New Seats! (FD)

[260Zed]

Well they are finally in!

I got a pair of FD RX7 seats a couple of months ago to fit in the zed while I was re-doing the rest of the interior. After an unseen delay (motorcycle...hospital...pain) I've finally been able to finish the job.

First off you have to remove the seat belt buckles from the rx7 seats and also remove the rod thingo that is on the inside of each seat.

The rx7 seats have a locating pin on the front of the seat rails, in the same spot on the Z has a slightly smaller hole. I drilled this hole out to be 8mm (only about another 1mm). This lets the rx7 rail sit into the Z seat mounts. Then by bending the mounts on the rx7 rails the rails will fit snug on the Z seat mounts (with the 32mm bolt spacers on the rear mounts). The drivers side required a slight elongation of the front locating holes (bout 3mm).

Done.

I did think about keeping the Z rails, but they are a little too short for the mounts on the rx7 rails, as the seats have a FRP base I couldnt see how to fix them safely without a steel plate which to be honest I really couldn't be arsed doing. By keeping the rx7 rails, you get a much smoother adjustment, as well as the neat switch that lets the driver retract the passenger seat.

Please excuse the pic quality as they were taken on my phone. I'm happy with the swap, the seats hold you in waaaay tighter than the old Z ones. Now to get the rest of the car back together...

Luke

[Gav240z]

Nice they suit the Z interior well. Good Work!

[SteveInOakland]

That looks really good. Must be one of the recent-model RX7s? I had some from the original car and this is a much more appropriate look. Also, the first two model types of RX7 have got a weird setup for the inner rail on the passenger seat, due to extra width there in the transmission tunnel.

Hope your recuperation is going well.

[boyblunda]

Nice job Luke and a great result for your car.

Thanks for the description you have given - these notes will be valuable for someone like myself who needs this sort of "how to" instruction on such a job. I have heard that the MX5 seats go fairly nicely into a Zed but I was previously unaware that the RX7 would be such a good fit or look as well.

Hope your recovery goes well - motorbikes are great until someone does not see you or if you come unstuck.

All the best with the rest of the car.

[SteveInOakland]

I have heard that the MX5 seats go fairly nicely into a Zed but I was previously unaware that the RX7 would be such a good fit or look as well.

I had some of those -- they look great in the Z and fit easily. Also, they are nice and low. However, there's a good bit more bulk to the seat-back than there is with the Z seats and that's a problem if you're tall. I keep my Z seats at their very rear of the tracks, and with the Miata (MX5) seats, I was way too close to the steering wheel.

--Steve.

[Go240Zags]

Well they are finally in!

I got a pair of FD RX7 seats a couple of months ago to fit in the zed while I was re-doing the rest of the interior. ALuke

What year RX7 are these from? Is the seat height similar to the original Zed seats? Just would like to know if a tall person would lose any head room with this mod. Thanks for sharing, Gary D.

[260Zed]

What year RX7 are these from? Is the seat height similar to the original Zed seats? Just would like to know if a tall person would lose any head room with this mod. Thanks for sharing, Gary D.

Um, I think FD's are series 6-8 (?) which is about 92 onwards i believe. I'm only 5'10 but I've mounted them a little higher than the originals which leave me with about 2 inches before the headliner. You could prolly get them a little lower than what I have...

I have heard that the MX5 seats go fairly nicely into a Zed but I was previously unaware that the RX7 would be such a good fit or look as well.

From the base pics of the MX5 seats that I've seen they both look very similar. I wouldn't be surprised if they use the same base maybe...

Thanks for the get well wishes. Getting better slowly. Been a long road. Can't wait to get the Z up and going again though. Only have to re-fit the windscreen and new weather-stripping.:devious:

[zedevan]

looks nice, i want some! i was thinking these, gtr, or wrx seats, but due to how simple these sound to put in i think i'll keep my eyes open for them more! the stock seats sure get uncomfortable after more than half an hour, something to do with the padding being compressed i think

its bad to hear you were in a bike accident, but good to hear your recovering. my uncle was in one and as a result can't drive any car that isn't modified specially for him

[zedevan]

thanks for this write up, i've just gotten myself a set of fd seats and am wondering "(with the 32mm bolt spacers on the rear mounts)" you are talking about? where did these spaces come from? or are they just general spacers and not ones that should of been there already?

just from sitting in them on the ground they feel like they are going to be a great upgrade and i reakon they look sexy, thanks again

[260Zed]

I got the spacers from a bolt shop, basically they are a large threaded washer, except the washer is 32mm thick(!). This lets the rear mount of the rail connect the the rear mount on the zed.

I'm actually thinking about adjusting the rx7 rail so the spacers aren't required, that will mean drilling out the rear mounting tab on the rails, then re-welding it further down the rail.

But yeah haven't done that yet...

Luke

[zedevan]

thanks for the info, i put them in the other weekend and just got some larger nuts and used them to space it out, as could only be bothered going to bunnings, may go to a proper place and get some of those thick washers then, thanks for the tip

i then spent to much time today getting the drivers seat to sit more centered and lower, but the small adjustment prob wasn't worth the time spent! i grinded the back section of the bit the seat grabs into off, and drilled out the front holes to allow it to sit lower (and slightly further foward), then elongated the holes at the front and back to slide it over slightly also

now its pretty close to the height the stock seats were judging by the arm on door ratio , mayb in a year or so i'll bother doing it to the passengers seat too! i have to take a tall passenger on tuesday so it will b itneresting seeing if he fits alright. i sat in a few different sports cars at the motor show and none of their seats seemed quite as tight as these fd ones are, and htey look great too! i'll take some pics when its daylight

[zedevan]

thanks for your writeup on how easy these are to install, it sure inspired me