A case for aftermarket seats in stock

[james schaechter]

I understand the challenge between stock appearing and safety. I think there would be a way to do it. Now maybe the spec could have caveats such as which class, or mph or cage spec, those would be something.

I have run our car in C stick to K stick. I added a full cage. I know aftermarket seats would be lighter too. I think that some sort of agreement would have to be arranged as Greg Hill stated.

I don't agree with 5 hp, but I do think there should be something that makes the safety issue make sense.

For example, I could see some stockers that have old bolt in 3 point bars dropping in an alum kirkey and keeping the crappy old bolt in bar. It would not be logical and it would be clear that safety was not primary.

I go back to the disc brake issue. That topic was beat to death for safety, but it was really about saving weight. I remember one racer that had a late madel Camaro or Firebird crying about safety for his daughter, and yet the car came with factory 4 wheel discs. He had taken them off and put drums on. He could have legally put factory 4 wheel discs on and not had any issues stopping. He chose not to because they were heavy.

Don't get me wrong, I put the disc brakes on my car too when they were legalized, but we could have gotten by without them.

I think the seat deal is worth discussing, but we should look for solutions that satisfy stock looking and safety. The liklihood that a stocker will crash is pretty low, but the seat failing is high if you do. I think that is a good enough reason to discuss it. You could make the same case for helmets, firesuits, rollbars, etc.

We don't have to fight about it, but coming up with real solutions based upon everyones experience is good.

I don't think the money for a seat is an impact item here. I spent more getting mine recovered than I would have spent on aftermarket seats.

[Jeff Goss]

Originally Posted by Woodro Josey

Let me clear this up right now, i could care less where NHRA lets you use an aftermarket seat or not. When i was on the the SRAC committee, i recieved a lot of letters asking for the seats and we forwarded it to the NHRA Committee and they turned it down. Now as for the 5 HP, i don't remember NHRA giving SuperStock Horsepower when they started allowing the seats. I took my ride on a head on collision and my seat held up, but there are some cars that the seat will not! Just like Presidents, some of you vote one way, some of you vote another!

They allow the seats, but you must have a cage if you put them in. In my case, it's up to me to add the weight of a cage vs. the weight reduction of the seats. Seems like a wash in my case,.