Racing seats

[LeadSled]

So I’m building my 66 Newport as a drag car. Pretty basic 4.30 gears, CNC Ported and Polished 915 heads, Trick Flow 600/600 Hydraulic roller, Eddy Torker 2 Single Plane intake. So I got a bucket seat hookup through a buddy of mine. What do mounts do people use for c bodies since the floor pans are flat where the seats mount? The seat bolt locations are 16x11.

 

[CBODY67]

WHERE are the required-for-class SEAT BELTS? There can be better seats for drag racing which will also support the "crotch-strap"-style drag racing seat belts, to me. The seats you pictured might not have enough internal structure for a viable drag racing use, much less the drag racing-use center-release seat belt mechanism for each seat.

To me, that tach mount needs some definite attention!

You do NOT need to disassemble the car to have fun in bracket racing! Look in here for the '66 NY another member drag races, with a/c and power steering operational. Even some YouTube videos, too! A definite sleeper if there ever was one. Only the size of the rear tires might give it away . . . until it leaves the starting line. Choose the street tires wisely and slicks become not-needed.

You might find an older version of the Direct Connection Race Manual (all 1000+ pages of it). Read about front end alignment and such. Lots of good information in there you will NOT see GM and Ford racers doing. Not just on engines and powertrains, but other sections of the car, too.

Just some observations,
CBODY67

 

[LeadSled]

WHERE are the required-for-class SEAT BELTS? There can be better seats for drag racing which will also support the "crotch-strap"-style drag racing seat belts, to me. The seats you pictured might not have enough internal structure for a viable drag racing use, much less the drag racing-use center-release seat belt mechanism for each seat.

To me, that tach mount needs some definite attention!

You do NOT need to disassemble the car to have fun in bracket racing! Look in here for the '66 NY another member drag races, with a/c and power steering operational. Even some YouTube videos, too! A definite sleeper if there ever was one. Only the size of the rear tires might give it away . . . until it leaves the starting line. Choose the street tires wisely and slicks become not-needed.

You might find an older version of the Direct Connection Race Manual (all 1000+ pages of it). Read about front end alignment and such. Lots of good information in there you will NOT see GM and Ford racers doing. Not just on engines and powertrains, but other sections of the car, too.

Just some observations,
CBODY67

I’m in process of re doing all of the interior. Tach doesn’t work so it just kind of sits there. I’m getting a buddy of mine to fabricate seat brackets at his shop

 

[commando1]

What do mounts do people use for c bodies since the floor pans are flat where the seats mount?

Are you really capable of building a drag car?

 

[LeadSled]

Are you really capable of building a drag car?

A street strip car that’ll run mid 11’s? I’m pretty sure lol.

 

[CBODY67]

And THAT is precisely why you need the Mopar Perf Race Manuals!! To see what works with a Chrysler Product rather than a Chevy, for example. Remember, too, that it takes real TORQUE to get off the line in a heavier vehicle, from the engine and not the rear axle ratio by itself. Plus sufficient traction, which will put stresses on the chassis and body when doing so. NOT specifically 6000+rpm horsepower numbers. Horsepower numbers might be good for "conversations", but kind of not terribly important at a 3000rpm launch rpm.

ALSO head over to David Vizard's many YouTube videos on cyl head porting and such. More great information in there than you might ever suspect. Not to forget Uncle Tony, Nick's Garage, and a few others!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[LeadSled]

Well nobody really builds c bodies to race. So researching setups for a C body is much more difficult than an A, B, or E body. I don’t want to go with a tried and true setup that’s guaranteed. Gotta keep it unique. The 383 I’ve got built will eventually be boosted. It’s what I built it for. Powerband is around 3500-7200 give or take. The car has a long ways to go that’s for sure. The converter is going to help with the gear and powerband on my car with the setup I’m going for. Wont know until it gets tested and tuned. I’ll keep updating though for sure. If track is open tonight I’ll see if I can beat the stock 11.47 1/8 mile time it had stock. Still stock 2.76 gears and converter. Curious to the time advances it’ll make when I do the 4.30’s in the next coming weeks. As well as converter a little bit down the line not long after I do gears. Just to see the time progressions.

And THAT is precisely why you need the Mopar Perf Race Manuals!! To see what works with a Chrysler Product rather than a Chevy, for example. Remember, too, that it takes real TORQUE to get off the line in a heavier vehicle, from the engine and not the rear axle ratio by itself. Plus sufficient traction, which will put stresses on the chassis and body when doing so. NOT specifically 6000+rpm horsepower numbers. Horsepower numbers might be good for "conversations", but kind of not terribly important at a 3000rpm launch rpm.

