Kirkey 81 Series – Standard Layback Containment Seat

From £984.00 Incl. VATFrom £820.00 Excl. VAT

Kirkey 81 Series – Standard Layback Containment Seat by Kirkey Racing Seats. Brand: Kirkey Racing Seats. Seat Width: 14″, 15″, 16″, 17″, 18.5″. Brackets included: Seat only.

Seat Width

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Size/Fitting guide

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Kirkey sell the 81 Series as their Spec Miata seat, and it suits entry level road racing, kit cars and club racing as well. It replaced Kirkey’s 71 Series. The shell is MIG welded from .100in and .190in 5052 aluminium, with moulded rubber inserts in every belt opening, and the three-piece design lets one seat be set for drivers of different heights before it is bolted in. For classes that ask for an SFI 39.2 rated seat, Kirkey point drivers to their 94 Series.

The shell is a 20 degree aluminium containment seat in three pieces, available from 14 to 18.5 inches wide: the shoulders and back move 2.5in and the head restraint 0.75in, and it takes a five or six point harness. A black cloth cover is included. Part number is 81-Series. The listing is for the seat only, without mounting brackets.

The seat bolts straight through into the cage. Kirkey list the 99214 side mounts and their 99210 rear mount for the 81 where the seat does not sit against a tube.

The 71 Series (part 71-Series) is the older two-piece road race containment seat the 81 replaced, with the same 20 degree angle and six-point harness compatibility. The 65 Series (part 65-Series) is the adjustable-angle road race bucket without containment sides for classes that do not require a containment seat.

Additional information

Brackets included	Seat only
Brand	Kirkey Racing Seats
Construction	Aluminium
Seat Back Angle	20 Degrees
Seat Cover Options	Includes Seat Cover
Seat Width	14", 15", 16", 17", 18.5"

Kirkey seat size guide

Kirkey aluminium seats are sized by hip width in inches, not by waist. Measure once, properly, and the size picks itself.

How Kirkey size their seats

The size is the width across the hips inside the seat. Kirkey’s method: sit upright on a hard surface with your legs slightly apart and measure straight across the widest point of your hips with a rule or a straight edge. A tape that follows the curve reads wide. Measure in the clothes you race in; a suit only adds to the snug fit.

If your hips measure a size exactly, order that size. If you fall between sizes go to the nearer one, and if you are within a quarter inch of the larger size take the larger. A Kirkey should hold you at the hips without pinching; there is no foam to take up slack.

Which Kirkey fits you

Series	What it is	Widths (inch)	Layback
38 Series Standard	The all-round aluminium seat for saloon and oval cars	14, 15, 16, 17, 18.5, 20	10 to 20 degrees, multi-mount base
58LW Series Lightweight	Lighter version of the standard seat	14, 15, 16, 17	20 degrees
16 Series Economy Drag	Drag and straight-line seat	15.5, 17.5	Drag layback
24 Series Child Quarter Midget	Junior seat	10, 11, 13	8 degrees

Covers are separateKirkey seats ship as bare aluminium. The padded cover is ordered to the same width as the seat.

Kirkey seats are not FIA homologated. They are used in drag racing, oval racing and grass-roots saloon classes; check your championship regulations before you order.

Measure yourself first

Four numbers decide whether a seat fits. Take them in the clothes you drive in, and write them down before you compare models.

AWaistAround your natural waist, not your trouser size. Trouser sizes usually run an inch or two under the real figure, and the waist bands on our product pages use the real one.

BSeated hip widthSit on a hard chair with your feet flat and measure straight across the widest point of your hips with a rule or a straight edge, not a tape that follows the curve. This is the number that decides whether a fixed shell is tight.

CShouldersStraight across the back at the widest point. Fixed back seats hold you here, so a shell that is narrow at the shoulders is uncomfortable long before it is unsafe.

DHeight and torsoYour height, and if you are over 6 ft whether that is mostly leg or mostly body. A long body needs a taller shell with the head support set higher.

