Got my new (to me) FM!

[mstephenson51]

Got my car! Thank you DrV for the help and the car.

Im going to try and get it cleaned up and ready for Hallett on the last of July. Anyone else going?

I have a couple questions if anyone has a sec:
-Gearing stack for Hallett?
-Carb tips? Im reading on the weber, but any tips would be great. recommended starting stack for hallett?

Anyone ever do a DIY molded seat? I was looking at Bald Spot Motorsports Large kit. Anyone know how big a kit to get?

Thanks!!!

Matt

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Anyone ever do a DIY molded seat? I was looking at Bald Spot Motorsports Large kit. Anyone know how big a kit to get?

Congrats!

DIY mold kits work great. Usually the SMALL kits work for Formula cars.
I understand FMs are roomier than most (I have an FC) and if you are not a big person, you may need a medium....

You will need someone to help you. Someone to mix and pour while you sit in the car....

[MotorCade]

Two helpers works even better. We did a bead seat for a friend in a production based car. Have an iPad or something to keep you entertained while you sit.

[FrankRizzo]

When it comes to seats, boy did YOU ask in the right place. I did mine less than a month ago, and am working on the nomex covering currently.

I used THIS kit: http://seatinserts.com/seat%20inserts.htm

I'm a big guy, but there was PLENTY of material to go around, had I been smaller. (I'm 6' 2.5, 245 for reference).

And, the price is right! :-)

[dsmithwc04]

I used BSS in my FE and love it. FMs are roomy but have the aluminum inner skin. I would think the small kit would work for you. The medium was almost twice as much as necessary for my FE and it is a very large cockpit for an open wheel car.

[mstephenson51]

Awesome, thanks frank!

I like to sit pretty close, so Im debating the big kit from that site and having extra if I need it.

[Darryl Wills]

sit pretty close to what?
Make certain that your head and shoulders are protected by the supports coming down from the roll bar. You can move the controls towards you but you should be back far enough that the head rest and roll hoop supports do their job.

[FrankRizzo]

Awesome, thanks frank!

I like to sit pretty close, so Im debating the big kit from that site and having extra if I need it.

The things that I considered while moulding mine:

* Broomstick test, make sure I pass.
* Side to side movement in the car (No chance before the seat, as the opening between the panels is EXACTLY the width of my pelvic bone). For you, if you have a little space, the small kit will fill that still.
* Lumbar support. This is where a good chunk of the bead material went. Support there.
* Under-thigh support. This is where most of the REST of the material went. Raise the legs to the right angle, and hold them there.
* Upper back support. I have SOME, but as Darryl points out, you don't want to be TOO far forward, you want to sit back against the fuel cell cover, and between the supports.

[mstephenson51]

Yeah, I just meant I like my feet pretty close to the pedals, and the wheel pretty close to me. I will play with the foam a bit, when I drove the rental car it was pretty good.

I did notice that my feet squeeze pretty tight between the brake pedal and the steering rack... Is that normal or should I move the pedals forward a touch and then move my butt/legs to them when I pour the seat?

Raced against you once Darryl (2008), hope to again soon now that I have a car.

sit pretty close to what?
Make certain that your head and shoulders are protected by the supports coming down from the roll bar. You can move the controls towards you but you should be back far enough that the head rest and roll hoop supports do their job.

[dmccallum]

Matt,
You will need the "Short Stack for Hallett. (17-34,19-32,21-29,23-28,24-27) A good place to start on the Carb jets would be 190 Fuel, 250 Air. If the weather is hot you might want to go up to as much as 200 on the fuel. You need to set this using the exhaust gas temp. Look for +/-1650 Deg. assuming the bungs are about 2 in. from the manifold plate. Don't forget to get some rake in the chassis or it will push.
We run about 8 Deg. wing, front and back at Hallett.
Dale McCallum

[Karl Markey]

I just did a seat (with some professional help) in my FM. I'm 5'7" and 150 lb. On the theory of better too much than not enough, I just went straight the x-large kit. The finished seat has several inches of foam behind me and full forward support to the end of the cockpit. I believe that a large kit would have been sufficient. We did not use the use all of the beads and did not mix the two small bottles of epoxy that come with the x-large kit. After it is cured, you might find that you'll have to split the seat before you can even get it out of the car for the first time.

Have fun.

[FrankRizzo]

I had to remove my seatbelts to get mine out. It wasn't easy! But, I wanted the indentations for them in the seat, without trusting my artistic carving skills.

