Seat Fitting In A Zero....

[Shaft]

Hi Guys and Gals,

 

I'm more or less ready to fit the seats into my Zero now (Clubman style from GBS) and was

wondering how those that have gone before me have fitted theirs?

 

GBS tell me they just bolt them to the floor?? surely there must be some sort of spreader plate

or method of beefing up the rigidity of the floor first?

 

According to the IVA manual (as i interpret it anyway) GBS's method is ok, but i'm not convinced...

 

Below is an extract from the IVA manual, do you agree with me on my interpertation of it,due to

the Zero having a welded in floor pan, albeit only about 16 guage plate.

Pictures of your methods most appreciated.

 

Thanks all in advance,

 

Nick.

 

 

 

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[Guest dinger]

Alright Nick,

 

I was going to run a flat piesce of bar along the underside of the floor pan, Although now that I've bolted them in they are very secure,

 

Easiest way i found was to cut 4 pieces of m6 studding about an inch long, screw theses into the base of the seat with a nut to lock them tight, paint mark the bottom of the 4 studs and carefully lower the seat into position so the paint will mark the 4 holes that you need,

 

The base of the seat isn't quite symetrical and if measured may not place the seat straight in the car, it was easier to place the seat where I wanted it and let the paint mark the spot,

 

Are you using runners Nick?

 

there would be no harm in using a 2 inch square plate underneath

[Shaft]

Alright Nick,

 

I was going to run a flat piesce of bar along the underside of the floor pan, Although now that I've bolted them in they are very secure,

 

Easiest way i found was to cut 4 pieces of m6 studding about an inch long, screw theses into the base of the seat with a nut to lock them tight, paint mark the bottom of the 4 studs and carefully lower the seat into position so the paint will mark the 4 holes that you need,

 

The base of the seat isn't quite symetrical and if measured may not place the seat straight in the car, it was easier to place the seat where I wanted it and let the paint mark the spot,

 

Are you using runners Nick?

 

there would be no harm in using a 2 inch square plate underneath

 

 

Yes Dave, runners on the drivers side only (she who must be obeyed insists!).

I'm going to pack the passenger side to ensure they sit at the same height.

Excellent tip on marking the floor pan mate, very clever and will definately

be adopted by yours truly.

My inital thought was to use spreaders underneath also, but weld them to

the floor from underneath to 'beef' it up a bit with regard to it flexing and twisting?

[MarkBzero]

I am going to fit my seats directly to the lowered floor but include some large 40mm stainless steel washers to act as spreaders.

 

Any Zero readers that have passed IVA as NIck said photos appreciated.

Regards

Mark

[Guest mcramsay]

i asked richard at GBSC this question and i wasnt really convinced when he said they would bolt to the floor but making sure i used some large penny washers... i probibly went over kill but i got a large bit of 1/4" gauge plate from work and cut it into 2" by 2" squares, i then drilled a hole in the middle of the square and fed the bolt through this on the underside of the floor pan and then the bolt tightens up against the plate. i know its overkill and i will most likely change it but there is absolutley no way the seats would rip out in an accident!

[Guest Sharky]

I have used some 33mm angle steel directly below each seat runner and bolted to the floor. They run the whole length of the floor and I have made them into a kind of ski affair to make sure that the car will ride over any obstructions like humps etc.

 

By using the angle, the protruding bolt and its nut can be protected as well as the loads being spread better. The last thing I wanted was to hit a speed bump going into work and then end up sliding around loose inside the car 'cos the bolts had sheared! I may have gone a bit OTT on this but when I went for a test drive at GBS the car struggled to clear the plates below the hydraulic lifeter in the garage and I could see the seat move. So in essence, this was probably my first Zero mod conceived before I even bought the car!

 

HTH?

 

Sharky