An OMP direct fit subframe for the BMW 3 Series E46. Part number HC798-E46.
This frame does not fit the E46 M3
Read that before anything else. The M3 has different floor mounting points from the rest of the E46 range, and ordering this frame for one means a return.
For every other E46 it is the correct part: 316, 318, 320, 323, 325, 328 and 330, including the touring and coupe variants with standard floor geometry.
If your car is an M3, tell us and we will point you at the right frame rather than let you find out on the ramp.
Why so many E46s get seated
It is one of the most popular track day platforms in the UK, and it has been for twenty years. Rear wheel drive, a good chassis, and cheap enough that people use them hard.
The standard seat is the weak point on a car of that age. The foam has usually collapsed and the bolster with it, so you are replacing something worn out rather than something merely unsuitable.
The E36 takes its own frame on the same HC798 stem.
The frame
Steel, base mount, on the mounting points already in the floor, so nothing is drilled and the originals come out whole.
Two bolt patterns from the multi-hole clusters at each corner: 345mm by 271mm for Sparco, OMP and Corbeau base mount seats, and 405mm by 290mm for Recaro. Sold singly and handed, so order twice for a pair.
Have you written anything about this exact product?
Yes, we have covered this exact product: Top 5 reclining seat choices for your BMW 3 Series Sedan [E36], including our fitting guide, and Top 5 reclining seat choices for your BMW 3 Series Coupe [E46], including our fitting guide. That is first-hand coverage from our own builds and showroom, not brochure copy.
Will this fit my car?
This frame is made for the BMW 3-Series E46 (E46). Chassis code and years matter more than the badge, as floor pans change between generations, so if your car sits near a changeover year, send us the registration and we will confirm before you order.
Which seats does it take?
It takes seats drilled 345mm x 271mm (the Sparco and OMP seat pattern) and 405mm x 290mm (the Recaro seat pattern). If your seat is not listed, tell us what you run and we will confirm the fit.
Do I keep fore-and-aft adjustment?
Only with a sliding runner between the frame and the seat, which is a separate part on OMP frames. If more than one person drives the car, budget for the runner. Our guide to sliding runners explains the options and widths.
Base mount or side mount, and does it matter?
This is a base-mount frame: the seat bolts down through its base, the simpler stack that suits seats with a flat bottom and keeps the install low-fuss. Our guide on base mount versus side mount explains the whole fitting stack.
Is this for the driver or passenger side?
Both sides are available on this listing, pick driver or passenger side at the point of order (sides listed are for right-hand-drive cars). Left-hand-drive car? Ask us, as the sides swap over and availability varies by model.
