355 - Sharing the way I install my Recaro Pole Position Seats | FerrariChat

355 Sharing the way I install my Recaro Pole Position Seats

Discussion in '348/355' started by cheungchoyui, Mar 22, 2020.

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  1. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Joe Cheung
    I found out that the following parts could be used to install the Pole Position with stock rail

    Some bolts , nuts and washers are needed
    And you need to drill one hole on each side of the L plate in order to hold the seat belt and seat belt buckle.

    No need welding or fabricating any metal pierce.
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    chopsui, Sancho22 and Yassa like this.
  2. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    #2 Ferrarium, Mar 22, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2020
    Thanks for sharing good tip! Those seats look shallow, how is the thigh support, back support and overall comfort relative to OEM? Did you shim them to tip them back to provide thigh support or anything?
     
  3. tres55

    tres55 F1 Rookie
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    Sep 18, 2012
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    Those are one of the better looking aftermarket seats I've seen for the 348/355. Looks good. :)
     
  4. Yassa

    Yassa Formula 3
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    May 23, 2011
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    They look fantastic. I was on the fence about the pole positions but now Im all in.
     
  5. GTUnit

    GTUnit Karting

    May 25, 2014
    143
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    Jack
    Very Nice
     
  6. jferrante

    jferrante Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2016
    498
    PP's are great seats, love the color and embroidering. Nice
     
  7. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
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    Who did your covers? NICE!
     
  8. Ferrarium

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    Presumably someone in Hong Kong recovered them. Can anyone confirm the PP are actually comfortable to drive in regularly?
     
  9. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
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    Looks like the seats may be a tad too high and not sit low enough due to the pan across the runners not letting the seat closer to the floor. Room for a helmet looks non existent.
    .
     
  10. Yassa

    Yassa Formula 3
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    May 23, 2011
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    The PPs are usually installed without the rails as unadjustable direct bolt ons in all the 335s I've seen...except for this one. Head room does look limited which is probably most all who habe done the mod forgo the rails.
     
  11. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Joe Cheung
    Yes you are right. Therefore I found out a way that I could drop the seat lower.

    I turned the metal pan upside down and you could see the area I circled in the pic allows the seat of the back drops down a bit further.

    The second pic shows the result of how low it could go.
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  12. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
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    Joe Cheung
    A shop in Hong Kong helped me do the cover.


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  13. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
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    Joe Cheung
    To be honest the OEM seats are more comfortable.

    The thigh support of PP is very good but the back support is not enough. My back is a bit tired after I drive for 45 mins or above.

    I didn’t do any modification of the sets. The only thing I do is changing the seat cover.


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  14. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Joe Cheung
    Current setting is a little bit higher than the OEM Seats. It will be the best to install it without rail.


    With the current setup , the head room is acceptable and legs are not touching the steering wheel. Overall is ok but not the best.
    Helmet is impossible I think.



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  15. Yassa

    Yassa Formula 3
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    Nice. Yeah i think if I went this route, I'd install them without the rails.

    Your seats look fantastic. Great job.
     
  16. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2001
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    I installed my OMP seats in my 348 Challenge in a fixed position and very quickly changed my mind. Getting in and out of the car without the ability to 1) remove the steering wheel or 2) sliding back the seat, was very hard to deal with. So I welded up some custom seat mounting bracket, bolt an OMP slider to the brackets and then the seat on top of the slider. Lost about a inch of head space that now I can push the seat back and get out of the car easier.

    The passenger seat is mounted without a slider. Nobody ever sits in it.

    I did find that lumbar support is lacking so a couple OMP lumbar sticks went in to solve the problem. It's all good.
     
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  17. fboutlaw

    fboutlaw Karting

    Dec 3, 2014
    237
    Woodside, CA
    Thank you for posting the parts you used to mount your seats; your method should fit just about anything.

    To derail a bit: For those looking at aftermarket seats, it's worth finding a place that carries them and to sit in them for a good 20 mins. I've used Sparco Evo's in the past (in a miata) and could barely move the day after a track day, and as Yelcab noted, they're difficult to get in & out of with a fixed steering wheel. Same feedback on Kirkey seats. Then I found Lotus Exige seats and for my body, they fit properly. Have driven 14 hours in a day without issue.

    PSA: go try aftermarket seats before you buy. It's unlikely they'll be more comfortable than stock seats, and some will downright destroy your back.
     
  18. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    Makes sense, those high sides can be an issue in a tight car I imagine. Were they factory OMP seats or aftermarket OMP seats?
     
  19. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
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    I have the same setup in my F355 Challenge, Mitchell. The seats are the original 1995 OMP VID Carbon seats.

    Barry
     
  20. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Joe Cheung
    If the sides of the seat are high, it’s difficult to get in and out of the car. That’s why I picked the Pole Position which has a lower sides compared to other brand.

    In general, it’s easy to get in and out in my case.


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  21. cheungchoyui

    cheungchoyui Karting

    Oct 16, 2016
    81
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Joe Cheung
  22. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    I like the slider implementation ion the pose positions. Also for those looking for a more oem look, these Cobra Seats Le Mans recovered would look more vintage correct as well as being pretty low at the seat base and has back support. Pretty close to the 348 seats which are notoriously narrow (pre spider). My 348 seats below it.

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