Lotus seat in a Z4C

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:27 pm

So, after a lot of endless waiting for beige m-sport seats to come up (and at the right price, whatever that means) I finally got disappointed.
Then I thought of it twice and I actually didn't want to spend well over 1k (including shipping) and went and bought 2 RX8 seats.
They're ok seats but wanted something that would actually hold me in place in -what I call- spirited driving on b-roads.
Months went by with no action. I almost lost my interest in driving my pretty lady due to the outrageously despicable standard leather seats. (I also blame my recently acquired miata a bit for falling in love and cheating on the zed, but don't tell anyone..

)

Almost immediately as I bought my 2004 1.8 miata (daily, sort of..), I bought a Lotus Elise seat for it and loved it.
Really really really loved it. Not too aftermarket racy for my liking and I happen to fit in them simply perfectly. Surely, they're on the hard side but this can be taken care of, plenty of information on the web for enhancing them (I did it too with great success)
I had sat as a passenger in my mate's RHD Lotus Elise S1 in 2 Alpine Eurotrips so had previous experience.
Being 6.1'' I had no other choice, actually.

So I thought, why not on the Zed???
After hours and hours of searching through the forums, I found nothing. Precious threads (like this; viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4474 and it's corresponding threads) and posts but not what I was looking for.
Bring it on, then..
removed battery, measured everything, bought aftermarket sliders, used AutoCAD for the drawings and pantograph for the cuttings of the 5mm thick steel and after some try and error (mostly, regarding the exact seating point lengthwise) I finally got it right.
Enough with the talking..

: birth of the cool; BMW Z4-LOTUS SEAT.JPG (135.55 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

: 2nd testing; 2nd testing.JPG (115.5 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

: DIY planted seat bracket; DIY planted seat bracket.JPG (195.32 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

: Side bracket; SIDE BRACKET.jpg (98.65 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

: Seat belt tensioner; SEAT BELT TENSIONER.jpg (105.4 KiB) Viewed 2336 times

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:34 pm

1. in the first photo you can actually see my miata, getting jealous
2. fwiw, I didn't have any issues on the dashboard after connecting the battery and going for a small drive for testing purposes
3. ignore;
a. the fasteners, being smaller than the ones that will finally be used
b. the steel which will be sandblasted and painted accordingly
c. the wrong seat being used for all the testings
d. the (as, you lot, will mention) wrong side of the steering wheel.

also a massively big thanks to @bony_13 and @john-z4 who kindly send me instructions on how to have a go with RX-8 seats. Thank you, you -amongst many others- make forums possibly the best place to be while online. (ok, p@rn too)

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:21 am

good job fella.
i'd love to find some beige sports seats too but heyre like hens teeth

is that a side-bolster pump bladder in pic 3? the black rubber oval thing?
or is that your winky-woo enlargement device hooked up for those opportune moments spent in traffic jams?

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:53 am

Yes, most Lotus Elise seats seem to have that lumbar support pump..
but can be used in many ways..

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:39 am

DOOM wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:53 am

Yes, most Lotus Elise seats seem to have that lumbar support pump..
but can be used in many ways..

The probax seats fitted in later (post 06) s2 Elise’s no longer have the pump, but are considered a more comfortable seat

: ACE4C236-3836-46B8-9ADD-1857522417E1.jpeg (228.48 KiB) Viewed 2301 times

Rob

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:22 am

indeed, so they say in Lotus forums but haven't sat in one to be able to compare.
significantly more expensive though.

Pete-r · Post by **Pete-r** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:20 pm

I've got a VX220 and had a few different seats in the car.

The standard lotus seats in my honest opinion aren't very good at all, they gave me back ache and didn't hold you. The probax are excellent and really comfortable on long trips.

I new have Tillett B5 seats and despite them looking brutal they are the most comfortable and best holding of them all.

There is a Z4M for sale on pistonheads with them fitted, and compared to the M sport seats it's another world.

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:57 pm

Thanks for the info!
I went down the- famous within the Lotus+Miata community- Air2Gel route and I'm quite happy with the result.
But as mentioned I haven't sat in Probax seats so wouldn't know, I' ll take your saying for granted.

After all, really long trips aren't the usual occasion in my case.

Doddsy · Post by **Doddsy** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:24 am

What about these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Evora- ... Sw0X1b4s4L

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:16 am

spot on!!!!
let's see how the auction goes.

Nictrix · Post by **Nictrix** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:49 pm

Doddsy wrote: ↑
Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:24 am
What about these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Evora- ... Sw0X1b4s4L

Cant help thinking that someones wooden table is going to have scratch marks from the seat rails

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:25 pm

final touch, the belt tensioner;
a small pin was welded to the inner side bracket in order to help keep the belt tensioner in place.
Was later chopped off though because it protruded a bit.
Drove the car for about 2 hours and absolutely no squeaks whatsover.
more pics to come of the final product.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Sun Nov 18, 2018 10:42 pm

DOOM wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:53 am

Yes, most Lotus Elise seats seem to have that lumbar support pump..
but can be used in many ways..

Clearly some insider information going on here.

DOOM · Post by **DOOM** » Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:58 pm