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.

[Ernie Neal]

Hi Greg and others on your stock seats. I know for a fact you can tie up 1200 bucks in 2 Jaz aluminum seats (not as tall as Kirkey). That is if you want to make your stocker look stock. You know the custom matching upholstery. I made all the mounting brackets/hardware for mine, lightweight of course. It took about 6 hours and had them plated with yellow Zink. The $1200 doesn’t include the plating or material for the mounts. Oh, don’t forget you must support the backs of both seats to the crossbar of the rollbar. They may be safer, not sure, but they are definitely lighter. The Kirkey and Jaz seats have some covers, but don’t match most interiors. M. J. Quinn did my seat covers to match my door panels. I had the opportunity to set in Jeff Nicewanger's Jaz seat before doing mine, much better than the Kirkey. Kirkey is what we put in Glenn Betz Sunfire.

Ernie
SS3400

[Ken Miele]

Dave,

I thought I could get away with it, but you figured it out. My car will easily pick up a tenth with set of Kirkey's.

Bastardization of stock, WOW, I like that. I hope next year they do more in one year then then did in the past five years.

Funny, the young guy (Dave) wants Stock to be more like Stock, and the old guy (Ken) wants Stock to progress (sorry I ment to say basterdize). What the hell is this sport coming to?

All kidding aside, this not a big issue for me, Its just something I would like to see happen. Racing is dangerous, it does matter how much safety equipment we have, we still can get hurt. I am not a purist when it comes to stock. Stock became a bastardization when they let us use the first none stock part. I guess it comes down to what each racer considers stock to be. Everyone has there on opinion on where the line should be drawn. For me the line is irrelevant.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

I would say that Kirkey seats in a 69 camaro would save about 65 pounds. The question would be how much can one put in the trunk? The seats will make the car lighter even with the addition of the roll cage. Stock today is nothing more more than Super Stock with 9 inch tires, stock manifolds and stock lift cams. I think that Stock should have the same rules as Super Stock. Any rear end, transmission optional, roller rockers. None of this adds horsepower to the engine. In the case of the three speed vs a powerglide, it will make the car work better. in most cases. The big threat in stock today are drag paks and mustangs. Will NHRA do any of the above, probably not. While we are at this, lets add the 1955 to 1959 Chevys to stock.

I agree with all of what you say but I have seen some mighty "UN-STOCK" looking intake manifolds in the past, heard of some others and Im sure they didnt disappear over night.....lol.

[Ed Fernandez]

Maybe it's time for everyone to look under their factory seat and inspect the tracks and
mounting point.I don't think NHRA would mind if anyone reinforced the frame/mounting points for their safety.
It's getting here like our "grannie government" politicians,wanting to look out for us instead
of the racers using common sense and looking out for ourselves.

[Charley Downing]

This rule would just put Stock one step closer to Superstock

Lets just change the Cam rule and cylinder head rules and let everyone run Superstock. Then we can all be safe.

No more changes

[Chad Rhodes]

Evan, my understanding on the Hans issue is that due to the soft nature of a factory headrest, combined with the amount of padding in a stock type seat, could allow the Hans to come out from under the belts in a violent crash. No matter how tight you think you have strapped yourself to a stock seat, there is stil some give in a seat made mostly of foam, as opposed to aluminum. That's just what I was told when I started asking some questions

[Dave Ficacci]

Originally Posted by Ken Miele

Dave,

I thought I could get away with it, but you figured it out. My car will easily pick up a tenth with set of Kirkey's.

Bastardization of stock, WOW, I like that. I hope next year they do more in one year then then did in the past five years.

Funny, the young guy (Dave) wants Stock to be more like Stock, and the old guy (Ken) wants Stock to progress (sorry I ment to say basterdize). What the hell is this sport coming to?

All kidding aside, this not a big issue for me, Its just something I would like to see happen. Racing is dangerous, it does matter how much safety equipment we have, we still can get hurt. I am not a purist when it comes to stock. Stock became a bastardization when they let us use the first none stock part. I guess it comes down to what each racer considers stock to be. Everyone has there on opinion on where the line should be drawn. For me the line is irrelevant.

Will you pick up a tenth, no. Will it allow you to move weight around and make the car a better racecar, yes. Will it allow you to place the driver lower and further back in the car creating a better racecar, yes.

Ken, we also know you aren't a purist, that's why you race a car with options that it never came with, and you are building a car that was never offered on the street!

With all of the "enhancements" we have had shoved down our throats the last few years, to me, the seats will be the biggest aesthetic change to hit stock eliminator. Today you can look inside a stocker and still resembles what it did when the car was original. The seats go a long way in making this resemblance. This is the point I and it seems a few others on the post are driving at. A Jaz or Kirkey seat does not belong in a stocker.

[Ken Miele]

Originally Posted by Dave Ficacci

Ken, we also know you aren't a purist, that's why you race a car with options that it never came with, and you are building a car that was never offered on the street!

Ouch ! me thinks someone dislike my choices. Your a bright fellow, if your going to build a combo you might as well be smart about it. No sense in building a played out combo such as yours.

[Dave Ficacci]

Originally Posted by clutch man

IDIOT! it's about safety all the stockers allready leave on the bumper oh moving weight will make them win BS

If your car leaves on the bumper now its because you are an IDIOT who doesn't know how to tune your racecar. And I never said it would make you win.

Also, you are a big man to call people names behind a cute name like clutch man. Sign your real name and we'll talk. I've probably forgotten more about what it takes to swing the stick then you will ever know.