New build question around plans for seats/harnesses/roll cage

[chris.mutchler34]

I’ve just started the build on my new 2016 BRZ. I have most things planned out and have started with several of the easier bolt-on mods for the car (exhaust, short shift, strut bars, etc). As I look to the next part of the project, I’ve reached an impasse and need some help.

The goal for the car is a weekend canyon, occasional HPDE and sometime show car — but mostly I am building it for me and my tastes.

Originally I wanted to keep the stock seats in the car and pair them with a set of nice 4-pt harnesses and harness bar. However, all the research I’ve done has lead me to a point where I know the following:

- Harnesses without a fixed back seat is a bad idea.
- The passenger side airbag pressure sensor is an issue that has to be addressed in a safe manner.
- Harness bars are acceptable, but a 4-pt (or more) roll cage is likely safer in the long-run.

As a result, I am now thinking about getting either a pair of SPARCO EVO III seats or a pair of Cusco Bride Zeta III seats for the car. I would still rather install the Agency Power 4-pt harness bar over getting a 4-pt roll cage. The Schroth Racing harnesses seem a no-brainer at this point, so that’s pretty settled.

The car needs to remain legal to drive on the street, since that is where the majority of the time it will be driven, and occasionally have a passenger (wife, co-pilot, teenage son or daughter).

I’m curious to know if anyone has been able to successfully implant the passenger side sensor back into either of those seats (or another manufacturer/model)? So far, I haven’t found any indication people have been successful doing so and I don’t want to just roll it up and put it under the seat. I’m wondering if it might be possible to take the passenger seat to an upholstery company and have them relocate the sensor.

I’m also looking for thoughts on the harness bar vs roll cage issue. I feel that putting a roll cage, even just a 4-pt cage, would drastically limit the future of the car since it is a pretty serious alteration to the structure of the car. Whereas a harness bar can easily be removed if required.

I know it is silly, but I want matching seats in the car for the look of it and so finding a workable solution is important to me.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[churchx]

Is there ANY road legal roll cage for ours? And imho riding in car with roll cage without helmet is extra safety hazzard.

[ryoma]

if it's just a pure show car, then I would understand the cage... but you will be going to the canyons mostly with it which does NOT need even harnesses. just get a removable harness bar if you go with your bucket seats and call it a day. you do NOT want to be driving the car on the street with a cage, even if you do have padding on it since you will not be wearing a helmet. rather than saving yourself with the cage, you will probably hurt yourself more in an accident on the street.

and if you get a bolt in harness bar for your car, don't have anyone in the back seats. I would recommend leaving the bar and harness out for your DD duties, then put it in for car shows and track time.

[chris.mutchler34]

Originally Posted by ryoma

if it's just a pure show car, then I would understand the cage... but you will be going to the canyons mostly with it which does NOT need even harnesses. just get a removable harness bar if you go with your bucket seats and call it a day. you do NOT want to be driving the car on the street with a cage, even if you do have padding on it since you will not be wearing a helmet. rather than saving yourself with the cage, you will probably hurt yourself more in an accident on the street.

and if you get a bolt in harness bar for your car, don't have anyone in the back seats. I would recommend leaving the bar and harness out for your DD duties, then put it in for car shows and track time.

Those are good points. I really didn't want to put any sort of roll cage in the car, so I am with you on that. The bigger question is getting the passenger side airbag sensor into a new seat so that it works just like stock.

[ryoma]

Originally Posted by chris.mutchler34

Those are good points. I really didn't want to put any sort of roll cage in the car, so I am with you on that. The bigger question is getting the passenger side airbag sensor into a new seat so that it works just like stock.

read the whole page on this thread, someone moved the sensor to an evo X seat and it works fine: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...t=16293&page=3

the person who did it also linked his blog post about it: http://jademotorsports.com/custom-re...seats-in-fr-s/

[chris.mutchler34]

I saw that thread and blog post. They managed to get the sensor out of the stock seat, but simply placed it under the new seat "rolled up". That effectively turns on the airbag at all times.

Without having purchased new seats yet, I was hoping to see if anyone had successfully transplanted the sensor into a new seat -- like the EVO or Cusco Bride.

[ryoma]

Originally Posted by chris.mutchler34

I saw that thread and blog post. They managed to get the sensor out of the stock seat, but simply placed it under the new seat "rolled up". That effectively turns on the airbag at all times.

Without having purchased new seats yet, I was hoping to see if anyone had successfully transplanted the sensor into a new seat -- like the EVO or Cusco Bride.

he stated that if he wanted to, he could have removed the seat cover and placed it in the seat but that he simply did not want to deal with it. I am pretty sure if you take the seat to an upholstering shop, or have the tools to do it yourself, it will work.