Miata owners have long known that few aftermarket seats fit properly in their cars. We have been developing a seat based on numerous requests over the past year and would like to update you on the progress. This is not an FIA rated seat, so if you are building a race car this is not for you. It has been designed for those needing a seat suitable for daily driving as well as autocross and track events. This is not being made overseas in a country where people are paid $2-3 a day, or being mass produced since it is more of a niche market seat. What is does accomplish will be appreciated by those having the specific needs the seat addresses. The tunnel size and shape of the Miata causes people to have to make more compromises in an aftermarket seat than the majority of cars on the road. We're just trying to reduce the compromises you must settle for.

Some of the goals we have been aiming to achieve are:
1. Make a seat that can add significant headroom if and when needed.
2. Accomplish the above while still using sliders so the car can be driven in multiple seating positions.
3. Design it to be easy to get in and out of while still having excellent support.
4. Include openings for shoulder harnesses and sub belts.
5. Have it be wide enough in the hip area to fit a wider range of drivers than most seats that currently fit in the vehicle.
6. Create a good balance between being light weight and rigid enough for aggressive driving.
7. Since this would be a one piece seat, utilize side mounting holes so the driver can determine the desired seat angle.
8. Design shoulder supports which allow you to close the door without interference.

Below are some pictures of the prototype shell we developed and the results of a broomstick test in a 1994 with a Hard Dog Hard Core Double Diagonal bar. The sub belt opening had not yet been added. There was no foam or cover on the test fit seat but a simple cover pattern is shown. We will offer a cloth upholstery option as well as custom 2-tones, contrasting stitching colors, diamond pattern inserts, etc. The back and bottom cushions will all be removable so individuals with various lumbar or other issues can more easily make adjustments to the seat.

You can easily notice in the rear view of the shell above the drop built in between the sliders. We designed our sliders to be as far apart as we could have them in a Miata and still slide smoothly. This allowed us to develop the widest, most comfortable center drop down. We are aware that other seat companies offer seats with drops in the center but most would agree they are for thin drivers and the tall side bolsters make them difficult for daily driving. If you fit in them and need a dedicated track seat only, they're a viable option. Our seat is designed more as a dual purpose seat.

When the rear cushion is in place our seat will sit slightly lower than stock when using the lowest side mount setting. Using other settings will raise the height if preferred. Removing the rear cushion will provide the results in the broomstick test above. The shell was approximately 5/8" off the floor. Sliding a magic market between the seat and carpet was a tight fit. Bolting a seat directly to the floor will not gain much over this design.

This prototype was developed by making modifications to an existing shell (lowering the side bolsters, narrowing the shoulders and forming the center drop) so please forgive the crude look of the shell. The production piece will be cleaner. The shell itself weighed in at 10.8 lbs. and I would not expect the production shell to vary too much in weight. With foam and cover the projected weight is about 15 lbs. Test fits thus far have been in NA's. If an NB owner within driving distance of southeast CT would like to contact us to verify fitment in those as well, we'd love to hear from you.

The projected starting price for the seat itself will be between $599 - $699 each in cloth. There are three components to the installation hardware - (1) the mounting brackets to the floor, (2) sliders, and (3) side mounts between the sliders and the seat. The combination of all parts is expected to run about $249. We will add a location to our floor bracket to mount the factory seat belt buckle where needed.

Our seats are normally made to order in about 4 weeks after receiving deposits. Since we still need to have a mold made to produce the shells, it may be 6 weeks or so currently. If demand builds, we will try to produce black seats in advance with various insert colors for those wanting 2-tones . If you have seen and read enough to determine you would like to purchase one or more of this model, or would like to discuss options, please email us using the subject "Miata Seat". You can provide a phone number where you can be reached as well if desired. I am often on the road between the various factories that produce fiberglass parts, metal parts and upholstery in the US but will return calls if unavailable.

12/05/2011 UPDATE:
We have confirmed fitment in the NB and NC. The NC will require custom mounting brackets that have not been designed yet.

The mold to produce the shells should be completed by mid-December. We are adding a little more support in the hip area. We originally cut the side bolsters down before the center drop-down was developed.  With the new lower seating position we can add a slight uphill angle to the bolsters for better support (see mold picture below) and still have the seat be easy to enter and exit.

1/27/2012 UPDATE:
We finished the first mold for the new seat but noticed a small issue with it. You cannot tell from the mold photo but the side bolsters pitch inward slightly as they rise upward. The spacing across the top of the bolsters was about 5/8" narrower than at the bottom. My 38" waist found that noticeable so we are making another mold to remedy that. We would rather have the shell as wide as possible and allow people to use additional foam to make the seat tighter if needed. The new mold should be ready by early February and then shell production should begin.

The cover patterns (standard flat panel inserts, diamond inserts, etc.) should be completed within 4-6 weeks. We expect to be able to ship seats in March that we receive deposits for in February. More updates coming soon!

2/10/2012 UPDATE:
The new mold is ready. Work on the cover patterns will begin next week. Once the first covered seat is photographed we will begin taking deposits.