Which Racing Seat will fit an Elan S4 FHC

[Jago]

Hi,

I am hoping someone can assist with advice about which current seats on the market will successfully fit into an Elan S4 FHC. I have a 26R bucket seat presently but don't like this and want to replace with an FIA approved Hi-Back seat to accommodate my 6ft 14 Stone frame! The car will be used in local hillclimbs and sprints during 2017. I also want to fit a front cage to the existing rear cage so this might influence clearances etc?

I have spoken with a company called Motordrive who are coming back to me. Has anyone successfully recently fitted anything else that works from Cobra/Corbeau/Tillett/Sparco or others?

Any advice appreciated.

Many Thanks

[patrics]

Hi,
I fitted a Motordrive seat - it took a lot of effort and ended up cutting floor but other people have been successful.
By far the most pain free option is to stick with what you have got.
Front cage is good and makes getting in and out much easier.

Regards
Steve

[Jago]

Hi Steve

Thanks. Problem is existing results in banging my head on roof and rear cage with crash helmet on bench need for hiback seat.

Thanks

Jago

[gav]

Not sure what you are allowed to run in your class but I have no limits and am running a Tillet seat with a bowl in the bottom so that you are really low in the car.
I had to make up a sub frame to suit but it is really comforatble.
Need to mind the cage because it has a built in headrest (which I prefer) and this can affect the incline.
Not the narrow Caterham versions (unless you have narrow hips). This is a wider version

Gavin

[Jago]

Thanks Gavin do you know which model of the Tillett range your seat is as there are various ones from what I have seen and how tall are you? I was also considering using a floor strengthening piece as sold at Tony Thompson are you using this. It seems to bolt to the chassis and side bars in some way

Thanks
Jago

[gav]

Jago
I think it is a B2.
If you look under my post 'my race car the proof' you can see some photos on page 3.
I am just over 6' and with the seat set at the lowest height, half of my view out was obscured by the dash. I have since had to adjust it because I realised that my head was just behind the rear roll hoop but this is now corrected and still comfortable.
I got the seat years ago as a second from Tillet. I used their mounting brackets which allow me to fix straight to the floor (in my case the cage) It is remarkably stiff.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
Gavin

[el-saturn]

we used to sell a seat we "developed" for Urban Racing Switzerland: full recaro height etc..... at 800gr a piece!! apparently scrutineers don't look at seats too well! sandy

[Fredtech]

Thanks Gavin do you know which model of the Tillett range your seat is as there are various ones from what I have seen and how tall are you? I was also considering using a floor strengthening piece as sold at Tony Thompson are you using this. It seems to bolt to the chassis and side bars in some way

Thanks
Jago

Hi Jago. At a similar stage as yourself with regard to fitting the seat. Looking at the TTR page you
mentioned, there is no detail on the additional floor strengthening piece. Did you get any further details
or picture of how this fits at all ?. Thanks Freddie.

[vstibbard]

I'm 6.4" and have Tillet B2F (FIA approved seat fitted) with custom mounts to get the seat low and back as far as possible.I have custom built cage that has rear hoop fitted as tightly as possible to the top if rear window, which is a good distance further back than Safety Device /TTR cage

I've also moved my pedal forward 40mm to improve driving position.

V

[Jago]

John

Sorry the floor strengthening piece is available at Kelvedon under Lotus Elan and 26R roll cage and safety section.

Regards

Jago

[stevebroad]

I fitted a Reverie but, as others have, I dropped the floor 50mm in the seat area so I could wear a helmet.

[Fredtech]

Thanks Jago. That makes sense now. I took a few pictures of Pat Thomas's car that he was building
some time ago, when I was last at Kelvadon. Might be of interest to those considering the same.
(Pictures and text are mine, just so I remembered what I was looking at)

[Jago]

Thanks John

I'm hoping I don't have to go to these lengths! Hopefully either Motordrive,Tilley or Reverie seat will work. I need to get a move on in case I do have to start cutting the floor which will take some time to do. As a matter of interest how is the aluminium floor section bonded/secured to the surrounding glassfibre?

Thanks

Jago

[Fredtech]

Hi Jango. That wasn't obvious. Appeard they has simply overlapped the glass, top and bottom of the
outer edges. Theoretically, the weight distribution from the seat should all be transferred into the chassis and roll cage side bars, so the surrounding glass fiber should not take any structural weight. . Least, that's how it appeared.

Might have to fit either their floor mount or a similar one myself, as we will prob go with a Tillet seat, complying with the dreaded FIA regs. Upside is, I'm only 5'-5", so height problems resolved......

[stevebroad]

Here is my solution

It was originally designed for the seat I made but I was given a Reverie so the hole is a little offset but still works, fortunately. The weight of seat and driver is taken by the cross braces which are welded to chassis and outer cage tube.

Fibreglass can be bonded to steel by using the specific epoxy adhesive for this purpose.

PS. How can I load bigger photos?