aftermarket seats for motorsports

B8 S4
#196

I mounted a GoPro Hero4 Silver to the rollbar. Surprisingly, the video doesn’t shake and stutter even though I have a stiff suspension. I credit the B8 chassis for smoothness.

I later drilled the GoPro case on the side so I could plug the mini USB from the center console box. It runs out of battery in a couple of sessions. I also ran the wire for the magnetic trunk top GPS around the seat cushion, since it’s a 7’ wire. That connects into a Racelogic Vbox sport. Then I have a bluetooth OBDII reader. All of this crap is supposed to work with Harry’s Lap Timer but it requires about 10 minutes of fiddling each session. I think I’m going to mount the iPhone with a suction cup to the MMI screen. I don’t want anything up on the wind screen. I also bought an arm to move the GoPro a little farther forward in the cabin.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2ah5y7a.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/20p1snq.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/97tjmc.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/339jev9.jpg

#197

I’ve been thinking of getting a VBOX Pro Sport for a while now. That should work with the phone via bluetooth correct?

But you need to set it up for each session?

#198

Sort of. I haven’t quite gotten it perfect yet. I also need to source a Windows machine, I think, to analyze all of the data it collected. I may try CMS lap timer next time.

I haven’t figured out the overlay part of an external GoPro recording and the engine/location data on top. If I can slice these into iMovie I’ll put out another video.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/20/9d0ae0f09716b7aee1c0990e9e9c818f.jpg

#199

http://racerender.com/Products/index.html Don’t bother with iMovie

I use Trackaddict, got tired of Harry’s, maybe it’s improved, I don’t know.

Use the gopro for video, the iPhone app for data.

I haven’t used the OBDII dongle for data or an external GPS, but using Racerender makes adding and synchronizing that data easy. My NSX isn’t OBDII, but I use the PLX dongle for the Audi through trackaddict all the time. Making overlay videos takes minutes once you synchronize.

I mount the iPhone where I can glance to see if I’m over/under on that lap - makes real-time learning easier. Also makes overlaying/synchronizing your data easy if you can see the lap times on the iPhone in the Gopro video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKrWJRFcmf4

#200

I’ve used Harry’s and to me it’s the simplest setup for capturing lap times and your driving line. Processing it is extremely easy, and the overlays are good. Battery gets killed though, so I need to recharge the phone in between sessions with a battery pack. Android with external SD storage FTW in this case.

Gopro is better if you want to watch yourself to see inputs, but that thing dies all the time and I always end up with 2 hours of parking footage lol Even hard wiring it into the cars cig lighters doesn’t seem to do shit, always dead. I have adobe premiere for fusing video, and it SUCKS to use haha

I’ve tried dropping some cash on a external GPS to sync with harry’s, but it sucked. Something didn’t work right and it wasn’t worth the hassle trying to figure it out http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E65TNYE/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B006M49G80&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1TJQMFWNJWA43RSYW3NF. Just returned it to amazon.

If I keep doing this I’ll probably drop cash on an AIM solo setup. Vbox is also an option I suppose. I’m like west in that I don’t want to be hassling with electronics as I’m getting ready to go out. Want to check tire pressures, oil temp, torque bolts, find instructor, get helmet on and gloves, mentally prepare for run. Trying to figure out why the goddamn gps won’t connect to the phone is not what I want to be solving in the cold pits.

#201

Yeah I tried one of those battery powered external GPS a few years ago - the sample rate is junk and they also lose power. I should be clear that what I have is a hard wired external antenna for the Racelogic device, which is about as accurate as you’re going to get in a civilian owned vehicle. It doesn’t work near buildings but it’s great at an open track. I basically wanted the Racelogic stowed away with a power wire instead of suctioned to the windshield.

antenna
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GCBA2EK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

vbox
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GC3BMDS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

BT OBDII
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061XSX0O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

#202

Just a sample of Racerender from last night. It’s pretty neat once linked with an OBD adapter - GoPro video (sorry night video is crap) and all the data from the phone through the wireless PLX kiwi.

Next time I’ll put the iPhone camera too and put picture-in-picture. Its really easy with Racerender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhXoEiUdzGs

#203

Great tip on Racerender. Seems like OS X package installer has a bug where you need to install it twice. The problem I had last time was I only got one session of good laps recorded on Harry’s, and that session had no video. I’ll have this all worked out for next time. So I was able to export my lap data but it doesn’t match to any of the movies.

http://racerender.com/RR3/Download.html

#204

Trolling the car wash today.

http://i66.tinypic.com/hv4ehw.jpg

#205

That has turned out nice looking. It is a nice compermise. You have really made the car a good safe track car without killing the car.

#206

Target acquired. Saved $800 picking up a lightly used passenger seat over purchasing it at retail with sales tax. westwest persistence and thrift.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/06/2545356a35a28149575b2fc6b215742c.jpg

#207

Agreed, cage looks good.

West, is that a welded on cage or bolted on? I can’t remember if you posted that before or not.

#208

Welded.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/06/67ff2f59b246c2d82512d0a957d15865.jpg

#209

Dry fit. Mounting next week. I just have a bare seat. I need the floor adapter, the black painted steel Recaro side rails, and a 6 point Schroth harness. The crotch belts mount into the floor adapter, with a little bit of drilling. The occupancy sensor gel pad for the passenger side will go through that crotch belt hole in the bottom of the seat and fit right under the padding, so the passenger airbag will be fully functional.

For driving on the street, the normal 3 point belt fits right through the loops on the side and rests on your lap tight as it should. At the track, the street belt receptacle slides out of the loop and the shoulder belt unhinges from the floor adapter, so you can unloop it from being inside the seat. I run that behind the Recaro and buckle it so the seatbelt chimes don’t blink/beep when I’m on the track. Should work just the same on the passenger side.

http://i66.tinypic.com/2evrxae.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/qqtpg0.jpg

#210

I sold the OEM front seats for $1200 today. I kept lowering the price until someone bid. At $1400 there was a lot of interest, and at $1000-$1200 there were real buyers who would go through the hassle of traveling to get them. I was not willing to ship because they’re 70 pounds each and a hassle to lug around.

#211

That seems pretty good (on your end) for a set of 5 year old seats.

#212

Some folks wanted the back seats and the door cards and the center console leather. I told them I’m not selling a full interior for a grand or for any price at this point.

#213

Passenger seat is going in today. Nothing is ever easy. When they bolted it up it was hitting the door, so the whole floor adapter assembly has to be taken apart and custom fabricated. It’s bizarre that it’s fine on the driver’s side and lines up to the steering column perfectly, but the passenger side is a no-go. I actually thought the OE seat was a little bit to the right of the steering wheel, or maybe that’s just how I sat in that big seat.

The guy I sold the old seats to is putting them in his Jetta and pulled an eBay flip out on me because it didn’t drop into his car perfectly. We went from him threatening to reverse the paypal transaction to me having to settle with him for like $50 on some stupid clip he needed. Unbelievable.

#214

Well that was expensive at 2 days of shop labor, but it’s done. Here’s a pic of the passenger seat sensor lodged under the Recaro seat pad. When someone is sitting in the seat, the passenger side airbags are “active” and a seatbelt must be clicked or the chime will sound.

http://i66.tinypic.com/4iycet.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/35jyr0w.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/108d4lf.jpg

#215

I love your seats!