I have given up trying to find a drivers side Jag Recaro for my '03 XKR coupe. So, have any of you put some aftermarket seat in your XK8/R that can actually hold oneself in place while driving spiritedly? It doesn't have to be fancy, heated, etc, actually the more manual, the better as I am typically the only person that drives the car.

 

There is at least one forum member who did this and posted about it. Turned out pretty well.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-seats-71123/

 

Charlie, looks like something I might do, thanks for the link!

 

Here's my Recaro driver's seat installation that I just completed. It wasn't trivial but will be well worth the effort when I do a track day at Laguna next Monday. I'm getting a CG Lock to hold the lap part of the stock 3 point in place.

 

Neat.

Did you modify the original slider or replace it?

Graham

 

Decided to leave the original seat in useable condition so everything is still attached, 4 bolts, 2 connectors and it could be back in. But I doubt it will be anytime soon as the Recaro is so GOOD. One of the bolts would not come out, just spun so I had to drill it out and managed to save most of the threads, grrrrrr. Used a set of Recaro sliders, needed a bit od drilling, good thing I have access to a machine shop.

 

Looks like a nice seat and a good fit.

If you recovered it with a correctly colored leather it would be hard to tell it wasn't supposed to be there.

 

Jaguar tend to repeat design ideas across the model range and the XK8/XKR seat fixings are probably the same as the X308.

When I got my X308, the passenger seat runner rear fixing was ripped out through the floor:



I expected the tapping for the fixing bolt to be welded to the floor but it was a substantial spring clip which slid into a slot in the floor. In the above pic the damaged spring fixing is on the left and a replacement with seat bolt sourced from a breaker on the right.



With the replacement slid into position, the seat bolted in perfectly again and I had no more trouble with it.

Next time you have the seat out, it may be worth checking if a simple fix like this can work with the XKR.

Graham

 

If your aim is to take the car on the track, then you made the right choice not going for a Jaguar Recaro seat: they're hopeless and don't really offer much lateral support. Way less, for example, than the standard seats I had on my 2010 VW Golf GTI.

 

I looked at it rather carefully although the carpet is wellformed around the attachment point and may well hide such a spring clip. The seat will come out one more time and I'lltake a much close look and a couple pixs. If replaceable I will definitely do that, have even thought abouthelicoil repair as the thread is compromised.

It's at the left front side of the seat, not the back, so a little less critical. The bolts that I removed all had a steep spiral groove though the threads, some form of locking system I presume, but this one spun without any real extraction force, leading me to believe it spun at assembly time, don't think the seat had been out before.

 

The seat worked great but sadly I sold the XKR so I do have the Recaro available to a like minded soul who wants a seat that REALLY holds you in place! One note of caution, narrow hips/waist fit only.