aftermarket seats

Hi Fred,

My approach (to your question) would be simply - - rebuild your beautiful seat pattern, to better than factory. Maybe that would require some additional straps for support - and possibly, some additional high density foam for shaping, support and comfort - and then, follow that up with high quality covers made by a company that understands and is comfortable with "these car's requirements". BTW, a top quality shop can do all of the aforementioned !!! :

I personally, didn't want to try to reinvent the Mondial "t" seat. But I did have a vision that would work with it ... and it embraced the Daytona concept. It was a not difficult path over a not too high a mountain. It can even be brought back to factory spec ........... when that would possibly happen, I dare say: I won't be here to make commentary.

I'll say this in all honesty, if Ferrari had not changed the Mondial seat pattern with the introduction of the "t", I would have been thrilled. But, you know how it is .... "dynamics in action" - enter the thought .......... "I know - - - I'll go Daytona !!!!!

Now, If in fact, it's the "pattern and style" of your OEM seats that you would like to change ............. well, then all bets are off. The sky is the limit.

Best,

Hank
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I installed aftermarket seats in my '84 Coupe. I think that I documented the process (or maybe I just planned on doing it). In any case, I took lots of photos. I'll dig them up and post them if I haven't already done so.

In the meantime, you can find photos of Mondials with aftermarket/custom seats on my website: mondialqv.com

Click on "Fotos" then "Mondials" then "Aftermarket Seats"

 

Unless you are actually racing the car, I would not install "racing" seats in the car. I agree with Hank -- rebuild the seats. You can get a new set of skins for the seat, and have a good auto upholstery shop redo them for you. They will look better than any of the racing seats out there, and will be more comfortable.

When I bought my former '78 308 GTS, the PO had installed Sparco seats. They were expensive racing style seats, but they just looked wrong in the car. Fortunately, he still had the original seats. I had them redone and put them back in the car, and it just looked great.

So, IMHO, stick with the stock seats and just get them redone. I had an '84 Mondial QV coupe, and redyed the seats myself, and they came out looking great. If the leather is still in good condition, even if it is worn out and discolored, you can fairly easily redye them, and they will look as good as new. There are a number of threads in the 308/328 section on redying seats, so you might consider that as an alternative.

Just my $.02.

 

I do want to offer a small counterpoint to Hank and Faster is Better's comments...

Although I agree that refinishing the original seats is preferable to aftermarket seats, there are a couple of good arguments to go aftermarket:

1. Need something to sit on while the original seats are being refurbished. I removed my seats with the intention to refinish them. Over a year later they are still sitting on a shelf in the garage. Eventually I'll get to the seats, but in the meantime, at least I can drive the car. (The leather aftermarket seats cost less than $500, so when I pull them out I won't be out that much money and can probably recoup a good portion of the expense by selling them on Craigslist.)

2. I'm tall and really wanted to sit further back than the OEM seats allowed. When I installed the aftermarket seats I modified the rails so that I could sit two inches further back. I'm more comfortable driving, and being able to move the seat further back makes it easier to get in and out of the car. (I'll lose this when I put the OEM seats back in.)

 

Aaaaaaaaaaah. That's gorgeous, Hank. BUT, would it be too much in a black car?

 

Ted,
IMO Daytona seats were made for a black car.
It will look incredible in yours!

Cheers
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Honestly Ted, I think the Daytona seat scheme would look even better in your Valenzo (being black), than it does in my Rachel.

Michael B.sent his seats to Fernando (my friend and neighbor) for a Daytona redo - and you know how happy he was.

I can easily help set it up for you if you wish.

Cheers, Hankie

 

Hank,
In an effort to get a couple more inches of legroom for my 6'3" frame I'm trying to find some information about moving the T's seat rails all the way back.
Do you recall this thread or did you see a way to do it when you changed the seats out?
Many thanks my friend,
Greg

 

Hi Greg,

I don't recall what the underside of the seat looked like but I would imagine that there is a small bit of seat-to-rail positioning leeway. If the seat can be re mounted (re positioned) to its "under seat" rails, just a bit rearward, it could make a big difference. This would additionally prevent having to futz with the rails on the floor. It would probably only take 3/4 of an inch or so to achieve your goal. You would only be limited by the rest of the interior behind you.

