Sube or Kirkey ?

[rikyracer]

I am looking for opinions on seat choices. I have narrowed it down to the Sube Classic or the Kirkey both being the low back version. I have sat in a Kirkey and like the feel of them. The wife is afraid that there is not enough padding to be comfortable on longer trips. I realize that I could add more padding if need be. Another consideration is the fact that we are not teenagers anymore so exiting the car from a Kirkey might be a bit difficult. I have not sat in a Sube but I do like the looks and they do look quite comfy. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

[CraigS]

Yep the Kilkey really hugs you on the sides. If you don't have a top it is easier. You just stand on the seat and slide down. A little harder getting out but doable. The huge advantage of the aluminum seat is that the cover is attached w/ snaps so it is very easy to adjust the foam to your liking. I had a similar seat in an Ultrashield but I had a top. So I modified the outer bottom side by cutting it down some and welding on a flat 2" wide piece. Made it easier to get in and out of.
Ultrashield.jpg
The longest I had driven was 3 hours but if I were building another FFR I would use the same seat.

[David Williamson]

we have the high back Kirky seats in the Coupe and I added a gel seat cushion, without it you really feel the aluminum frame after a few hours. We stop every 2 to 3 hours. The seats are comfortable but you can't move much once you are in them.
David W

[rich grsc]

we have the high back Kirky seats in the Coupe and I added a gel seat cushion, without it you really feel the aluminum frame after a few hours. We stop every 2 to 3 hours. The seats are comfortable but you can't move much once you are in them.
David W

As they should be.

[JohnK]

If you're considering the Kirkey's be aware that they require a support bracket at the top, effectively making it so that the seat position cannot be adjustable. If you're looking for that style of seat, consider the Ultrashield Cobra bucket. It's a similar style but a stiffer seat so no upper support is needed. I had mine reupholstered and custom padding added (+ seat heater) so it's all-day comfortable. Details in my build thread here.

[pelzerd]

I went to your build thread, very nice! How did you mount the Ultrashield seats?

[JohnK]

Thank you. I mounted them using the Breeze angled seat bases. The flat base of the Ultrashield seats is just barely wide enough to accommodate the seat mounting hole pattern on the Breeze bases. I also added a strip of 1/8" steel bar stock to reinforce the sub strap attachment.

[ydousurf]

rikyracer, I was looking at both those seat options and then some other builders have chosen the path of Intatrim out of the U.K.. Now, these seats are not cheap by any means, but you can customize them to your preference. What gave me a look was to have a seat that is a little more accessible for a bigger person and not so confined for longer trips. Anyway, they have many options and take a look at the (Stoneliegh) model specifically. Just giving you another option to consider…

Doug

[StangRacer]

John, you can get adjustable seat brackets for aluminum racing seats such as the one in the link:

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...sp?RecID=33516

I used this exact one in my road race Mustang and it worked well.

[Blitzboy54]

My issue was the Kirkey are really tight on the hips. I found the Sube to be more of a seat I could get in and out of. This really depends on what you want. A race seat is going to lock you in. If you are going to drive the car that way or prefer the safety it provides than that's your seat. I went with a sport seat. A lot of the same protection and function but not as much and allows you more movement and easier to get in and out of. I went with the Monaco Cobra seats.


*Edit* after a closer look at this thread I realized you were talking about the low back. My experience is entirely high back.