The Corbeau Sportsman is one of the smallest reclining seats we have offered: a compact, classic-styled choice for narrow sports cars, kit cars and restricted cockpits. Its maximum overall width is just 41.5cm. In our experience, we have not yet encountered a vehicle it could not be fitted into. That is our experience of the seat’s compact size, not a promise of direct bolt-in fitment: the correct base-mount brackets or sliders, mounting height and clearance still need to suit your car.
The Sportsman is Corbeau’s narrow-fit reclining sport seat, built around a steel frame with a 40cm base width and a maximum overall width of 41.5cm. That 41.5cm measurement is what lets it into cockpits that will not accept a standard-width recliner: narrow sports cars, kit cars, and classic cars with restricted cabin widths. It is available in cloth, leather, and vinyl, with a choice of piping colours in black, blue, red, white, and yellow; standard specification ships with black piping. The leather variant uses leather on the headrest, front, middle, and base with a vinyl rear panel.
Corbeau’s published dimensions for the Sportsman are: base width (A) 40cm, base depth front to back (B) 54cm, overall height with headrest fitted (C) 79cm, headrest width (D) 24cm, cushion width across the thigh (E) 28cm, backrest width across the shoulders (F) 37cm, cushion width at the hip (G) 27cm. Dimension C is with the headrest installed; without it the seat sits lower, so call the showroom on 0115 9893488 if that figure is critical for your application. The headrest is included as standard but can be omitted if that suits your car better.
Fixing bolt pattern is 291mm x 330mm, the same as it uses on the GT4 and GT8. Four-point harness compatible. The Sportsman is a reclining, base-mounted seat; it is not a side-mount design and is not FIA approved, but it is suitable for road use and track days. Driver waist sizes 32-36in and 36-38in. Driver height unrestricted. Part number Sportsman. One seat per order.
Have you written anything about this exact product?
Yes, we have covered this exact product: Customers Marlin Sportster With Corbeau Sportsman Reclining Seats. That is first-hand coverage from our own builds and showroom, not brochure copy.
Will I fit in this seat?
The maker sizes this seat for drivers with a 36in to 38in or 32in to 36in waist. Those are the paper numbers; how a seat actually feels to sit in and climb out of is a different question, and our showroom team sit in these seats every day, so call us with your height and waist and we will give you the honest answer.
Is this seat FIA approved?
No, this is a road and track day seat rather than a homologated competition seat. For events that require an FIA seat, look at the FIA-approved shells in the range, and ask us if you are unsure what your series needs.
What do I need to fit it to my car?
This is a base-mount seat: it bolts down through its base, the simpler stack for road cars. You will need the car-specific frame, and a sliding runner if you want fore-and-aft adjustment. Our guide on base mount versus side mount walks through the whole stack, and tell us your car and we will quote the full kit.
Does it work with harnesses and a HANS device?
The shell takes 4 point compatible. If you are planning the full seat, harness, and HANS setup, tell us the car and we will spec it end to end.
How do I know it will feel right, not just fit on paper?
Fair question, because makers publish widths and weights, never feel, and two seats with identical numbers can feel nothing alike in the car. We keep the ranges on display in the Nottingham showroom, you are welcome to come and sit in them, and if you cannot get to us, call and describe your build, as the team sit in these seats every day. Our head support measurements guide shows the kind of real-world data we collect.
Will it fit in a narrow kit car cockpit?
It is one of our narrowest reclining seats, 40cm base width and 41.5cm at its widest point, which is the kind of measurement a tight kit car cockpit needs. We have fitted it into all sorts of narrow kit cars without issue, though it is still worth checking your own cockpit width and base-mount or bracket setup for a clean fit.
