Hundreds Of Products Ready Today. Dispatch/Collection Customer Question: Which Reclining Sport Seats Are Best For a Full Time Wheelchair User?
If you are trying to fit reclining seats into a Factory Five GTM, the biggest limitation is almost always headroom rather than seat width. Owners regularly describe the GTM as a low-roof cockpit where you need the seat as close to the floor as possible, with one builder measuring only about 2.5 inches of head clearance to the roof using the Factory Five seat tracks and low-profile brackets.
Factory Five supply the GTM kit with a full interior that includes sport seats, but many owners swap them for aftermarket options depending on comfort, driving position, and harness requirements.
For a reclining seat upgrade that keeps height under control, our most reliable recommendation from the GSM Performance range is the Corbeau SVR. It is designed specifically for low-roof vehicles, has a shorter overall height than many recliners, and it also gives you flexible bolt-pattern options for custom mounting.
If you want a more affordable, slimline recliner option, the Sparco R100 can work, but it is taller overall than the SVR, so it is much more likely to be borderline in a GTM unless you are careful with mounts and seating position.
What we know about GTM cockpit space and why it matters for recliners
The GTM has a very low roofline, and owners consistently focus on keeping the seat base and drivers hips as low as possible. In one Factory Five forum discussion about fitting Corvette power seat tracks into a GTM, an experienced builder specifically warns that headroom is limited and even references a floor-to-roof measurement of around 36 inches, recommending mounting the seat with the base touching the floor to maximise clearance.
That same theme shows up in detailed build logs. A Gen2 GTM builder notes that headroom was their primary concern, and with their current setup (Factory Five seat tracks plus low-profile brackets) they had roughly 2.5 inches between their head and the roof. When they tried a power-seat conversion that included a recessed floor relief, it still left only about three quarters of an inch of clearance, and they considered that too tight for comfortable seating and helmet use.
If you take one thing away from that, it should be this: reclining seats are absolutely possible in GTMs, but you have to treat seat height as the first filter before you even start worrying about looks or trim.
A quick practical way to think about it is to break fitment into three checks:
- Base height and mount height: how high your hips end up once the seat, runners, and brackets are installed
- Backrest height: whether the top of the seat back or headrest clashes with the roofline or rear bulkhead shape
- Width at the shoulders and base: whether it clears the door cards and centre tunnel when the seat is centred and aligned
Key Points to Take Away
- The GTM has very limited space, especially for headroom
- Seat height matters more than width when choosing a recliner
- Factory seats are small, so aftermarket seats need to be similar in size
- Reclining seats can fit, but only if they are low-profile
- Corbeau SVR is one of the best options for this car
- Corbeau RRS is another good low-seating option
- Sparco R100 can fit, but needs careful setup due to its height
- Custom mounting is usually required
- Keeping the seat as low as possible is key
- Always measure your space before choosing a seat
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What the factory GTM seats tell us about fitment
Factory Five market the GTM as a complete kit with a full interior, including sport seats as part of what you get.
That is helpful, because it tells us the chassis and cabin are designed around a relatively compact seat footprint and a low seating position.
On the Factory Five forum, builders have shared measurements for the basic Factory Five seats, which are useful as a baseline when comparing aftermarket options. Reported measurements include:
- Bottom width: 17 1/4 inches (about 438 mm)
- Bottom length: 19 1/2 inches (about 495 mm)
- Top width: 18 3/4 inches (about 476 mm)
- Overall length: 26 inches (about 660 mm)
- Height: 22 1/2 inches (about 572 mm)
Those numbers highlight why aftermarket recliners can be tricky in a GTM. Many modern reclining sport seats are taller overall, and they often use thicker bases and mechanisms that lift you up, even before you add runners.
Fitment and mounting style matter just as much as the seat itself. In the same Gen2 GTM build log, the builder explains that low-profile brackets (originally developed by David Borden) were designed to work with seat tracks while still allowing the seat base to contact the floor for maximum headroom, and they also allow easy angle adjustment.
That style of thinking is exactly what you want to carry into an aftermarket recliner setup: keep it low, keep it simple, and plan the mount before you buy the seat.
Our best reclining seat options from GSM Performance for the GTM
Corbeau SVR reclining sport seat
If your main goal is to fit a recliner into a low roof car without ruining your driving position, the Corbeau SVR is the first seat we point GTM owners towards.
It is purposefully designed around a shorter seat height than many sports recliners, and GSM has specifically highlighted it as a great match for low-roof sports cars. The key point here is the overall height: 900 mm, which is notably shorter than many recliners that sit closer to the 950 to 1000 mm range.
In terms of design and comfort, the SVR is built on a steel reclining frame and trimmed in durable vinyl, with bolsters shaped using injected moulded foam for a supportive but road-friendly feel. GSM also describes it as having integrated harness slots as part of its practical spec, which is ideal if you are running a harness on track days.
It is also not FIA approved, which is normal for reclining seats, so this is for road use and casual track days rather than FIA competition.
Key measurements for the Corbeau SVR
- Total seat height 900 mm
- Shoulder width 530 mm
- Base width 500 mm
- Hip width 290 mm
- Seat depth (front to back) 630 mm
Mounting and bolt pattern bonus: the SVR includes two base-mount bolt pattern options, giving you flexibility when fabricating mounts:
- 345 mm bolt pattern (common aftermarket pattern)
- 291 mm bolt pattern (Cobra style pattern)
That dual-pattern design can genuinely make a GTM install easier, because it gives your fabricator more ways to align runners or crossbars with the chassis and floor structure.
