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S550 Want to swap seats ...help me decide on options

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How do people like stock Recaros with harness for performance driving?

Looking to replace my stock base seats (2016). Last fixed back setup I had wasn't the most comfortable and obviously lost my reclining feature (still drive the car on the street.

Primary use is autocross with very occasional track days and occasional street use 1-2 days per week. Currently I have stock cloth seats and schroth DOT harness.

Choices are:
1. Trade stock seats and cash for OEM Recaros (Pro: OEM, safety, plug/play; Con? relatively heavy)
2. Aftermarket reclining seat (Corbeau/sparco/Braum) with mods to keep safety feature of airbags (resistors?) (Pro: lighter than stock; Con: not OEM quality, not plug/play)
3. Suck it up and drive to events with fixed back seat (may be up to 3 hours or more, though) (pro: lightest option, most support; Con: not comfortable for big guys)

I'm a "not so small", muscular dude so I worry about some of the aftermarket reclining seats
 

carver

breaker of wrenches
445
598
ontario
I'm fine with my oem Boss Recaros with a Schroth QuickFit Pro. I'm 6'2, 200lbs and I fit really well. They work great for track days and I have also done a few 6-7 hr road trips and they are very comfortable .The recline is a bonus as well. They really hold you in place with the non slip fabric. Can't really compare with other Mustang seats tho cause I haven't tried any. Not sure if a Boss Recaro (S197) will fit an S550.
 
465
438
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
MD
I just want to note that schroth has posted on their site that The Cobra Nogaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE are approved for use with QuickFIt harnesses in already approved vehicles.

Dont know if interested but maybe worth looking at for you. Just throwing that out there
 
I just want to note that schroth has posted on their site that The Cobra Nogaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE are approved for use with QuickFIt harnesses in already approved vehicles.

Dont know if interested but maybe worth looking at for you. Just throwing that out there
Still a fixed back...very little desire for that. I have a pending deal for some cloth recaros, I just have to trial fit them (via local cars) on Saturday.

Still not sure I want to spend 1000 plus my stockers. It's a great price though.
 
301
360
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Raleigh, NC
How do people like stock Recaros with harness for performance driving?

Looking to replace my stock base seats (2016). Last fixed back setup I had wasn't the most comfortable and obviously lost my reclining feature (still drive the car on the street.

Primary use is autocross with very occasional track days and occasional street use 1-2 days per week. Currently I have stock cloth seats and schroth DOT harness.

Choices are:
1. Trade stock seats and cash for OEM Recaros (Pro: OEM, safety, plug/play; Con? relatively heavy)
2. Aftermarket reclining seat (Corbeau/sparco/Braum) with mods to keep safety feature of airbags (resistors?) (Pro: lighter than stock; Con: not OEM quality, not plug/play)
3. Suck it up and drive to events with fixed back seat (may be up to 3 hours or more, though) (pro: lightest option, most support; Con: not comfortable for big guys)

I'm a "not so small", muscular dude so I worry about some of the aftermarket reclining seats
I’m 6’5”, but narrower upper body than you. I have the Sparco EVO XL. They’d probably fit you. I drove 6 hours to Road Atlanta recently using a foam seat pad that I found at Costco. I was fine. Without the pad I’d have been a wreck though.
 
22
59
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
North Central Illinois
If you want to retain the recline feature in an aftermarket seat, take a look at the Recaro SPD (Speed). They aren't light, as they have full metal pans for the seat base and back, not just frames around the perimeter; as a result, they're really stiff. Also, they have recline locks on both sides, so they don't rock like some of the cheaper seats on the market.

I have a set that I bought for my '73 Z28 project and then had reupholstered to match the original vinyl pattern - here's a pic of the upholstery as they came from Recaro...

Recaro resized pic.jpg

Here's the reupholstered version side-by-side with one of the original seats.....

Comparison.jpg

If you decide to look at fixed shells, then you really have to visit as many places as you can find with displays so that you can sit in them first, as they all fit a bit different. I recently swapped out the factory Recaro seats from the Rented Mule (former FPRS Track Attack car #14) and installed a pair of Sparco seats - Pro ADV for the driver and Pro 2000 for the passenger. I used Sparco side mount plates & sliders with Planted base brackets. I was pleasantly surprised at how low these sit in the car, particularly given that they have the sliders that add about an inch to the height.