ALSO head over to David Vizard's many YouTube videos on cyl head porting and such. More great information in there than you might ever suspect. Not to forget Uncle Tony, Nick's Garage, and a few others!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[LeadSled]

And THAT is precisely why you need the Mopar Perf Race Manuals!! To see what works with a Chrysler Product rather than a Chevy, for example. Remember, too, that it takes real TORQUE to get off the line in a heavier vehicle, from the engine and not the rear axle ratio by itself. Plus sufficient traction, which will put stresses on the chassis and body when doing so. NOT specifically 6000+rpm horsepower numbers. Horsepower numbers might be good for "conversations", but kind of not terribly important at a 3000rpm launch rpm.

ALSO head over to David Vizard's many YouTube videos on cyl head porting and such. More great information in there than you might ever suspect. Not to forget Uncle Tony, Nick's Garage, and a few others!

Enjoy!
CBODY67

It’s about as fresh as can be. The engines only been in the car about 2 months. Been driven on the street maybe 10 times in the last 3 years.

 

[Blusmbl]

There are a handful of quick C bodies, especially the 65/66 Furies, plus the TT Fury from overseas. I haven't personally seen one with an aftermarket seat in person, mine still has the factory bench.

Summit and Jegs both sell universal seat brackets that are flat, you'll probably have to drill new holes through the floor though.

 

[RemCharger]

It's not a matter of it being a c body..
Find out who is your track sanctioning body, and get the rule book. (Nhra, Ihra etc).
After market seats are supposed to tie in to some structural support.
Directions are all in the handbook

 

[LeadSled]

There are a handful of quick C bodies, especially the 65/66 Furies, plus the TT Fury from overseas. I haven't personally seen one with an aftermarket seat in person, mine still has the factory bench.

Summit and Jegs both sell universal seat brackets that are flat, you'll probably have to drill new holes through the floor though.

That’s expected. A buddy of mine is fabricating a seat bracket for driver side as we speak. Since my interior is gutted apart at the moment he will probably be installing a harness bar as well

 

[DDS-029]

Look for something on the seat that says ANYTHING about being approved for ANY racing applications. Nowadays that could be a desk chair. No rear support renders any shoulder belts useless.

 

[LeadSled]

Look for something on the seat that says ANYTHING about being approved for ANY racing applications. Nowadays that could be a desk chair. No rear support renders any shoulder belts useless.

I got the seat from a buddy who had a sponsorship with the seat company. I believe the brand was Modify Street and the seat was the Venom?

 

[Big_John]

I looked up the seat and got a picture of the sliders that come with the seat.

Looks to me like they are flat and you should be able to bolt them down easily. I would drill the floor and at minimum, add some large fender washers on the bolts. I'd also try to use the factory bracing if at all possible, even for a couple of the bolts.

An alternative would be to make some 1/4 aluminum plates to bolt to the factory locations and then bolt the sliders down to that, but if the floor is in good shape, the fender washers would do the job.

If you're planning on running "mid-11's", keep in mind some tracks are 11.99 and faster to have a 6 point roll bar. NHRA specs 11.49 and faster. Run mid 11's and dip below 11.5 a time or two might get you called to the tower and told you need to run a roll bar. The roll bar brings more into the mix... and the reason I bring it up. I think NHRA wants the aftermarket seat fastened to the roll bar, but I'm not really up on the rules. Back when I raced, we didn't have that rule, so my plastic seat was mounted to the floor with aluminum brackets and the shoulder harness was bolted to the bar. You'll want to double check this before you have to redo everything.



Your sliders.

 

[6PKRTSE]

We made custom tubular mounts that follow the contour of my seats and bolt into the factory bolt holes. Hard to tell in these pictures but they are braced from front to back and side to side from underneath. Plus bolt to tabs on the cage through the rear of the seat.

 

[LeadSled]

I looked up the seat and got a picture of the sliders that come with the seat.

Looks to me like they are flat and you should be able to bolt them down easily. I would drill the floor and at minimum, add some large fender washers on the bolts. I'd also try to use the factory bracing if at all possible, even for a couple of the bolts.

An alternative would be to make some 1/4 aluminum plates to bolt to the factory locations and then bolt the sliders down to that, but if the floor is in good shape, the fender washers would do the job.

If you're planning on running "mid-11's", keep in mind some tracks are 11.99 and faster to have a 6 point roll bar. NHRA specs 11.49 and faster. Run mid 11's and dip below 11.5 a time or two might get you called to the tower and told you need to run a roll bar. The roll bar brings more into the mix... and the reason I bring it up. I think NHRA wants the aftermarket seat fastened to the roll bar, but I'm not really up on the rules. Back when I raced, we didn't have that rule, so my plastic seat was mounted to the floor with aluminum brackets and the shoulder harness was bolted to the bar. You'll want to double check this before you have to redo everything.



Your sliders.

View attachment 585242

Yes I had the the seat sitting on floor but I could barely see over the steering wheel. The bracket he’s making is elevated about 5 inches. Planning on him making a harness bar for it in the coming months.