts are still $90usd per set, including fasteners. Price to be raised to $100usd by November 1st.

A few sets in stock. Bulk purchase by shops is welcome. Custom shop stickers can be supplied. 10 sets of sidemounts would be the minimum orders. Priced in bulk obviously.

[AndrewBird]

^^^Those look really nice. Great job.

[Eric]

i have a set of lee's sidemounts. i was planning on installing them in the car sunday, but torrential downpoor kept me from visiting with the E30.

to the OP, just spend the $90 on these, they are worth it and better than anything richety that you might come up with.

[Massive Lee]

Hi Eric

In order to make the first install as easy as possible, what you could do is to install the mounts on the sliders, and then slip the seat in between. At that stage, you can have a friend measure what you need in term of shimming. I also suggest using thin rubber/teflon/plastic rings between the sidemounts and the seats to avoid scratches.

If you guys spend one hour installing the seat/mounts and think it is a lot of work, then you should know that a custom install in a shop may take 4 to 5 hours as a lot of fab and thinking is needed. Therefore, I trully believe that if shimming is all you have to do, then it will make everyone's life much easier, and the install cheaper.

You can also use rubber grommets from older BMW swaybar links to shim between the seat and the mounts. They will cost close to nothing, and even will be free if you have a bunch in your basement. Simply slice them to the proper width.

[Jand3rson]

^^^Those look really nice. Great job.

Indeed, those are quite impressive. Coming from 2 guys who just built custom stock slider adapters, hats off to you!

[Massive Lee]

Thanks for the compliment guys. It made my day.

[DSP74]

Damn those are nice.....How much does the stock e30 sliders with sidmounts bolted to them weigh?

[Massive Lee]

Each sidemount weights 15oz or 400gr. It is 6,3mm thick. I don't know how much BMW sliders weight. Also, the Massive sidemounts can be bolted solid on the floor if you make your own L shaped bases.

Aluminum sidemounts usually cost around $160-$170, require sliders (another $75), and you still have to weld bars to bolt the sliders to.