Mounting carbon racing seats in an FF

Hi, I am relatively new here and I think this is my first post. So hello to you all. I own a couple of Integrales, a bright orange Thesis and a WRX wagon (the model designed by Peter Stevens). And an FF. I am from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

I acquired a set of carbon racing seats of an F12 and mounted them in my FF. In order to do this the mounting points had to be adapted, but that is no rocket science. Am I the first to do this, or has another FF owner been doing this earlier? Especially I like to know how the seats could be adjusted in more directions than standard (i.e. sliding forwards and backwards and electric angling of the back rest). Especially some ideas about how to adjust the height of the seats would be welcome.

Any ideas are welcome!

Best, Wieger

 

I have a feeling you might be the first one doing this. Please keep us posted on how it's done.

 

I totally want to do this, but am too chicken to be the first to do it... please keep us posted!

 

Ahum, I already did it, so there is not much to post apart from pics.... I can also post some instructions if you wish, but it is really quite simple. The only thing now is that I get electrical warnings. Understandably, because the racing seats only need 12V for the backrest but the FF-chairs have an additional connector for the entertainment system and probably memorizing things - not heating, positioning and ventilation I guess, because that could do with 12V only I miagine - and this system is now not being seen anymore by 'the system'. Remember, I took out fully ventilated seats with screens in the head rest, so I guess that is a minor thing for a Ferrari dealer to ' reset' , because those are both options. And I cannot adjust my steering wheel anymore, which I can understand as it is memorized in conjunction with the position of the electric seats. I guess that is also something that could be addressed in the software since this situation is not different from an F12 where you could get both fully electric seats or the simpler - electrically seen - racing seats. This option is not available in the FF, but it is hard to imagine thatthe software in the FF doesn't ressemble the SW in the F12. Anyways, haven't been to my dealer / Dutch importer Kroymans yet....

 

I was busy with editing my post, but it seems that you only get 10 minutes to dos this. Why?

 

Post pictures! Did you do this for looks or are you contemplating racing your FF?

 

Yes please post pictures


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6 arguments to swap your standard seats for racing seats
1) Gaining quite some space for the rear passengers (check!). They are that much thinner.
2) Loosing weight (mwah, 12,5 kgs per chair. Bit disappointing for CARBON seats against fully electric etc.)
3) More cart-like experience because of lower sitting position by more than 5cm (check!) and being more in touch with the tarmac (check!) because the seats are stiffer / thinner / harder. You notice the difference instantly. Also the noises are different (I am in the audio business). Not necessarily better, but different.
4) Gaining headroom by more than 5 cm (see before) which sounds funny because I am only 1.82m tall, but I prefer a rally-like seating position (= close to the wheel) which meant that my head touched the sun visor with the standard seats which I then removed; re-installed the visor now! (check!)
5) Aesthetically much more pleasing. Standard seats are for old men; Goldrake racing seats are really very stylish and sexy I think. (check!)
6) Nicer overview for the rear passengers. (haven't checked yet, but because you sit so much lower, rear passengers should be more able to see what is going on in front)
Enough?
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I think the leather color mismatch might bother my aesthetic sensibilities but functionally, it’s very cool. I started tracking / racing with a Porsche 993 outfitted with 996 Cup single piece race seats, so I also prefer an upright seating position. As a result, my head also hits the visors in the FF. I have Goldrake seats in the F12, 488, 812, upcoming Pista. Far superior in form and function for my needs.


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As far as I know you are free to choose the leather colour you prefer for your seats when ordering a Ferrari, so no worries!

 

I'm thinking about doing this in my FF. I've found a good deal on the same seats but they don't have the runners - just the seat. I can get runners on eurospares but you mention there is was modification needed - please advise what you needed to do to make them fit into FF mounting points - drilling new holes in the runners or something else? Thanks in advance

 

##popsmuf, May 27, 2020
Hi Knokki

I just dug up this thread about the racing seats in the FF. This is awesome! I totally want to do this. Have a few questions to ask you

1) The electrical errors you received. Do you still get those errors or were you able to have the dealer clear this?

2) You mentioned you cannot adjust the steering wheel anymore. Is this true? So I will need to set the wheel to where I want and then unplug the seat to stay there forever?

3) If possible, could you let me know what I need to do for the mounting fabrication and such? Pictures would be great!

Thanks!
-Charlie##


Hi Charlie, sorry for this late reply.

1) I would say, welcome to Ferrari! As far as I know, dealers are not allowed so change something in the original settings. 'Original' relating to how the car left the factory. That is at least what the techies at my officially apointed dealer told me. Now I have put some effort in it to get it done by somebody else, but the point is really that it will involve quite some time etc. I have given up on this. Anyways, as the warning sign also indicates what is actually faulty, you are still able so see whether something is wrong with the mechanical bits, so I wouldn't worry too much.

2) This could be a real issue and indeed it is true. This means that you should finalize everything with the old chairs at hand. You can then swap them iteratively and adjust the wheel etc. You should also know that most carbon seats do not come with height adjustment, so you need spacers. Mechanical height adjustment is an option with the racing seats but it not only comes with a price if you buy them new (2,5k$ if I remember well) but you also loose some of the weight gain if that is important to you (for me it is).

3) Mounting is not that difficult if you are able you make some additional bars running from the front mounting points to the rear mounting points. You just have to dril some additional holes for the seats. I will try to post some pic's later 2day.

And indeed, if you change the original bus drivers' seats in the FF (they are that high in my opinion and while I am only 1.81 tall I am sitting at the wheel like a rally driver and so my head touches the sun visor with the original chairs) for the racing seats, you might get the impression that the FF could be a sports car after all! It really changes the driving experience substantially.

PS You can reach me at [email protected]

 

Here you see the metal bars. Nothing spectacular. Black allen bolts are the original mounting points. Spacers are there because I needed some 2-3 cm. The racing seats really sit low, as is being said in many threads referring to these seats.

Oh yes, the people in the back will have a lot more legroom, which wasn't bad in the original situation either.
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Hi Knokki,

I am also thinking about replacing my FF Daytona seats with carbon bucket seats. Do you know what the weight of these Daytona seats are (mine has also the TV in the headrest)? I will also keep the Daytona seats for the next owner