The Sparco R500 Sky, which is the R500 trimmed in vinyl. Part number BPR0002BOK0100N.
Sky is Sparco’s name for their vinyl, and choosing it over the fabric R500 is a practical decision rather than a cosmetic one. Vinyl wipes down. If the car is a kit car, an off roader, a track car that lives under a cover, or anything you get into in overalls or muddy boots, vinyl is the trim that still looks like a seat in three years.
What you give up is breathability. A 3D woven fabric moves air through itself and vinyl does not, so on a hot day in a closed car you will notice it. That is the whole trade and it is worth making deliberately.
The seat
Tubular steel frame with lower side bolsters and a narrower body than most reclining sports seats, which is what lets it into cars where a wider shell fouls the sill or the tunnel. It has an integrated headrest and no head support wings, harness slots in the backrest, and a four point harness works as well as the standard diagonal belt.
Sparco list it for all heights across a 32 to 38 inch waist.
Fitting
Base mount on the 345mm by 271mm pattern, so frames and runners carry across from the R100, R333 and GT. Supplied as the seat only, so you need a vehicle specific sub-frame. Tell us the car.
Road and Track, with no FIA homologation. Available as a pair if you are doing both sides.
Have you written anything about this exact product?
Yes, we have covered this exact product: Customer Question: Can I fit Sparco R500 Seats in My Land Cruiser 80 Series?, and Sparco R500 Reclining Sport Seats – Now In-Stock and On Display. Some of that comes straight from real customer questions, so you are reading answers other buyers actually needed.
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.
