Racing seats in stock?

[Greg Hill]

Buy a new Challenger and get the racing seats for free.

[Billy Pires]

Go ahead, have your racing seats in stock, i dont care. Just as long as they don't make it mandatory like they did with the firepants and firejackets. Glad they MAKE us wear all that safety first bull**** with all the FIRES and EXPLOSIONS we see in stock eliminator.

[z28camaroman]

Installing racing seats in a Stock Eliminator car is nuts IMO. Stock eliminator is suppose to be a car close to what it was when it left the dealership when delivered new. Many fans who come to watch us race can relate to stockers because they are the factory hot rods.

If you want race seats, then build a Super Stocker. I spent a lot of $$ installing the correct original parchment deluxe interior in my new '67 Z28 stocker. The car has been 10.50's at almost 125 mph. Very competitive in D/Stock. I have no safety issues or any issues with stock factory seats. I also have the factory back seat installed too, which I know I do have to do.......but it looks like a brand new factory built car.......and adds a lot to the appearance. The car is very competitive and that's what counts.

I had racing seats in my old bracket Super Pro Chevelle 30 years ago. They are very uncomfortable and ugly. That's how I feel about this issue.

Jerry

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by z28camaroman

Installing racing seats in a Stock Eliminator car is nuts IMO. Stock eliminator is suppose to be a car close to what it was when it left the dealership when delivered new. Many fans who come to watch us race can relate to stockers because they are the factory hot rods.

If you want race seats, then build a Super Stocker. I spent a lot of $$ installing the correct original parchment deluxe interior in my new '67 Z28 stocker. The car has been 10.50's at almost 125 mph. Very competitive in D/Stock. I have no safety issues or any issues with stock factory seats. I also have the factory back seat installed too, which I know I do have to do.......but it looks like a brand new factory built car.......and adds a lot to the appearance. The car is very competitive and that's what counts.

I had racing seats in my old bracket Super Pro Chevelle 30 years ago. They are very uncomfortable and ugly. That's how I feel about this issue.

Jerry

I understand the appearance issue, but also remember that the CJ's are almost a second quicker and 15 mph faster. I'm going to defer any further comment to someone with personal experience with a stock seat...............Paging Woodro

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Chad Rhodes

....Paging Woodro

I think that a cage would have been a plus in that situation! After I saw the photos I was glad that I cut out my carbon roll bar and installed a CM cage in my Formula.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Billy Pires

Go ahead, have your racing seats in stock, i dont care. Just as long as they don't make it mandatory like they did with the firepants and firejackets. Glad they MAKE us wear all that safety first bull**** with all the FIRES and EXPLOSIONS we see in stock eliminator.

My car has BEEN on fire. I have no problem with firepants/jackets! A bolt backed out of the back bowl of the carb going down the track, and fuel got on the headers. Bizarre and unlikely? Yep. But it still happened. Billy should be allowed to race with shorts, a tank-top, and no helmet, because accidents never happen in Stock eliminator.

I also don't mind carrying a fire extinguisher in the car. I was walking the pits in San Antonio when a guy tinkering with his Top Sportsman car had it backfire... he had the plugs out of it, and flame shot right past me, and caught the dry grass on fire. Took longer than it should have to find a fire extinguisher.

Don't really have an opinion on the seats, although I have gone 10.90, so I guess I'm allowed to have one. I think it would be reasonable to allow them in AA cars. I don't see the need for them in 10.-slower cars. I wouldn't worry about the fold-back "feature" of new-car seats, as there is a roll bar there, unless I'm misunderstanding *how* it gives way. Not sure I understand what exactly would fail on a 40-yr old seat, though, either?

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

My car has BEEN on fire. I have no problem with firepants/jackets! A bolt backed out of the back bowl of the carb going down the track, and fuel got on the headers. Bizarre and unlikely? Yep. But it still happened. Billy should be allowed to race with shorts, a tank-top, and no helmet, because accidents never happen in Stock eliminator.

I also don't mind carrying a fire extinguisher in the car. I was walking the pits in San Antonio when a guy tinkering with his Top Sportsman car had it backfire... he had the plugs out of it, and flame shot right past me, and caught the dry grass on fire. Took longer than it should have to find a fire extinguisher.

Don't really have an opinion on the seats, although I have gone 10.90, so I guess I'm allowed to have one. I think it would be reasonable to allow them in AA cars. I don't see the need for them in 10.-slower cars. I wouldn't worry about the fold-back "feature" of new-car seats, as there is a roll bar there, unless I'm misunderstanding *how* it gives way. Not sure I understand what exactly would fail on a 40-yr old seat, though, either?

the new seats will fail laterally as well as front to back. A 40 year old seat is just that, 40 year old metal. Most of us take good care of our stuff, some don't. but i would doubt that most can vouch for the history of their car back to 1960 something. the seats could have been involved in an accident previously and could be one small impact away from complete failure.

the SCCA even in their most restricted, slow speed autocrosses allow race seats. these are classes required to have the stock airbox in place. the SCCA truly has safety first with this rule. I just don't think NHRA should have a rule that prevents you from making a car safer (within reason).

[z28camaroman]

If the CJ's are going that fast, then the question is are they really Stock Eliminator cars? 9.60's at 140 mph. More like a Super Stock car IMO.

This is yet another issue that takes the factory appearing built race cars away from the world of Stock Eliminator. Racing fans like Stock because they can relate to the cars. Installing these seats would make a Stocker look like the typical bracket car at the local race track.

Jerry

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by z28camaroman

If the CJ's are going that fast, then the question is are they really Stock Eliminator cars? 9.60's at 140 mph. More like a Super Stock car IMO.

This is yet another issue that takes the factory appearing built race cars away from the world of Stock Eliminator. Racing fans like Stock because they can relate to the cars. Installing these seats would make a Stocker look like the typical bracket car at the local race track.

Jerry

no it wouldn't, the average bracket car has no carpet, sheetmetal dash, doorpanels, lexan windows with aluminum braces, etc. Superstockers don't look like bracket cars either, class cars are kept to a much higher standard than most bracket cars. If race seats make a stocker look like a bracket car i guess we should take the wheelie bars, roll cages and 7lb front wheels off too.

[Mickey Whaley]

all im asking is for NHRA to give us the option to have a seat or not, those that want their car to remain stock appearing keep the original seat, it not an advantage on the track i really don't know what the big deal is?