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Team Huxford Technical Workshop

"Anything can happen in Formula one and it usually does." - Murray Walker.

How to make a racing seat.

Once you have made a simulator to go racing with you can add to it by making a custom foam seat and safety belts to hold you in your prefered driving position. I haven't actually tried this one yet but a friend sent me the method for it from an article in one of his racing books. The basic idea is to have a seat that conforms exactly to your body. You are after all going to be spending long periods of time in a certain position so just like in real racing you want to be comfortable.

Here's what you'll need:

Two part foam from a plastics house or boating shop

(Ask for two pounds per cubic foot density)

Unwaxed paper mixing cups

A Drill and mixing paddle

A box of large size heavy duty garbage bags

Some duct tape

Someone to pour the mixture while the driver sits

Before you begin, use the duct tape to stick sections of garbage bags around the cockpit area of the chassis. This will prevent any spillage from affecting the chassis and make clean up easy. When you are satisfied the cockpit is protected, prepare the two part foam in separate mixing cups. The principle is the same as Epoxy glue. Both proportions having to be exact to ensure the final compound will work properly. When you are ready, bring the two parts together then use the paddle stirer and drill to make sure the epoxy foam is mixed together well.

Wearing clothes you usually compete in - your driving suit if this is for a real race car - take up station in the car with an untaped garbage bag resting underneath you. Have someone outside the car pour the two part foam mixture into the bag making sure it reaches all corners. The driver must support himself with forearms outside the tub while the foam starts to harden, before finally relaxing and allowing the firming foam to support his weight.
This is the critical point of the whole exercise. Taking the driving position too soon will result in the drivers mass spreading the foam out with nothing left underneath him.
Too late and the foam will be too hard to mold. Mixing a small batch of the two epoxies and timing with a stop watch - testing firmness at regular intervals - sounds good.

It may take some time for the foam to harden totally. It's vital though that the driver maintains his driving position at this time for perfect results. Just relax and listen to some tunes: )
After about an hour you may exit the cockpit and carefully remove the seat as well. It should look like the Michele Alboreto picture on the left. Note that Formula One teams make the seat in two parts (top and bottom) using separate bags, although this is not always necessary. Later on you can peel away the garbage bags and finish up the edges with a file and sandpaper - it should be quite hard like plastic by then.

When the seat's edges have been tidied up you may like to cover it with fabric or what have you or just paint it and leave it like that. If your seat is intended for real racing then the fabric must be a fireproof one like Nomex.

How to make a safety harness..

.. not for real racing you idiots! (:)\< lol!

Coming soon.

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	Before you begin, use the duct tape to stick sections of garbage bags around the cockpit area of the chassis. This will prevent any spillage from affecting the chassis and make clean up easy. When you are satisfied the cockpit is protected, prepare the two part foam in separate mixing cups. The principle is the same as Epoxy glue. Both proportions having to be exact to ensure the final compound will work properly. When you are ready, bring the two parts together then use the paddle stirer and drill to make sure the epoxy foam is mixed together well.
Wearing clothes you usually compete in - your driving suit if this is for a real race car - take up station in the car with an untaped garbage bag resting underneath you. Have someone outside the car pour the two part foam mixture into the bag making sure it reaches all corners. The driver must support himself with forearms outside the tub while the foam starts to harden, before finally relaxing and allowing the firming foam to support his weight. This is the critical point of the whole exercise. Taking the driving position too soon will result in the drivers mass spreading the foam out with nothing left underneath him. Too late and the foam will be too hard to mold. Mixing a small batch of the two epoxies and timing with a stop watch - testing firmness at regular intervals - sounds good.
	*It may take some time for the foam to harden totally. It's vital though that the driver maintains his driving position at this time for perfect results. Just relax and listen to some tunes: )* After about an hour you may exit the cockpit and carefully remove the seat as well. It should look like the Michele Alboreto picture on the left. Note that Formula One teams make the seat in two parts (top and bottom) using separate bags, although this is not always necessary. Later on you can peel away the garbage bags and finish up the edges with a file and sandpaper - it should be quite hard like plastic by then.
When the seat's edges have been tidied up you may like to cover it with fabric or what have you or just paint it and leave it like that. If your seat is intended for real racing then the fabric must be a fireproof one like Nomex.