Corbeau RRS reclining sport seat
If you like the Corbeau approach but want something with a slightly different shape and feel, the Corbeau RRS sits in the same general category of road and track-day recliners, and it is also TÜV approved for road-focused use.
Where the RRS really earns its place in this conversation is seating height. GSM measured the Sparco R333 in-store and found it sat at 17 cm front base height and 12 cm at the rear. They then measured Corbeau reclining seats and found they sat lower at 14 cm at the front and 7 cm at the rear.
That rear base measurement matters in a GTM because it helps you reduce the tendency to sit “perched” in the car, which is exactly what causes headroom frustration in low roof cockpits.
One thing to keep in mind is that some RRS listings show “dimensions TBA”, so if you are working to millimetre clearances, we would treat the RRS as a seat you measure carefully before ordering, or speak to us so we can help you size it realistically against your cabin.
Sparco R100 reclining sport seat
If you want something with more classic styling, a slim footprint, and a very straightforward install spec, the Sparco R100 is a popular option.
GSM lists the R100 as a compact, lightweight (13 kg) tubular steel frame recliner with backrest harness slots, designed to be easier to fit than bulkier sport seats thanks to its lower side bolsters and relatively narrow steel frame. It is base-mounted and uses Sparco’s common 271 x 345 mm fixing spacing.
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For GTM fitment, the important part is its external dimensions. GSM measured the R100 Diamond Edition and shared the key sizing:
- Width (shoulders and base): 500 mm
- Seat base depth: 540 mm
- Total seat height: 930 mm
That 930 mm total height is why we class this as a possible option rather than the safest bet. In a GTM where builders are fighting for inches of head clearance, you want to be very careful about adding runners, thick brackets, or tall floor mounts under a seat of this height.
Also worth knowing: Sparco reclining sports seats are not FIA approved, so just like the Corbeau recliners, this is aimed at road use and casual track days rather than FIA racing.
Installation and mounting advice for GTM reclining seats
The Corbeau RRS is designed to suit a wide range of drivers thanks to its open base design. Without restrictive leg bolsters, there is more freedom around the hips, making it suitable for different body types.
At the shoulders, the seat measures around 550 mm wide, which provides enough room for broader drivers without feeling tight. This makes it a comfortable option for longer journeys as well as daily use.
For vehicle fitment, the RRS works well in most cars. Its base width of around 470 mm is relatively manageable compared to many aftermarket seats, meaning it will fit in most standard vehicle interiors.
As always, we recommend measuring the space between your centre tunnel and door cards before installing any seat, especially if your vehicle has a tighter cockpit.
Main measurements
- Shoulder width: approx. 550 mm
- Base width: approx. 470 mm
- Backrest height: approx. 940 mm
- Seat base length: approx. 470 mm
Installation and mounting advice for GTM reclining seats
This is the part that makes or breaks GTM seat installs. The GTM is not built around “bolt-in aftermarket” subframes like modern performance cars. Even the Factory Five approach is more hands-on, and owners often modify or fabricate mounts to get the seat position correct.
A few real-world methods GTM builders use include:
- Keeping the seat base as close to the floor as possible, because headroom is limited
- Using low-profile seat-track bracket solutions designed to keep the seat base contacting the floor while still allowing adjustment
- Recessing sections of the floor pan to gain extra clearance when experimenting with thicker seat bases or power-seat conversions
If you need a bracket-based approach, VRaptor SpeedWorks describes a simple but effective method used by GTM builders: steel seat mounting brackets that can mount directly to the seat for a solid seat-to-floor mount, or work with adjustable seat tracks mounted to the sides of the seat. They also note that the brackets are typically positioned on the seat first, then drilled to line up with the chassis tube locations, which matches what you see in many kit-car fabrication jobs.
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From our perspective, here is the key compatibility guidance that matters when choosing mounting hardware:
- The Corbeau SVR is base-mounted and supports both a 345 mm and 291 mm mounting pattern, which helps when you are adapting runners or crossbars.
- The Sparco R100 is base-mounted and uses 271 x 345 mm fixing points.
A practical GTM rule of thumb is to start your test fit with the seat sitting on a flat board on the floor, then add height in stages (runners, brackets, spacers) until you are confident you have enough head clearance and steering wheel alignment. This mirrors the way GTM builders evaluate seat-track setups and headroom in real builds.
Safety note, in plain terms: if your installation involves fibreglass panels, rivnuts, or custom drilled mounting points, you want proper reinforcement and load spreading. Even the Factory Five style install notes that rivnuts in fibreglass can work, but the real challenge is the installation process and doing it cleanly and securely.
Final thoughts
The Factory Five GTM can absolutely take aftermarket reclining seats, but you have to choose models that respect the GTM’s low roofline and keep your seating position down where it should be. Real build experiences show that even small changes in seat base height can turn a comfortable cockpit into a headroom nightmare.
If you want the most GTM-friendly option from our range, the Corbeau SVR is the standout: it is built for low-roof cars, it is shorter than many recliners, and it gives you flexible mounting patterns for custom installs.
If you are tempted by other recliners, especially taller seats, treat them as a measured purchase. Use the factory seat dimensions as a baseline, compare them to the seat you want, and plan the mounting hardware as part of the decision, not as an afterthought.