SR-20 Project
09-15-2008, 02:43 AM
So this mod and question has been asked a lot and I recently installed my spec v seats on my 200sx so I decided to do an official write up on the process. I used cell phone pics so bear with the quality but I can help anyone with questions on the process.
Roblop04's thread describes the basic process but I tried to concentrate more on the bolt that was left unbolted (see pic), because according to my research no one had officially addressed this 3rd unbolted hole it was kinda just left like that.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/DSC00104.jpg
http://www.sr20forum.com/200sx-se-r/216526-spec-v-seats-my-200sx.html
THANKS roblop04
Ok these are the basic materials I used:
Torch
Grinder
Vice Grips
Welding/Solder Wire
Welding/Solder paste
Copper Wire
Sand Paper
Spray Paint
(I bought the “BernzOmatic Plumber's Torch Kit” at Lowes for like 25 bucks)
After removing the stock seats I bended the front holes as like in roblop04’s thread (see link). This is prity straight forward and I dint even have to use the torch for this so do what you have to to get the front holes bent to an approximate 90 degree angle.
Next I went on to working with the back hole that does not line up directly. As you can see in the pic and note when you first line up you seats there is an approximate 1.5 gap between the spec v seat hole and the chassis hole in the car so because of that gap the seat moves a little when a strong enough force is applied to it. What I did was the following:
1. First I used the grinder to cut out the hole from the stock bracket. When cutting keep in mind that this part will be welded on to the spec v seat bracket so try to keep it as clean and flat as possible or you can always grind down after to make the welding areas nice and flat for a better weld.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img004.jpg
2. Next I went on to cut out the spec v hole that we don’t need because it doesn’t bolt on and gets in the way. Again try to grind down and make the surface on the spec v bracket as smooth and flat as possible to make welding easier
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img003.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img001.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img002.jpg
3. Ok next is time to measure and set the area where the hole from the stock bracket will be welded on to the spec v bracket. I would say this part is the part where you need to pay the most attention because if you weld on the hole to a part of the spec v bracket that does not line up with the chassis hole, then you’re basically screwed. I dint take pics of this process (I know my bad) since there might be better ideas on how to do it but ill explain what I did. So I took the spec v seats and bolted it down on my b14 with the 3 holes that line up. Then I lined up the cut hole of the stock bracket (the loose cut out piece) with the chassis hole in the car and marked the area on the spec v bracket where the weld should be made. Maybe measuring the distances of the chassis holes and using that same distance and marking it on the spec v brackets can be an alternative way of doing this but this is what I did and it worked fine for me. Once again just make sure that your markings and measurements are precise because once the hole is welded and if it doesn’t line up there’s basically no turning back.
4. Aight now I had my markings and was ready to weld. First start of by sanding down the paint on the areas that are going to be in contact on the spec v bracket and the lose cut out hole from the stock bracket. This helps to make the welding wire stick stronger to both areas.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img007.jpg
5. Next line up the lose cut out hole from the stock bracket where it should be according to your markings on the spec v bracket. Once it’s in place apply the soldering paste in between and use the vice grips to set and hold it in place and wrap the copper wire around the welding area like in the pic. The purpose of the copper wire is to strengthen the welding bond of the two areas since it melts faster than the metal material of the brackets and the welding wire bonds faster with the melted copper than to the heated bracket metal. After apply more paste to the areas around.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img014.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img015.jpg
6. Once the vice grips and the copper wire are in place start heating the metals with the torch for about 3-5 minutes and then dip the welding wire in the paste and apply it to the area making sure it drips trough the middle and going all the way around the area to ensure a strong bond. Like in the pics you should see the metallic bright color of the melted welding wire and this should tell you that the bond is working right. If you don’t see or see very little of this metallic bright it is because the metals are not bonding and adding more copper wire can be a solution to this. Also be careful not to burn your seats during this process I used a wet rag to protect the seats.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img016.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img010.jpg
7. Once you think you got that sucka on good spray it down with water and remove the excess copper wire. Let it cool down for a bit and then check for sturdiness but if you see the bright metallic it should mean that the welding bonded right and there should be no problem.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img017.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img013.jpg
8. Next I grinded down the welded areas to create a smooth surface and added paint just to make it right. You know you already went far enough you might as well do everything right
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img019.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img021.jpg
9. Ok moment of truth is up, you are good to bolt on not 3 but all 4 holes down to your car. If you go line up the holes and they don’t exactly line up to the holes on the car don’t freak out just put in the bolts enough so they grab but the seat is still lose and play around with the alignment it should be all good unless you were way off in your measurements. It helps if you have a buddy push the seat around while you tighten the bolts and also if you tighten all at the same time instead of fully tightening one by one.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img024.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img023.jpg
**pics of the final results will be updated shortly during day time. (or maybe i should wait untill i post a members ride thread on my car :D )
installed pic update
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img027.jpg
Once again thanks to roblop04 for his original post and if anyone has gone about doing this another way or have anything they feel that would work better feel free to suggest anything. Hope I hooked anyone one up that wasn’t sure on how to go about this process and good luck.