Before you order

Check the car, not only the driver. Transmission tunnels, door cards and B pillars are what stop a wide shell going in. Our seat mounting and fixing points guide covers what to measure.
Side mount and base mount shells are not interchangeable. Which one you need depends on the car and the subframe, so pick the brackets at the same time as the seat.
If you run a HANS or plan to, filter on HANS friendly. The shoulder openings are cut to clear the collar.
FIA seats carry an expiry date on the homologation label. Check what your championship accepts and how long the seat has left, particularly on discounted older stock.

Send us your measurementsWaist, seated hip width, height and the car. We have fitted a lot of Kirkey seats and will tell you honestly if the one you have picked is going to be tight. Call 0115 989 3488 or email Sales@GSMPerformance.co.uk.

Widths are our product data, checked 6 September 2026. The measuring method and the layback angles are Kirkey’s own.

Will I fit in this seat?
Send us your height and waist size and we will confirm the fit. The paper dimensions only tell half the story, and our showroom team sit in these seats every day, so you get the honest answer rather than a guess from a chart.

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.

Availability

Kirkey comes through European distribution

Every Kirkey seat we supply comes through European distribution rather than direct from the USA. Stocked models run on a 7 to 10 day delivery schedule from the day you order.

Special order models

Anything outside the stocked range is built and shipped to order. That takes between 2 and 8 weeks depending on the model.

Before you order

Tell us the model and the date you need it for. We will confirm whether it is a stocked seat or a special order, and what the lead time is at the moment, rather than leaving you to find out after checkout.

In-store displays:

We have a premium range of over 125 seats from brands including: Bimarco, Cobra, Corbeau, Sparco, OMP, Recaro, GP-Race, and Bride to name just a few brands we work with.

Alongside this, we also stock and display HANS devices, harnesses, race-wear, race-suits, FIA helmets and various other safety equipment. If you are looking to visit us to see and try any particular seat or product, please contact us in advance and we’ll be happy to help.

In-Store appointments:

Due to the specialist nature of our services, we do ask that you please contact us in advance to book an appointment. We have multiple slots available each day including selected availability at the weekend.

Working by appointment allows us to dedicate our time with you and provide a personal and professional service. We’ll always ensure you leave with the right equipment for your needs.

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Choose Klarna at checkout and pick the plan that suits you. The options and amounts for this product are shown below, and they update when you choose an option above.

Use the purchase power check in the Klarna box for a quick, no-obligation look at what you could be approved for before you order.

How it works at GSM SportSeats4U

1Add the product to your basket and go to checkout as normal.
2Select Klarna as your payment method and choose your plan. Klarna gives you a decision in seconds.
3We dispatch straight away. You pay Klarna on the schedule you chose, and any refund goes back through Klarna.

Your questions, answered by Klarna

Klarna is available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Subject to status. Terms and conditions and late fees apply. Klarna Financial Services UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Full details at klarna.com/uk. Every way you can pay with us is on our payment and finance page, or call 0115 647 8650 and we will talk it through.

Fast delivery lead times:

If you require fast delivery, please contact us in advance of ordering and we’ll happily check stock allocation and availability for you. We carry a large amount of stock at our showroom and across multiple distribution hubs. This allows us to provide immediate dispatch across a huge number of brands from Corbeau and Cobra through to Sparco and OMP. (Does not apply to all items)

Due to the niche market we work in, some products are custom hand made to order, or special order from manufacturers like PCI Racing and Planted Technology. If you want to know how fast a product will be dispatched. Simply drop us a message through our Contact us form.

Addtional lead time notes:

Quick dispatch: Stocked products are dispatched within 24-48 hours with Parcel Force.
Sparco roll cages: We can only deliver these to a registered (LTD) company address.
In-store collection: Please contact us in advance to book an in-store collection appointment.

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Kirkey 81 Series – Standard Layback Containment Seat