Fitting Honda seats-original bolts required?

[Gary1958]

I now have some s2000 seats for my Elan. I still need the necessary brackets for fitting into the Elan though. These seats came with the original bolts that were used to attach the seats to the Honda floor/chassis, do i need to re-use these? The reason for asking about this is that the previous guy would like these Honda bolts back if I dont need them.

Gary

[muley]

I fabricated the brackets and bought some 10mm set screws and socket bolts - from Namricks 18mm long IIRC to fix the seats to my (homemade) brackets

Jim

[bobbrown]

As far as the bolts go I would just give them back as the chances of them being the correct length is going to be very slim and there are three different lengths on the original seats. 2 inners are M10 x 40, the front outer is 45 and the rear 50, the longer rear is due to the slightly taller spacer and NOTE you do need spacers to save stressing the floor.
You need to be carefull with the inner pair as they go into captive nuts and they can not be too long as they are into an enclosed section so the lengths need to be calculated from the originals but not too long!
I made these up for Jim complete with some short spacers and bolts sized to suit, I've got some more to make so if you want a set let me know by email

runner1.jpg

The cut out along one bar is to clear the seat so it does not foul on the bar.
They did take a minor modification to the original runners, but was simple enough, just remove the rear mounts and drill the rivet hole out.

Bob

[JIMBO]

And make sure you fit them the correct way round before shouting " they don't line up" like this numpty did. Bobs measurements are spot on. I just wish that we could have got the seats half inch nearer the centre of the car, but alas it is not to be. You may need to trim the seat belt holders on the seat shoulder to clear the side window. Do not remove it as trying to reach the belt without this in place is a non starter for me! The seat will not sit inside the b pillar due to the shape of the seat shoulder , so rearward movement is restricted. This is still a great improvement over the standard seat.
Jim

[nitroman]

'Shazbot' Bob. Is there anything you can't do?

[enndee]

As far as the bolts go I would just give them back as the chances of them being the correct length is going to be very slim and there are three different lengths on the original seats. 2 inners are M10 x 40, the front outer is 45 and the rear 50, the longer rear is due to the slightly taller spacer and NOTE you do need spacers to save stressing the floor.
You need to be carefull with the inner pair as they go into captive nuts and they can not be too long as they are into an enclosed section so the lengths need to be calculated from the originals but not too long!
I made these up for Jim complete with some short spacers and bolts sized to suit, I've got some more to make so if you want a set let me know by email

runner1.jpg

The cut out along one bar is to clear the seat so it does not foul on the bar.
They did take a minor modification to the original runners, but was simple enough, just remove the rear mounts and drill the rivet hole out.

Bob

Bob,you have mail -twice!

[whippit]

I used the original bolts and the spacers,
if you have access to a welder all you need to do is cut down the side of the honda runners where the brackets fit to the runners so that you can twist them to the inside, place them in the lotus to align them with lotus holes, the only one you'll have problems with is the front outboard one , you will need a a 2"bit a of ten mill flat bar to make it align with the hole ,
once every thing is aligned weld it in place and bob your uncle so to speak on the plus side the honda seats don't touch the centre console and you sit a little lower as well

[Steve A]

Can anyone confirm where the bigger spacer goes, I'm thinking rear outer (closer to the door)

I've got some S2000 seats and want to make brackets along the lines of what Bob did, does a drawing exist photo's etc

[Brit-Car-Nut]

They go at the outboard rear. The rear, nearest the door.

[Steve A]

They go at the outboard rear. The rear, nearest the door.

I thought so, thanks for comfirming that

[Steve A]

Oi Whippet got any photos
Is that keeping all the existing brackets

[paul27848]

I also have Honda seats I'm planning to fit. Had a lengthy chat with Whipit at Donington and a good look at his seats, and his method certainly strikes me as the best and simplest since three of the four Honda holes will then match the elan. The Honda holes are actually four seperate brackets attached to the seat runners. Each bracket has a hardened pin around which it can rotate, but is currently stopped from doing so by welds. The front pair are held by a single spot weld each which can be drilled out. The rear pair each have two short seam welds which can be cut through with an angle grinder and thin slitting disc. The rear two and front inboard are then rotated to match the lotus holes, the front outboard needs a simple straight 2" flat bar to bridge to the final hole.

Regards, Paul

[whippit]

'I've a few photos but i'm embarrassed to say having been on here six years, i still cannot resize a photo,

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Send me the photos attached to an email and I will post them for you

If you want to resize them, you can use the picture editor from MS Office or even MSPAINT.COM - probably under start, all programs, accessories and then somewhere in a folder OR you can right click on the filename and select "open with" and skip down to mspaint.

In the MS Picture editor (office 2003 and newer), you have the option to edit the picture and on the right, you can choose resize (by percentage). when you enter a number, it shows the new size.

In mspaint.com, you select image, then stretch/skew and put the percentage in both places for stretch. Remember 100 is the same size. 60 is smaller and 120 is bigger.

You probably want to save the original under a second name so the original size is still available: copy the file in Explore and then just save it and it will get "copy of" added to the front of the filename.

[cliff]

Easiest way to resize pictures if you have a windows pc is to:

right click on picture thumbnail (or pictures), click send to, then mail recipient. This will open a dialog box asking you which picture size you want, I normally use 600 x 800, select attach. Outlook will open, copy the attached pictures to another folder. All pics nicely resized.

Back on topic, there were some measurements for Honda seat brackets in another post but I can´t find it at the moment, this how I did mine using 5mm sheet steel.

CIMG0994.jpg

CIMG0995.jpg

CIMG0991.jpg

On my S2000 seats none of the holes lined up hence the need for brackets.

[whippit]

Thanks for the comprehensive how to on pics, i'll have a try if i fail miserably i'll take up your kind offer and try to send them in an e-mail,

only took me two hour, but after 6 years of no photos, i can now be classified as an IT expert ta da

[Steve A]

Are you on the original spacers cliff?

Putting the seat how I want it: I made it,
center to center
front two, 55mm and 44.5mm
108mm and 57mm
Which puts my seat 10mm closer to the center of the car than the drawing that nobody can find.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Easiest way to resize pictures if you have a windows pc is to:

right click on picture thumbnail (or pictures), click send to, then mail recipient. This will open a dialog box asking you which picture size you want, I normally use 600 x 800, select attach. Outlook will open, copy the attached pictures to another folder. All pics nicely resized.

Cliff: That works for Outlook, but not for Outlook Express - OE will resize but to a size it likes, you don't have a choice. Most people have MS Office so the picture editor is the easiest way to resize.

[cliff]

Found the link:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=17740&hilit=honda+seats

Dimensions are on the 10th post down.

Steve, the spacers were missing on my car so I used large penny washers to spread the load under the brackets and raise the seat a bit. I bought a set but have not fitted them yet.

Whippit, well done on the pics. That is a really simple solution, why didn´t I think of that. I think I will look at doing this when I fit the original spacers.

John, sorry mate, never used OE so just assumed Outlook worked on most PC´s

[Steve A]

I've decided to adopt the Whippet modification
It's pretty straight forward and your not adding weight.
I'm at the ready to weld stage at the moment (so the welders in for a surprise tonight )
I just need to decide on the height, so I'll be tapping up the turner for so spacers as well