Every SW Motorsport Seat Frame, By Car, And What To Fit With It
SW Motorsport seat frames, the full range by car
Garreth went through SW Motorsport's range this week against what we had on the site and spotted the gap. They make a seat base for 79 cars, and we were listing 15 of them. The S2000, the 350Z and every Evo had nothing from SW on our site at all. So we fixed it.
They are all on now. This page lists every one by car, with the seat guide for that car where we have written it, then what to bolt on top and which seats we would start with.
- 80 direct fit frames across 26 makes, plus a drop base for the standard Yaris GR seat
- £134.89 inc VAT per side, the same on every car
- They bolt to the factory seat mounting holes, so the floor needs no drilling
- 4mm mild steel in textured black powder coat, from SW in Preston
- A frame is the base layer, so a side mount seat also needs side mounts, at £54.00
- Sliders are £54.00, and both are options on the frame's own page
What the frame does
A seat frame, a subframe and a seat base are the same part with three names. It is the layer between the car’s floor and your seat, and it turns the factory seat mounting holes into a flat, drilled plate that a bucket seat can use. SW call theirs a seat base, we list them as direct fit subframes, and you will hear us say frame.
Each one is built for one car, which is why this page is a long list. The steel is 4mm mild steel with a textured black powder coat, and SW pre-drill it for most popular slider kits. They say it takes wide and tall bucket seats as well as smaller ones.
345mm
wide base mount pattern, as our SW listings show it
Per side
one frame per seat, so a pair of seats means two
Slimline
most SW kits lower the seat because of it
Frames are base mount, so your seat decides what goes in the middle. A seat with holes in its base can land on the frame. A seat with threaded holes down its flanks needs side mounts between it and the frame. If you are not sure which you have, our base mount or side mount guide settles it in a couple of minutes.
Find your car
Every frame below is £134.89 inc VAT per side. The car name goes to the frame, and the links under it go to the seat guide for that car where we have written one. Years are shown where SW give a firm figure. Your car not here? Drop us an email or click to open a chat, because we list frames from other makers too.
Audi
BMW
BMW 1 Series E82 Coupe 2004 to 2013
Chevrolet
Citroen
Ford
Honda
Lamborghini
Lexus
Mercedes
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Nissan 200SX S14 1994 to 2000
Nissan GT-R R35 2007 onwards
Peugeot
Renault
Skoda
Subaru
Suzuki
Toyota
Vauxhall
Volvo
Cars with something extra to know
One part for both sides
Many of these are one part that suits either side, such as the F-series BMWs, the Mini R53/R56 and the Audi R8. You still pick a side when you order, because each base is sold per side.
The shared parts
SW use the same part across some cars. The BMW M2, M3, M4, 1 Series F20 and E82 share one code with the E92, for example, and the Lamborghini Huracan shares with the Audi R8 Gen 2. Most frame pages list the cars they share with.
Super Low frames
The Clio Mk3/Mk4, the Megane Mk3 and the MG ZR have a Super Low frame, and the Clio one is built around a 30mm drop. If you want every millimetre back in a small hatch, start there.
Mercedes 190E
SW list this one for the driver side only, with no passenger part.
Corvette Z06
SW list it for the Z06 without naming a generation. Tell us which car you have and we will check before you order.
Fiesta Mk8 pair
There is a two-frame listing for the Mk8 too, and its extras are priced for both seats.
Yaris GR standard seat
The Yaris GR OEM Fixed Seat Drop Base is the odd one out. It lowers the factory seat, so we list it without side mounts or sliders. For a bucket seat you want the Yaris GR direct fit frame.
What to add
These are all options on the frame’s own page, so they go on the same order. The prices here include VAT and are per frame. On the page the extras show without VAT, and the basket adds it.
Side mounts
£54.00
For a side mount seat. Choose 8mm or 10mm for the seat bolt. Nearly every seat maker uses M8, and Corbeau fixed backs use M10, so most people want 8mm. The slots set the height and angle of the seat.
Seat sliders
£54.00
Add these if more than one person drives the car or you want to move the seat. Runners add about 25mm of height and move about 200mm, and our sliding runner guide goes through them properly.
Harness eyebolts
£7.00 or £14.00
Two for a 4 point harness, or four for a 6 point. Our 4, 5 or 6 point guide explains the layouts.
Backing plates
£12.00 or £24.00
In twos or fours. A plate spreads the load where an eye bolt goes through a panel.
Universal bolt kit
£24.98
Mounting bolts are not included with a frame, so add this if you are not reusing bolts you already have.
Harness points on a frame
A 4 point harness has no crotch straps, so frame points can take lap belts, as long as the straps reach. They are cut for an anchor beside your hip, so sit in the seat and measure first. The FIA say a harness must not be anchored to the seats or their supports, so for competition the anchors go on the car. Our lap belts and seat frames guide has the detail, and SW do not publish where the points sit on each frame, so tell us the car.
