Quote:
Originally Posted by ianacole
When you say "track seat" are you referring to just track days, or racing with a sanctioning body, as the answer will differ based on that. For track days, unless the entity you are running with has specific rules in place, any seat you choose to run, as long as it is securely mounted (if they have a tech inspection, this will come into play), you should be good.
For racing, which may include TT, there are more stringent rules, and vary by sanctioning body. My experience is that most will allow "expired" seats with additional mounting modifications. But, I would go through the rules of any sanctioning body you plan on running with and pick the most restrictive rules to abide by.
Ultimately, the answer to your certification question is: it depends. It depends on the organization you are running with and what activity you are doing with them.
Personally, I would only buy an ebay seat that's from a manufacturer that is known and reputable ... Corbeau, Momo, Recaro, etc. Having been in a few track accidents, one that resulted in a broken back, safety is one area that I will spend extra on. I don't have a personal preference in a hinged seat versus a full bucket, for non-racing (and I include TT in racing) application - I've used Corbeaus for autocross and track days and would do so again. But, I feel there is less risk in those activities than full racing.
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Hmm, good points I should've clarified.
I have to keep pretending this is a street car, so my wife let's me keep it. (I'm exaggerating a little bit... not entirely) So I won't be putting-in a roll cage. That excludes me from racing, but not time trials with NASA and PCA. Those are the two sanctioning organizations I'm running with. Both organizations seem to have a "loose" set of rules for TT. I think PCA's makes the most sense, but NASA's seem to simply keep referring to "per the racing rules" on most items. I've been scouring their forums, etc, trying to determine what's specific to TT and not D/E. Most references say any car that qualifies for DE also qualifies for TT.
I agree with you about spending money when it matters, but I do NOT like plunkin' down cash-ola just because somebody has a recognized brand. I wanna know why it's better. And this is sorta one of the questions: is a seat a place where it matters. You've suggested that it does. But there is such a wide disparity of seats and pricing that I feel like I'm entering a candy store looking for something sweet. y'know?