Cheers,

Hank

 

Greg, if I recall correctly, there is not "play" in the seat rails on the Mondial. The front and rear holes of the seat rails line up with the holes in the floor, and the seats mount only in that one position.

There are, however, after-market rails available. Sparco makes "universal" rails that can be mounted to many different seats. I believe they have a lower profile than the stock rails, and they have several holes front and rear on the floor rail so that you can mount the rails further forward or further back, if you want more or less room. If you go to just about any racing shop or auto customizing company that sells aftermarket seats, they will have rails you can adapt to the seats. Also look on line at places like JC Whitney or Summit Racing.

And as for the comment about how long it takes to redo the seats, if you take them to a pro, they can have them done for you in a week or two. DIY takes longer, especially if you don't work on them for many months in a row. Ask me how I learned that lesson. LOL

 

Steve,
Thanks for recommendation as I had not considered replacing the seat rails but modifying the existing ones.
As I look at the Sparco rails I believe it will be easier to mount them where I want vs moving the existing rails, especially considering the existing ones have a funky angled bracket in the front of the seats that would be hard to re-mount.
I will get the seat out this weekend and see what I'm in to - pics to come!
Thanks again,
Greg

 

Well you both have me 90% convinced. But I do believe I'd have to go all the way and include the rear seats.

 

Hi Teddy,

That choice would make sense, as your rear seat (compartment) occupants would be, those adorable children - not (as in my case), two cats and a case of craft beer !!

BTW, after my newly adopted Thai kitty Kha gets here next week (4/24), I'll do a little photo shoot of all of my enhanced "Car/kitty" family.
Cheers baby,

Hankie

 

Hank, you influence me to spend more money than I influence myself. It was you that put me in a Mondial, it was you that put me in an SL, it was you that put, not one, but two spider tops in my cars, it was you that put a copy of Driving Miss Daisy in my DVD player... And now... Daytona seats

...And I love ya for it. Thanks for being a positive influence in my life.

 

I'd do it in a second, white with the black inserts on a black car. My interior was shredded when I got it and had already made arrangements before I saw Hank's. The seats are a little different in a T than a 3.2, but these guys are genii and can do anything. Next time. It'll be a nice change.

Regards,
Brian

 

Ted, Do it !

 

I've been thinking about doing a custom seat based on the Dino. My headrests are already Dino-based and I don't find the stock seats to be that comfortable. GT Classics does a lot of seats for vintage Porsche and Ferrari. They sent me some photos of Ferrari seats they've made.

This is what my headrest looks like.
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For some weird reason I can only attach one photo per post...
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Another one.
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Last photo...drool!
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Hi Diz,

Honestly, I'm not too crazy about the fact that there is no loft in the pillows of the seat shown in your post #18. It makes the seat look flat, like a ------ Sears cover, maybe ? Just to be extra picky, I'll also comment on some of the seam work (no piping) just below the headrest. There, I just commented.

Seats in post #21 (above) are stunning. ------------- PRUGNA, baby !!!

Cheers, Hank

 

I see what you mean but in spite of searching I can't find any photo examples that demonstrate otherwise. Do you have any?

 

Hi, I just Googled "Dino 246 seats" .......... bingo - pictures galore !!

Don't forget that the Daytona seat "chairs" was a different seat than the non Daytona seat. It has a full upper horseshoe configuration with the Daytona pattern as an insert. You'll see.

BTW, in your post #20 (red with black), spacing between pillows is all off !!!

Cheers, Hank

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding I was talking about this:

I searched and searched. I found several photos of Dino seats (both the "chairs and flares" and the non-C&F) that were flat like this one and even a post from another Ferrari forum where people were complaining about too much loft in a reupholstered seat because the original seats were flat (opinions, eh? ).

Of course, these aren't actually Ferrari seats, none of them are. They're based on old Scheel and Recaro rally seat designs that've been adapted by the builder. But since I'm kinda partial to vintage racing elements they caught my eye.