Upholstering a race seat?

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proctorsilex
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 4:57 pm
Location: Elkton, MD

Upholstering a race seat?

Post by proctorsilex »

I have two Sparco Sprint 5 seats that I want to have upholstered. These are FIA homologated. The only stipulation for FIA that I saw in the rules was that the FIA label has to be visible.
Will I be able to have the driver's seat upholstered and still meet the requirements?
How can I keep the label visible? Leave a cut out around the label? Could I cut off the label and reattach it somewhere less conspicuous?

Also, I am uncertain which set of rules to be looking at. Should it be the Time Trials rules under Club Racing on the SCCA site (unavailable for 2011 right now)?

Thank you!
Rick Kase
Hall of Fame Member
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:17 pm

Re: Upholstering a race seat?

Post by Rick Kase »

Be careful with any piece of approved equipment. from a tech inspector view point if an approved item is modoified in any way the approval becomes null and void. If we see that the seat has been changed after the approval was applied it is suspect and must be sent back to the manufacturer for a new approval.

Check with the maker first, they will probably tell you that it was approved as is and any modifications invalidate the approval.

Two choices buy a new one or send it back and have them do it over.

The reason for the FIA ,etc, approval is that the item, as manfactured, meets the necessary standards. If an item is presented in any way modofied it must be rejected.

The tech inspector is not allowed to do a field inspection to determine if a mod meets the original approval.
Rick
Let the
proctorsilex
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 4:57 pm
Location: Elkton, MD

Re: Upholstering a race seat?

Post by proctorsilex »

There is nothing wrong with the seats. I want to make the seats look more like car seats, especially classic seats. The only seats that look that way already have neither shoulder harness guides nor head rests, so those are out. I think that there is one seat that looked okay, but the FIA version is somehwere around $1000 which is more expensive than having three Sparcos and upholstering two.

The upholsterer should only be covering the seat. Nothing will be removed. Maybe he can make it a removable seat cover. Otherwise, maybe I will just buy a third seat.

Thanks
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