RemoveB4Flight
02-21-2008, 01:40 AM
Black cloth, with heavier material on the high-wear areas for abrasion resistance.
One of my friends has repeatedly called them the most comfortable car seats she's ever sat in. I've done 4 1/2 hours at a time (Laguna to LA) many times and arrived perfectly fresh. They are supremely comfortable for a range of body sizes and shapes, and offer much, much greater lateral support than stock.
I did a custom installation, starting with Wedge Engineering brackets, but investing the extra time to thoroughly deburr and fine-tune them. I didn't use sliders, because one of my goals was to lower the seating position, and the location of the Wedge brackets worked out perfectly for me. I am 6'4", but my car has been driven in that configuration by someone as short as 5'9". You can basically bolt them into your E36 and go, or add sliders (I'll include them if you want them), then bolt them in and go.
The seats flip forward, allowing convenient back seat access for a coupe even without the sliders. Reclining adjustment is by a Recaro mechanism, so you have to crank the knob at your hips to adjust the seat back tilt.
The seats have been in my 1993 325is since 2003. Moderate mileage for that length of time, about 60k. I barely drove the car for about two years. Driver's seat is still comfortable and supportive. Passenger's seat has been used only rarely, so still feels new. Both seats have suffered some sun fading of the cloth, especially on the outer shoulder "wings".
My stock power seats weigh 67 lb. each. These assemblies weigh 45 lb. each, including sturdy steel brackets and seat belt tensioners. That's 22 lb. per side, or a total of 44 lb. out of your E36.
Sparco lists the same bracket for all E36; coupe, sedan and hatch.
I put my car back to stock to sell it - time for a new project. These won't work in my next car, otherwise I'd hang onto them. I really hate driving my car without them. The stock seats are less comfortable and less supportive. Not to mention, with my height and the driver's seat as low as it will go, the rearview mirror creates a horrific blind spot ahead and to the right of me. It hid an entire Denali yesterday. I had identified that problem before getting these seats, and enhanced safety has been a real benefit of the lowered seating position for me.
These aren't race legal, but they would be a great choice for an autcrosser or street/track day build on a budget. It's the same setup chosen for european car Magazine's Project 325is back in the day.
Today's price for these seats new is $650 each, and brackets are ~$200 per pair, bringing the total to $1500. I'll take $750, straight half, due to the use.
Local pickup only, please, as finding boxes big enough and shipping 100+ lbs. would be very expensive. I can make the seats available anywhere in the greater LA area, but I'm based in Long Beach.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_front_web.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_back_web.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_driver_cushion.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_pass_cushion.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_driver_shoulder.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_adjuster.jpg
One of my friends has repeatedly called them the most comfortable car seats she's ever sat in. I've done 4 1/2 hours at a time (Laguna to LA) many times and arrived perfectly fresh. They are supremely comfortable for a range of body sizes and shapes, and offer much, much greater lateral support than stock.
I did a custom installation, starting with Wedge Engineering brackets, but investing the extra time to thoroughly deburr and fine-tune them. I didn't use sliders, because one of my goals was to lower the seating position, and the location of the Wedge brackets worked out perfectly for me. I am 6'4", but my car has been driven in that configuration by someone as short as 5'9". You can basically bolt them into your E36 and go, or add sliders (I'll include them if you want them), then bolt them in and go.
The seats flip forward, allowing convenient back seat access for a coupe even without the sliders. Reclining adjustment is by a Recaro mechanism, so you have to crank the knob at your hips to adjust the seat back tilt.
The seats have been in my 1993 325is since 2003. Moderate mileage for that length of time, about 60k. I barely drove the car for about two years. Driver's seat is still comfortable and supportive. Passenger's seat has been used only rarely, so still feels new. Both seats have suffered some sun fading of the cloth, especially on the outer shoulder "wings".
My stock power seats weigh 67 lb. each. These assemblies weigh 45 lb. each, including sturdy steel brackets and seat belt tensioners. That's 22 lb. per side, or a total of 44 lb. out of your E36.
Sparco lists the same bracket for all E36; coupe, sedan and hatch.
I put my car back to stock to sell it - time for a new project. These won't work in my next car, otherwise I'd hang onto them. I really hate driving my car without them. The stock seats are less comfortable and less supportive. Not to mention, with my height and the driver's seat as low as it will go, the rearview mirror creates a horrific blind spot ahead and to the right of me. It hid an entire Denali yesterday. I had identified that problem before getting these seats, and enhanced safety has been a real benefit of the lowered seating position for me.
These aren't race legal, but they would be a great choice for an autcrosser or street/track day build on a budget. It's the same setup chosen for european car Magazine's Project 325is back in the day.
Today's price for these seats new is $650 each, and brackets are ~$200 per pair, bringing the total to $1500. I'll take $750, straight half, due to the use.
Local pickup only, please, as finding boxes big enough and shipping 100+ lbs. would be very expensive. I can make the seats available anywhere in the greater LA area, but I'm based in Long Beach.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_front_web.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_back_web.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_driver_cushion.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_pass_cushion.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_driver_shoulder.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/SolarYellow510/BMW/Cobra_adjuster.jpg