Retrofitting recaro seats **HERE WE GO AGAIN**

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Nooni_nooni

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2018
Messages
37
Hello! I’m trying to fit Puma recaro seats in my 99 Puma. Having looked around on the internet it seems the subframe for 99s onwards is different so what do I need in order to fit these recaros into my Puma? The left hand seat bracket just about fits but the right hand side bracket is not even close! See pics. Cheers!B2B01256-91D2-4556-9C25-2D189229B853.jpeg
 
I think there's some form of adaptor bracket 'to-hat' thingy used on the later car bodies. I've seen snippets on info dotted around the place, but can't recall exactly where, sorry.
 
You need one adaptor per seat, they're known as top hats. I also fitted millennium recaros to my 2001 but luckily mine came with the adaptors... Most do, so you've been unlucky. Search this forum for top hat and you should find some pics. I'm sure someone will sell you a set... Usually around a tenner.
 
You might also have to swap the seat belt pre-tensioners over as well which is a lot of work but, hopefully, if your car is early enough you will get away with it
 
tuonokid said:
You might also have to swap the seat belt pre-tensioners over as well which is a lot of work but, hopefully, if your car is early enough you will get away with it

Hmmm I didn’t even think of that. Do you know how I would test if I need to replace them or not? Without setting them off of course :lol:
 
gavinfdavies said:
I think there's some form of adaptor bracket 'to-hat' thingy used on the later car bodies. I've seen snippets on info dotted around the place, but can't recall exactly where, sorry.
Thanks for this, yeah I saw the same thing, I was hoping it would be something different because I can’t find these top hat things anywhere.
paulous said:
You need one adaptor per seat, they're known as top hats. I also fitted millennium recaros to my 2001 but luckily mine came with the adaptors... Most do, so you've been unlucky. Search this forum for top hat and you should find some pics. I'm sure someone will sell you a set... Usually around a tenner.
You’re lucky! Thanks for the info and glad to see that someone else has done it too. Just out of interest did you have to replace your seatbelt pretensioners like tuonokid mentioned?
 
I’ve got a September 2000 Puma with the later seats and airbag module, and the Recaro tensioners plugged straight in. Seems some fit, some don’t.
 
XAF said:
I’ve got a September 2000 Puma with the later seats and airbag module, and the Recaro tensioners plugged straight in. Seems some fit, some don’t.

That’s equally reassuring and nerve racking, fingers crossed they just fit but knowing my luck with this so far I doubt it haha :lol:
 
From some of our very own... this is the info you require

:arrow: https://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?t=7588&sid=c3f8d02687fd5a0a064586c190b83b77
 
I also switched the pretensioners from my Oct 2001 Puma to the Millie recaro seats I fitted. Was an easy swap. Nothing to worry about really.
 
I bought some (very expensive) top hat risers off eBay which worked a treat. I unplugged the battery, fitted the seats and have plugged back in the yellow cables which I believe are seatbelt tensioners?? But now I have a strange wire left behind and I have no idea what it does. I don’t want to plug my battery back in until I know it’s not going to do any harm. It’s coming out from under the drivers side seat, any help would be fantastic thanks 10D3C8B9-55C1-43DA-ABEB-BA01C83ACEDB.jpeg
 
That would the plug for electrinic height control the recaros have (lil button just to the buttom where you right hand would reach down)
I believe (and free to be corrected) that it only requires a simple fused live and earth...

Ive done the same swap but havnt wired up control as i shall be taking up my carpet again for other reasons.

Edit: cut the plug off and make your own (you wong find it on our loom... Already looked)
 
PH03NIX said:
That would the plug for electrinic height control the recaros have (lil button just to the buttom where you right hand would reach down)
I believe (and free to be corrected) that it only requires a simple fused live and earth...

Ive done the same swap but havnt wired up control as i shall be taking up my carpet again for other reasons.

Edit: cut the plug off and make your own (you wong find it on our loom... Already looked)


Ahhh perfect! I did wonder if it was that but when I couldn’t find the height controls I just presumed it was something else! I too am taking up my carpet very soon so I will not plug this in atm. Are you doing sound proofing by any chance?

Cheers
 
It’s relativley easy taking a feed from the fusebox to power the height adjuster. And it makes a huge difference to the seating position. But then again I am a short arse!
 
XAF said:
It’s relativley easy taking a feed from the fusebox to power the height adjuster. And it makes a huge difference to the seating position. But then again I am a short arse!

Haha and I am a ‘long arse’ so I’m hoping that once plugged in I will be able to lower them a tad but somehow I doubt it :lol:


Thanks Red. Here’s a pic for anyone interested. I know there is a slight tear but for £150 for front and back seats and interior trim I couldn’t pass it up.

For anybody who thinks that the originals fabric seats are uncomfortable the recaros are so much better already and I’ve only been out in them once! CCD43E4F-FD39-4522-8069-38A14CE82C18.jpeg
 
And as there are no good pictures anywhere, here is the horrible devil known as a ‘top hat’ that you won’t find anywhere these days. 33BF14F1-9B30-44B3-9C81-8D4E0D415EBB.jpeg
 
:cry: :oops: the airbag light has come on.. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. If I take the pretensioners out of the original seats and replace the ones on the recaro seats will that work? Or is there a simpler solution? I’m a bit lost as the yellow connectors fit together perfectly so was hoping I was in luck
 
Yes if you use the original seat pretensioners the light should go out but the trouble is they don't match the mounts on the seats as there is a stop as well as a thread holding the pretensioners where they need to be and the position of the stop is reversed on the different pretensioners. If you have a look at my build thread from about 15 pages (page 29) back you'll see what I mean.
Barry
 
tuonokid said:
Yes if you use the original seat pretensioners the light should go out but the trouble is they don't match the mounts on the seats as there is a stop as well as a thread holding the pretensioners where they need to be and the position of the stop is reversed on the different pretensioners. If you have a look at my build thread from about 15 pages (page 29) back you'll see what I mean.
Barry

Cheers Barry I will have a look, not tonight though :zzz:
 

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