KIRKEY Vintage Seat

[cobra 53]

Hi all,

I need suggestions regarding mounting system for my Kirkey Bucket Seat 41500 serie.

Fix or sliding System? As low as possible mounted.

Rico

[Fullchat289]

Hi.

I used a set of the Kirkey "L-shaped" mounting brackets ($50 from JEGS) and am using ERA sliders with them.
Trick is to orient the flange of the "L-shaped" mounting bracket away from the seat and then you should be able to mount the seat as close to the floor as you want it. I used a couple pieces of corregated cardboard to set the height before marking my hole locations in the sides of the seat. One thing I should mention here though - I was able to do this b/c I can fit in the 15" seat and the ERA floor was just wide enough. If you need to go wider on the seat, I'm not sure what your NAF will allow..

- Allen.

[G-Pete]

Sliding was my choice...

Seat sliders from Speedway ($16 on sale)



60 inches of 1x1 inch tubing

[G-Pete]

mounted on the bucket



the seat sits on the stud protectors (black). The studs makes it possible the change the lean angle.

[cobra 53]

Thanks Allen and Pete.

Good base to start.

Rico

[cobradvm]

My vintage seats are mounted per Kirkey's recommendations which is to use the brackets posted above, as well as a back support plate so there are 6 bolts holding it in place. As an FYI Kirkey doesn't recommend using sliders, but obviously you can do it however you want - there's lots of good info on their website...

Kirkey Racing - Home

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by cobradvm

My vintage seats are mounted per Kirkey's recommendations which is to use the brackets posted above, as well as a back support plate so there are 6 bolts holding it in place. As an FYI Kirkey doesn't recommend using sliders, but obviously you can do it however you want - there's lots of good info on their website...

Kirkey Racing - Home

Well, here are the recommendations....

We recommend the following
1) that the seat be mounted to the roll cage or structural member of the frame
2) That you bolt the seat in six (6) places
a. Four(4) on the seat bottom
b. Two (2) just below the shoulder belt holes as wide as possible
We DO NOT recommend the use of stock sliders and adjusters as these can let go in a high impact crash.

That means they recommended not to use these seats at all in kit Cobras. Because there are no structural member or roll bar anywhere close.

Further, not recommended on stock sliders and adjusters --- the word is stock.


BTW: A high impact crash with a Cobra, which could effect seat sliders? Sorry to break the news --- but you're dead anyway.

[G-Pete]

One more, just some math.

A -10G impact, an average man weighs close to 1 ton. The seat gets about 220 lbs -- guess my sliders can handle that....

That was the front impact.

Now the the rear impact - +10G (not talking about the remaining mass energy forward), without any headrest the survival chance is slim to nothing...sorry.
Yes the seat sliders could brake in this scenario, would be sad to be on the stairway to heaven with a broken slider....

Take it easy.

[Chilibit]

I use the drag buckets but the logic is similar.

In a forward impact the harness catches all the weight of the occupant. The seat is largely an independent body. It is acted on by the deceleration but mine weighs maybe 10 lbs. I would focus on the harness anchors.

The game changes laterally. For the worse. But the harness remains the key.

Just my thinking. I bolted mine through frame members front and rear and used the stock SPF slider on the driver. I have never actually tested it thankfully. I chose drag bucket for head and neck if I end up backing into the guard rail if I lose the back in the turn.

[gsharapa]

I'm looking for a Kirkey Vintage Seat (41700V) and cover (41741V) which is the 17" if anyone as one to sell in excellent condition or maybe bought and decided not to use.