Learn me race seats

Brown dropped a pair of these off at my door today for my E46 M3:

My first race seats - Sparco Evo 2 Plus. I'm slightly concerned about 2 things - the FIA tag has the Sparco name on a separate sticker and isn't marked with a date at all, and the seats seem somewhat flimsy sitting in them just on the floor, unmounted. They weren't purchased from an authorized dealer (the dealer told me they bought a lot of 100 of them which is why they could sell them so cheaply) and I believe they are an older version of the seat and were redesigned this past year, since the picture on Sparco's web site is different. This is the FIA tag:

They're going into this

Should I be concerned?

I can check out my Sparco Circuit pros I just bought when I get back into town to compare stickers. One thing that is striking is that the FIA certification is old balls (1999 cert) and I am also curious as to why it doesn't seem like the build date is marked on it. It also does not match the current picture Sparco USA has on its website for that seat.

Now, it's quite obvious you aren't doing wheel to wheel, so it isn't that big of a deal, especially if they were cheap...

In reply to HiTempguy:

I don't think they're that old - FIA 8855-1999 is the current FIA standard for seats. They may still be old stock, given that the stickers run '05-'10. I paid $400 each plus shipping. I'm guessing they are last year's seats - the picture matches what's on Bimmerworld's web page for instance.

pigeon wrote: I don't think they're that old - FIA 8855-1999 is the current FIA standard for seats. They may still be old stock, given that the stickers run '05-'10. I paid $400 each plus shipping. I'm guessing they are last year's seats - the picture matches what's on Bimmerworld's web page for instance.

Current standard is FIA 8855-2009. Also, as I was saying, most sanctioning bodies that require FIA seats usually base how long you can use them from the build date. That tends to mean when the seats were built is either scratched/cut out on the month/year or circled AFAIK. I'm not saying the SEATS themselves are old, just that they are to the older standard. I'm surprised you find the seats flimsy (never had that problem in 5 years of rallying in FIA seats!), then again, the FIA mounting would stiffen it up substantially (especially if you are a bigger guy flexing the chair while it is sitting on the floor).

Good call on them being last years seats though. Where did you get them from? $400 a pop is a freikin' STEAL!

In reply to HiTempguy:

Yep, one of my big concerns is that the build date isn't marked on the FIA certification sticker, that and the Sparco logo label is affixed over the FIA sticker (though the sticker correctly reads EVO PLUS). Per the FIA's list of homologated seats this model was homologated in 2006 so they can't be that old. I just wish they were marked with a mfg date.

I found them from a distributor that was advertising on the corvette forums of all places - I was just googling around and found their for sale thread and called to see if they had any more, and got lucky. The place is Breathless Performance out of Ft. Lauderdale.

I can't find that FIA standard - there's FIA 8855-1999 (updated 14.02.2003) for Competition Seats and FIA 8862-2009 for Advanced Racing Seats (updated 04.11.2010) - nothing on the FIA's web site indicates that the Advanced Racing Seats standard superseded the Competition Seats standard.

I think it is weird that the build date isn't marked on the sticker.

On the other hand, the fact that the Sparco sticker is on top of the FIA sticker is normal. At least it is the case on my Sparco PRO-ADV:

On the third hand mine has a fancy shiny pattern around the Sparco logo that yours is lacking, but maybe they just added that after the manufacture date of your seat and before the manufacture date of mine... I would call Sparco directly if I were you, they probably have people that specialize in telling apart fakes.

(I happen to have a pic online already since the seat is for sale - if anyone is interested PM me...)

Sparco has changed the seat and the new version is much more torsionally stiff.

I have something that will help you mount those in your car, I'll drop you an email...

I think that the date tag is stamped by the dealer when the seat is sold. Harnesses are done the same way. It never made sense to me. Seems more like marketing than safety.

Where'd you find a deal on those?

Teggsan wrote: Where'd you find a deal on those?

Go back 5 posts - but they told me I bought the last pair they had.

In reply to Teggsan:

From Pigeon:

I found them from a distributor that was advertising on the corvette forums of all places - I was just googling around and found their for sale thread and called to see if they had any more, and got lucky. The place is Breathless Performance out of Ft. Lauderdale.

Update - I talked to Sparco USA and sent them these pics, and they confirmed immediately that they are genuine Sparco seats They have no idea how they escaped Italy without the date being punched; I'm still trying to figure out what time window they could have been made in.

And, after further consideration, Sparco has confirmed that these are COUNTERFEIT seats. Damnit! We'll see how the seller handles this - they're on my credit card so if all else fails there will be a dispute on the charges.

Did they say what made them think that they are counterfeit?

No signed inspection sticker under the seat, wrong type of sub strap hole bushing, inspection tag not punched, wrong style of Sparco name sticker on the FIA tag. Probably a genuine Sparco cover on a knock off seat.

Doh! I remember seeing those advertised on the corvette site. I decided to wait till I had the cash to buy a set of the updated ones instead...

I'll send pics of my mounting bracket tonight, had family stuff to take care of last night.

PM sent... bought one as well from Breathless Performance. I'm wondering if these are "grey market" Sparcos, or just complete fakes? I know the Sparco and Sparco USA seats are a little different from what I've read...