ADR 3/03 seats

[Jaydee]

I've got this info from Regency Park, Adelaide, Site.
The headrest must be mounted on, or be integral with the seatbacks. They may be provided with adjustable mounting but the upper boundary of the impact surface shall not be lower than 700mm above the 'seating reference point'
The width of each head restraint shall not be less than 170mm for use with individual seats.
The head restraint shall not measure less than 115mm between upper and lower boundaries.
JD

[sambo]

Originally Posted by justcobra

Perusing the ebay motor section there is a Superperformance Ac Cobra with traditional seats and the question before this community is how this car got registered.
The date of manufacture is 01/2007 and the registration number is VHL94L and the Cobra has a RRP of $124990.
In my book this cobra should had failed the registration/ADR requirement.
The ADR3-03 came into effect 2006 -23/01/2007 and pounds to peanuts all Superpermance Cobras have the traditional seats.
This Federal Law seems to be farcical just like the importation of so called modified cars into the country.

You'll probably find that this car is being offered for sale with ACT registration and roadworthy certificate. The engineering papers won't be a factor in transferring it to another party in that state/territory, just like any other fully registered vehicle.

There's also a photo in that listing showing holes in the top of the seats for head restraints to be inserted. Who knows, those seats may have been supplied by one of the local kit manufacturers and therefore meet our requirements.

Also, ADR 3/03 was not enforced until June last year. Although it was announced 3 years earlier there is always a grace period.

[Modena]

current incantation Superformance seats have removable headrests, presumably to satisfy height requirements.

[400TT]

JustCobra, that SPF would have been compliant.

One very important thing to remember is that when you are registering ICV's you are not complying with federal regulations, you are complying with the specific requirements in your state for registration. Your state transport authority will ask for a number of ADR's to be met, but could also have extra requirements above and beyond the ADR's. And these requirements vary from state to state.

So as Sambo mentioned that ACT registered SPF Cobra would have been fully compliant with ICV registration requirements that would have been current at the time it was registered. In the meantime it would have had the headrests removed, but just be careful that I know of quite a few cars that have changes like that performed purely for photos or for car shows as the car presents better in the owners opinion. They are never driven like that due to safety concerns with the changes.

[Modena]

2009 Suzuki Alto

More details and many more pics on my blog http://cobrablog.holnet.net

[400TT]

Nice seats Ben. Good find.

[Jaydee]

eBay My World - djsportscardax
Does anyone know if mx 5 seats wil fit.2000 model. They measure up right.
JD

[Modena]

JD quite a few people have used/are using those early MX5 seats due to their narrow width. They however do not meet the current ADR specifications, so it would be wise to speak to your engineer about your state requirements for registration.

[justcobra]

I like the Suzuki Alto seats and I am puzzled why the early MX5 seats donot meet our ADR3-03 Seat Rule and once again you have to consult your Mechanical Engineer who for all argumental reasons seem to be God in this topic.
The Rule is should be clear and simple without any double dutch interpretation.

[Jaydee]

Because of the hungry wheel arch is the main reason most of these seats don't fit. Does the tyre really go to this far corner? Couldn't you cut the shell and recess the tilt mechanism into the corner. And reshape it?
Are those seats sitting squarely? I find that on the driver seat where the front left side is, it touches the tunnel and pushes the front of the seat accross to the right. So the front of the seat has to be narrow as well. The max on the rear on the CR is 470mm. What are those seats? Is it possible to get rid of the recliner mech and simple rest the back against the rear wa0ll?
JD

[Merv and Sharon]

Those seat backs seem really thick and you would be so close to the steering wheel. Re-trimming with thinner padding may help also.

[Modena]

JD I dont know aobut cutting and re-shaping the body, my rear suspension is not together yet. The seats are close enough to square, the front left does touch the tunnel but you wouldnt want to move it any further to the left anyway, its already just slightly off from the middle of the steering wheel. My seats are from a Suzuki Alto. Removing the recliner mechanism (or any other structural modification) would void the ADR compliance

[justcobra]

No body in this forum has indicated to me when the Kenmer Seat will go into actual production and given me a indicative cost for the bucket seat.
We need competition in the market place for ADR 3-03 complied seats to suit the Ac cobra as currently on what is available in Australia is limited to a few who market the bare frame to a complete seat with headrests that matches the traditional look.
Pricing for the bare seat frame and a complete seat from one well known supplier of Cobra bits is in the STRATOSPHERE
I have sent a email to Mr Craig White and asked when his version of the traditional seat will be actually produced.
Craig has responded as his company is planning to enter the Cobra market and produce the Seat .