Final Driver Installation.jpg
 
22
59
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
North Central Illinois
Something else to keep in mind with the OEM Recaro seats is that some sanctioning bodies won't allow you to run a 5 or 6 pt harness with the anti-sub strap around the front of the seat.... they'll require a slotted seat for that or you'll need longer straps to run them up from behind (between the two cushions) so that you can sit on them.... or run a 4 pt. ASM type belt.
 
Something else to keep in mind with the OEM Recaro seats is that some sanctioning bodies won't allow you to run a 5 or 6 pt harness with the anti-sub strap around the front of the seat.... they'll require a slotted seat for that or you'll need longer straps to run them up from behind (between the two cushions) so that you can sit on them.... or run a 4 pt. ASM type belt.
Thanks. I'm aware.
 
301
360
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Raleigh, NC
For those cheapskates who are a little less concerned about their seating arrangements, there is always this less expensive option.....View attachment 75119
Reminds of the time that we we went out street racing in the 80's...my now bro-in-law had a '74 Chevy Luv with a 440 and MT 10.5" slicks. He had a race seat, no seat at all in the passenger side. One night my sister insisted on riding shotgun on a 1/4-mile run against a sport bike. She sat in one of the shorty-lawn chairs. When he hit the gas, she folded up like a book and her knees hit her chin. We were all so stupid back then. 😂
 
70
47
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Wisconsin
Reviving this thread as I'm looking to do something similar with my 2020 Bullitt. Didn't get the OEM recaros. Looking at corbeau or similar racing seats. I don't daily drive and will probably leave the race seat installed outside of a road trip.

I think options are:

1) Fixed back seat + harness bar + 5pt harness
2) same as #1 but on sliders
3) #1 or #2 but with a schroth harness and no bar

My understanding is that reclining seats are for comfort so if you can do without its better to have a fixed back. Same with the slider mounts vs bolting to floor. I've also read that without a full roll cage you SHOULD get a reclining seat so in the event of a rollover you don't automatically get crushed?? Lastly, not sure when a HANS device is definitely a good idea.

I'm just trying to stay in 1 place and not rip my steering wheel off holding myself in place while maintaining a solid level of safety. I'm only doing novice level HPDE. Full roll cage is not an option.
 
465
438
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
MD
Reviving this thread as I'm looking to do something similar with my 2020 Bullitt. Didn't get the OEM recaros. Looking at corbeau or similar racing seats. I don't daily drive and will probably leave the race seat installed outside of a road trip.

I think options are:

1) Fixed back seat + harness bar + 5pt harness
2) same as #1 but on sliders
3) #1 or #2 but with a schroth harness and no bar

My understanding is that reclining seats are for comfort so if you can do without its better to have a fixed back. Same with the slider mounts vs bolting to floor. I've also read that without a full roll cage you SHOULD get a reclining seat so in the event of a rollover you don't automatically get crushed?? Lastly, not sure when a HANS device is definitely a good idea.

I'm just trying to stay in 1 place and not rip my steering wheel off holding myself in place while maintaining a solid level of safety. I'm only doing novice level HPDE. Full roll cage is not an option.
HANS device should be used whenever you are using a harness. If you are sticking to 3pt OEM system you can get a Simpson Hybrid S which is the only HANS compatible with OEM system.
The best no roll bar option is Schroth Quick Fit Pro and a HANS device of your choosing. There are two fixed back seats that have been approved for the Quick Fit Pro: Recaro pole Position ABE and Cobra Nogaro Circuit seats.
 
70
47
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Wisconsin
HANS device should be used whenever you are using a harness. If you are sticking to 3pt OEM system you can get a Simpson Hybrid S which is the only HANS compatible with OEM system.
The best no roll bar option is Schroth Quick Fit Pro and a HANS device of your choosing. There are two fixed back seats that have been approved for the Quick Fit Pro: Recaro pole Position ABE and Cobra Nogaro Circuit seats.
Seems like a harness bar is the better option with a ~$400 to $500 corbeau seat vs a $1k seat just to use a schroth...
 

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