Four ways to build it
Here is what one seat costs each way, with the frame at £134.89 inc VAT. Double it for a pair, and add the bolt kit if you need it.
| Your seat | What you order | It suits | Per seat, inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side mount seat, fixed | Frame and side mounts | One driver, and the lowest way to run a side mount seat | £188.89 |
| Side mount seat, sliding | Frame, side mounts and sliders | A shared car, or a road car you want to move the seat in | £242.89 |
| Base mount seat, fixed | Frame only | One driver with a seat drilled to the 345mm pattern | £134.89 |
| Base mount seat, sliding | Frame and sliders | A base mount seat in a shared car | £188.89 |
Garreth’s top tip: Most SW kits lower the seat, because they are really slimline, and in a small hatch with a helmet on that is what you are paying for. If you are the only driver, I would leave the sliders off and keep that height. If your partner drives the car on Monday, I would have them on from day one, because adding them later means taking the seat back out.
Cameron’s fitting view: Tell me the seat before you tick anything. Side mount or base mount, 8mm or 10mm, and whether a harness is going in. Those three answers decide the whole order, and they take about a minute over email. If I have that, plus the reg, I can check it against the frame before it ships.
Seats we would start with
Plenty of seats will sit on these frames, so treat this as where we would start. The Sparco Sprint is the easy one, because it is listed for both base mount and side mount, so it can go on the frame directly or on side mounts. The Mirco RTS-2 and the Sparco Circuit QRT are side mount seats, so they want side mounts, and 8mm is the norm. The Corbeau Pro Series X is the reason the 10mm option exists, and it is the one that catches people out.
Recaro base mount seats use a 405mm pattern and Cobra’s are 291mm wide, so those are a different width from the 345mm on these frames. Adaption bars can often bridge that, and our seat bolt patterns guide has every brand’s figures. Send us the seat and we will say which way to go.
Height is the other thing to check. Our side mount height guide covers tall drivers and low roofs, and we have written how to sit lower guides for the MX-5 Mk1 and Mk2 and the Abarth 595.
Fitting it
This is the order Cameron works in, and doing it on the bench first saves most of the swearing.
Take the factory seat out and keep its bolts until you know what you are reusing
Fit the side mounts to the seat, and keep both sides level with each other
Fit the sliders under the side mounts, then check both rails lock
Bolt the frame to the factory holes, starting every bolt by hand
Sit in the seat before you tighten anything, then torque it all and recheck after your first drive
Parts from different brands can have bolt holes a few millimetres apart, so a small adjustment can be normal when you mix them. Our bolt point tolerance guide explains what is routine and what to ask about first. You can use a standard seat belt clip with a motorsport seat, and that guide covers the brackets too. If the car has a cage, read how a roll cage changes your seat and frame options before you order.
We also list SW side mounts made for the BMW E46, the Clio Mk3, the Clio Mk4, the Megane Mk2 R26 and the Megane Mk3 RS250. Ask us if you are building one of those, and the rest of the range is in our SW Motorsports car fitting frames category.
Questions about SW Motorsport seat frames
Which cars do SW Motorsport make seat frames for?
We list 80 direct fit frames across 26 makes, from the Audi A1 to the VW Polo Mk4, and every one is in the list on this page.
How much is an SW Motorsport seat frame?
£134.89 inc VAT per side, on every car. A pair of seats needs two.
Do I need to drill the floor?
No. They bolt straight to the factory seat mounting holes.
Will it fit a side mount seat?
Yes, with side mounts between the seat and the frame. They are a £54.00 option on the frame’s page.
Do I want 8mm or 10mm side mounts?
That is the seat bolt size. Nearly every seat maker uses M8. Corbeau fixed backs use M10. Send us the seat if you are unsure.
Do I need sliders?
If more than one person drives the car or you want to move the seat, yes. For one driver you can run fixed and sit about 25mm lower.
Will a Recaro base mount seat fit?
Recaro base mount seats use a 405mm pattern and these frames show 345mm wide, so it does not drop straight on. Tell us the seat and we will say what bridges it.
Can my harness bolt to the frame?
A frame point can take a lap belt if the straps reach, so measure first. The FIA say a harness must not be anchored to the seats or their supports, so for competition the anchors go on the car.
Are bolts included?
No. Mounting bolts and harness eye bolts are extra, and the universal bolt kit is £24.98 inc VAT.
Do these lower my seat?
Most SW kits do, because they are really slimline. How much depends on the car and the seat, so ask us about yours.
Is there a frame for a left-hand-drive car?
Our listings are for right-hand-drive cars. Many frames are one part that suits either side, so ask us with your car and we will check.
Tell us about your car
Come and see the frames, the side mounts and the seats in the showroom by appointment, or ring Garreth and Cameron on 0115 647 8650. Give us your car, your seat and whether a harness is going in, and we will name every part between the floor and the seat.
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