[Merv and Sharon]

Mine were based on the (then) Harrison fibreglass frames and I had them trimmed quite thinly at the rear. With the cost of trimming, they were not cheap, but I was only going to do this once.

In this early photo (pre door re-trimming and professional carpeting) you can see that they can go back even further. I do have the extended body, however. The head restraints can be positioned quite high, but I suspect that they have to be fixed now?

[400TT]

Originally Posted by justcobra

I have sent a email to Mr Craig White and asked when his version of the traditional seat will be actually produced.
Craig has responded as his company is planning to enter the Cobra market and produce the Seat .

We only have 2 x ADR 3/03 tested seats at the moment.

One composite construction sports/race style seat with side bolsters. We use this in our coupe type kits like GT40 etc. They will not fit most Cobra replicas due to the side bolster width.

We also have a tested traditional Cobra seat with steel frame, trampoline sprung base and removable headrest. It comes fully trimmed. These are sold out and we won't have supply for another 6 months.

As mentioned to JustCobra, we haven't had a chance to work on anything else. We would like to add a bare Cobra style seat frame to our range that can be custom trimmed.

I've also been watching closely for any production style seats that may be suitable as these can be very cost effective to fit and use. Production style seats are very comfortable due to their sprung base and usually ergonomic backrest and base. We have designed our new Cobra chassis to suit production seat use.

[justcobra]

[quote=WKB;1173080]Although it is in the UK, you want something like this, DAX make a removal headrest for their seats

Dax AC Cobra 427 IVA Compliant Headrests | eBay

Dax AC Cobra 427 Fibreglass Seat Shell | eBay

Warren[/QUOTE
Simon Johns (Dax) seats IVA compliant seats with headrests are ABSOLUTELY UGLY and likened to surfboards!

[byroncobra]

IMHO they look like they should be in a skiboat not Cobra

[justcobra]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

It is such a pity that you can't use seats like these (is that the case?), that actually look like they belong in a Cobra and not ones that only look right in a track day car.

I spoken to Tony just recently and his version of the Traditional Seats with headrests are not ADR3 -03 complied.
He was to come back to me with some form of answer as to the certification and to date nothing has occurred.
He had my mobile phone number.
I love the style of his seat but not the exhorbiant price charged and I like him to justify the cost!
The frame that he manufactures surely doesnot cost in the high hundreds
I hope that he had heard of this economic term-economy of Scale.
As previously outlined that one local Cobra supplier is charging $x for a seat frame and I would like him to justify the cost!
I my book there isnt' that $x cost in the one inch steel used in building the seat frame.

[Merv and Sharon]

I know what you mean. When I bought my frames I received a fibreglass moulding with heavy steel inserts on the base for floor attachment and back stiffness and head restraint fitting. The seat bolster was fairly a rough kind of wooden and metal frame, but well sprung. For the actual materials, the cost seemed very high, but I guess there were costs associated with achieving compliance at that time. I did not see any second hand seats from small Japanese cars that I liked, and decided to bite the bullet and get the manufacturer's ones.

[Zedn]

Merv,

I believe you are correct with the cost of compliance. Justcobra, you need to remember that the cost is not just the materials. There is the time that goes in to designing the seat, making jigs, and the large cost of compliance. Combine all that with a low volume expected to be sold and the price per unit has to be high.

There is no accuracy to these numbers, but lets say as an example.
$10,000 for compliance testing
$5,000 for the time to design the seats, build the jigs and manage the testing process.
$15,000 for R&D

Per unit
$100 materials
$200 labour - 4hrs x $50 per hour
$300 total

Total cost per seat if 100 are sold
$450
Thats without any profit.

Plus the cost of rent, electricity, insurances, business admin, accounting, consumables, equipment etc, etc.

Dont get me wrong, we certainly pay a fortune for a lot of things here in Australia, but we need to respect that these companies need to stay in business.