Can I Install Cobra Monaco Pro Seats onto OMP Motorsport Base Plates?
Seat fitting question
A customer asked us: "Can I install Cobra Monaco Pro seats onto OMP Motorsport base plates?" They had been trying to bolt a Monaco Pro straight onto an OMP vehicle specific frame, and the holes would not line up.
The short answer is no, not by base mounting. The Monaco Pro's base bolt points are narrower than the pattern the OMP frames are made for. The good news is that the Monaco Pro can be side mounted as well as base mounted, and side mounts are the way to get it onto an OMP frame without modifying anything. This guide shows the measurements, the fitting method and the parts you need.
- The Cobra Monaco Pro's base mounting points measure 291mm across
- OMP sub-frames are made for seats with a 345mm base mounting width
- The 54mm difference means the Monaco Pro cannot base mount to an OMP frame
- The Monaco Pro has side mounting points too, so side mounts solve it
- Never drill or modify a sub-frame to make a seat fit
What is on this page
Why the Monaco Pro does not base mount to an OMP frame
It comes down to bolt spacing. When we measured the two parts side by side:
- Cobra Monaco Pro base mounting points: 291mm across.
- OMP sub-frame base mounting points: 345mm across, at the narrowest mounting points.
That is a 54mm difference, so the holes in the seat and the frame simply do not meet. The only ways to base mount it would be custom fabrication or changing the frame, and we advise against both. Drilling or cutting a sub-frame can weaken it, and the frame is part of what holds you in the car.
This is a common snag when a seat and a frame come from different makers. A seat's base holes are set by its maker, and a vehicle specific frame is drilled for a particular pattern. When the two do not share a pattern, the answer is a different mounting method, never a bigger drill.
Before buying a seat and frame from different brands, measure across the seat's base mounting points and check them against the frame's listing, or ask us to check for you.
How to fit a Cobra Monaco Pro to an OMP sub-frame
Base mounting is out, so the Monaco Pro goes on side mounts. Our listing for the seat confirms it can be base mounted or side mounted, which is unusual for an approved seat and is exactly what makes this work. The set up is:
- Side mounts. These bolt to the side mounting points on the Monaco Pro’s shell and carry the seat down to the mounting below, which lets you line up with the OMP frame’s 345mm pattern.
- A 345mm runner kit, if you want adjustment. OMP or Sparco runners made for that pattern sit between the side mounts and the frame and let the seat slide forward and back.
- The OMP sub-frame. The vehicle specific frame stays exactly as it came, bolted to the car’s floor.
Put together, that gives a secure, adjustable seat with no modification to the frame. Side mounting also tends to put the seat lower in the car, which many drivers want anyway. Mounting stacks depend on the car, the seat and the height you want, so tell us all three and we will confirm the complete kit, bolts included.
Side mounts and runners for the Monaco Pro
For this set up we would look first at the Endurance Motorsport Multi Point M8 side mounts, which have several fixing positions so you can set the height and angle, and the QMS FIA approved steel side mounts, a universal steel mount. Add a runner kit if the seat needs to slide. These are the parts, with the seat itself.
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The Cobra Monaco Pro
The Monaco Pro is one of Cobra's best known steel framed bucket seats. Our listing gives it FIA 8855-1999 homologation, a fully steel plated back and base, slots for a 4 or 6 point harness and an integral head pad and shoulder support. It is cut for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist, and weighs 11.4kg.
The steel plating is the reason it is heavier than a fibreglass seat, and also why it has such a following in road and club cars.
The Monaco family also includes the Monaco Sport and special editions in different trims, some FIA approved and some not. Garreth’s advice is to sit in one before you choose, as the fit is what decides it. You can try them in our showroom, and our earlier answer on fitting MX-5 side mounts to a Cobra Monaco Pro covers another side mount set up.
Can a Cobra Monaco Pro base mount to an OMP sub-frame?
No. Its base points are 291mm across and OMP frames are made for 345mm, so the holes do not line up.
How do I fit a Monaco Pro to an OMP frame?
Use side mounts on the seat’s side mounting points, with a 345mm runner kit between them and the frame if you want adjustment.
Can I drill the OMP frame to suit the seat?
We advise against it. Modifying a sub-frame can weaken it.
Does the Cobra Monaco Pro have side mounting points?
Yes. It can be base mounted or side mounted.
Who fits drivers best in a Monaco Pro?
Our listing gives it for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist.
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The answerSide mounts, not drilling
Side mounts get a Monaco Pro onto an OMP frame with nothing modified.
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