Roblop04's thread describes the basic process but I tried to concentrate more on the bolt that was left unbolted (see pic), because according to my research no one had officially addressed this 3rd unbolted hole it was kinda just left like that.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/DSC00104.jpg
http://www.sr20forum.com/200sx-se-r/216526-spec-v-seats-my-200sx.html
THANKS roblop04
Ok these are the basic materials I used:
Torch
Grinder
Vice Grips
Welding/Solder Wire
Welding/Solder paste
Copper Wire
Sand Paper
Spray Paint
(I bought the “BernzOmatic Plumber's Torch Kit” at Lowes for like 25 bucks)
After removing the stock seats I bended the front holes as like in roblop04’s thread (see link). This is prity straight forward and I dint even have to use the torch for this so do what you have to to get the front holes bent to an approximate 90 degree angle.
Next I went on to working with the back hole that does not line up directly. As you can see in the pic and note when you first line up you seats there is an approximate 1.5 gap between the spec v seat hole and the chassis hole in the car so because of that gap the seat moves a little when a strong enough force is applied to it. What I did was the following:
1. First I used the grinder to cut out the hole from the stock bracket. When cutting keep in mind that this part will be welded on to the spec v seat bracket so try to keep it as clean and flat as possible or you can always grind down after to make the welding areas nice and flat for a better weld.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img004.jpg
2. Next I went on to cut out the spec v hole that we don’t need because it doesn’t bolt on and gets in the way. Again try to grind down and make the surface on the spec v bracket as smooth and flat as possible to make welding easier
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img003.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img001.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img002.jpg
3. Ok next is time to measure and set the area where the hole from the stock bracket will be welded on to the spec v bracket. I would say this part is the part where you need to pay the most attention because if you weld on the hole to a part of the spec v bracket that does not line up with the chassis hole, then you’re basically screwed. I dint take pics of this process (I know my bad) since there might be better ideas on how to do it but ill explain what I did. So I took the spec v seats and bolted it down on my b14 with the 3 holes that line up. Then I lined up the cut hole of the stock bracket (the loose cut out piece) with the chassis hole in the car and marked the area on the spec v bracket where the weld should be made. Maybe measuring the distances of the chassis holes and using that same distance and marking it on the spec v brackets can be an alternative way of doing this but this is what I did and it worked fine for me. Once again just make sure that your markings and measurements are precise because once the hole is welded and if it doesn’t line up there’s basically no turning back.
4. Aight now I had my markings and was ready to weld. First start of by sanding down the paint on the areas that are going to be in contact on the spec v bracket and the lose cut out hole from the stock bracket. This helps to make the welding wire stick stronger to both areas.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img007.jpg
5. Next line up the lose cut out hole from the stock bracket where it should be according to your markings on the spec v bracket. Once it’s in place apply the soldering paste in between and use the vice grips to set and hold it in place and wrap the copper wire around the welding area like in the pic. The purpose of the copper wire is to strengthen the welding bond of the two areas since it melts faster than the metal material of the brackets and the welding wire bonds faster with the melted copper than to the heated bracket metal. After apply more paste to the areas around.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img014.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img015.jpg
6. Once the vice grips and the copper wire are in place start heating the metals with the torch for about 3-5 minutes and then dip the welding wire in the paste and apply it to the area making sure it drips trough the middle and going all the way around the area to ensure a strong bond. Like in the pics you should see the metallic bright color of the melted welding wire and this should tell you that the bond is working right. If you don’t see or see very little of this metallic bright it is because the metals are not bonding and adding more copper wire can be a solution to this. Also be careful not to burn your seats during this process I used a wet rag to protect the seats.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img016.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img010.jpg
7. Once you think you got that sucka on good spray it down with water and remove the excess copper wire. Let it cool down for a bit and then check for sturdiness but if you see the bright metallic it should mean that the welding bonded right and there should be no problem.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img017.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img013.jpg
8. Next I grinded down the welded areas to create a smooth surface and added paint just to make it right. You know you already went far enough you might as well do everything right
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img019.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img021.jpg
9. Ok moment of truth is up, you are good to bolt on not 3 but all 4 holes down to your car. If you go line up the holes and they don’t exactly line up to the holes on the car don’t freak out just put in the bolts enough so they grab but the seat is still lose and play around with the alignment it should be all good unless you were way off in your measurements. It helps if you have a buddy push the seat around while you tighten the bolts and also if you tighten all at the same time instead of fully tightening one by one.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img024.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img023.jpg
**pics of the final results will be updated shortly during day time. (or maybe i should wait untill i post a members ride thread on my car :D )
installed pic update
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d155/geoman11/img027.jpg
Once again thanks to roblop04 for his original post and if anyone has gone about doing this another way or have anything they feel that would work better feel free to suggest anything. Hope I hooked anyone one up that wasn’t sure on how to go about this process and good luck.