[porsche.steve]

I used a large BSS seat kit in my FM. I had Troy Stevens do the work and I just sat inside. It is easy to remove and came out perfectly. The cost of Troy doing it was worth the $$$. My first attempt was a disaster, wife was overwhelmed with all that needed to be done while I sat.

[mstephenson51]

Its coming together, almost there.

[daericks]

This isn't the cheapest but I would bet dollars to donuts that they are the most comfortable. They actually do a significant amount of work and come to you do it. They flew to Phoenix/Tucson to do a few seats for our former FM team. Great people. If you are doing this on a budget, go with the beaded seats but if you want something that can take an impact and last forever, this is the best deal going in our opinion. I hope this helps. Dan

http://www.speedseatfactory.com/Full...mula/Home.html

[mstephenson51]

THX! Good to know someone here tried them and says its great. That will be my next step. I tried the beaded seat, didn't turn out great, but its ok for now. Going to save up for a better one over the offseason probably.

This isn't the cheapest but I would bet dollars to donuts that they are the most comfortable. They actually do a significant amount of work and come to you do it. They flew to Phoenix/Tucson to do a few seats for our former FM team. Great people. If you are doing this on a budget, go with the beaded seats but if you want something that can take an impact and last forever, this is the best deal going in our opinion. I hope this helps. Dan

http://www.speedseatfactory.com/Full...mula/Home.html

[daericks]

Our team had bead seats and they were great... until we tried the speed seats. You won't believe how awesome they are. They have one huge benefit as well. Safety. Just like helmets, you are SUPPOSED to replace them if you drop one on the ground. Likewise, most seats are designed for one incident. Do people replace them after a wreck? No. But the Speedseat is designed to take a whack and still be good to go. I'm not sure if that is a huge factor in your decision making process but it is noteworthy. I challenge you find someone who regrets spending the money. The process is: Two people fly out to your shop and fit you for the seat. This takes a full day. They ship the product back to Wisconsin for final touches. They ship it back to you and you rejoice. Good stuff.

Dan

[mstephenson51]

Hey Dale, lookin at your youtube video of the record lap, I would swear that yall are only getting up to 4th gear at hallett. Could I not just put in two first gears so Im using 2-5th? Would that make shifting easier?

Or am I totally off and you really need 5 gears?

Matt,
You will need the "Short Stack for Hallett. (17-34,19-32,21-29,23-28,24-27) A good place to start on the Carb jets would be 190 Fuel, 250 Air. If the weather is hot you might want to go up to as much as 200 on the fuel. You need to set this using the exhaust gas temp. Look for +/-1650 Deg. assuming the bungs are about 2 in. from the manifold plate. Don't forget to get some rake in the chassis or it will push.
We run about 8 Deg. wing, front and back at Hallett.
Dale McCallum

[dmccallum]

Matt,
I checked with Alan and he said it is true that he does not usually get into 5th. He said if you do, it is only for a second. So, It is just what you think is best. If it were me, I would just put in the short stack of all 5 and then just use 1-4. That would be the H pattern, which should be the easiest 4 gears to get on the shifter. Also, if the next track you run at needs the short stack, you would not need a gear change. It's up to you. Also, I would just Let Moses pour me a seat if you are going to a race were he is going to be. Just let him know ahead of time. His seats are great.
Dale

[mstephenson51]

THX! Yeah just installing the full stack sounds best. then its still ready for another track.

[Coochas]

I had Bruce Lawrence make my bead seat when I bought the car from him. It was fairly labor intensive to make. I would recommend having someone make it that has done them before. It fits me perfectly. I have zero movement in my seat under G's and my feet stay right over the pedals since my legs are pushed together by the design of the seat. It makes me feel very secure unlike any other traditional race seat I've driven with.

[mstephenson51]

Thx all for the help, I think im going to get a better one later, but for now I made myself a bead seat. I fit well, but its ugly as ****. LOL

Turns out I don't need all that much beading, im so "wide"/fat that I only need seat behind me! HAHAHA

Thanks again yall, hope to see you all at the tracks soon! Headed to Hallett this weekend if anyone is bored!

I had Bruce Lawrence make my bead seat when I bought the car from him. It was fairly labor intensive to make. I would recommend having someone make it that has done them before. It fits me perfectly. I have zero movement in my seat under G's and my feet stay right over the pedals since my legs are pushed together by the design of the seat. It makes me feel very secure unlike any other traditional race seat I've driven with.