on 30-08-2009 06:00 AM
I am currently working on a racing setup for when Gran Turismo 5 comes out. I have just bought a G25, and today I picked up an old Holden Commodore seat, complete with functioning rails.
I am building it with a steel frame, with rubber feet, and I am considering putting castors on the back which make contact with the ground when the setup is tiled for easy transportation. It will have an MDF sheet for the wheel (with steel supports bolted to the frame), and I will be making a shifter mount, with steel supports and an MDF base. As for the pedals, I'm going to leave them till last to see what the best mounting options are.
I am going to bolt it together as opposed to welding, as I can make is just as strong and rigid using bolts but I will be able to pull it apart if I need to. Plus I don't have a welder, but I do have taps, bolts, drills, and I'm pretty handy with this sort of thing being an industrial electrician.
I have drawn up the plans, bought the steel (Bunnings ran out though, I need another 2 lengths), the MDF, and an angle aluminium bar (which will run along the front of the MDF sheet for the wheel, to stop bowing - even though it is 16mm thick).
I have still yet to buy things like L brackets, but I have all the bolts and tools I'll need. I will have to get paint aswell.
In the following photos you can see the seat, with the steering wheel propped up for the sake of taking some measuments.


Please let me know if you are interested in seeing the rest of the build, and I will document it as I go.
P.S. Don't mind the snake - its not real
And those are my son's legs in the back ground ![]()
on 30-08-2009 10:18 AM
Friggin brilliant! I have had the same idea ever after getting GT5 prologue and a wheel. Sadly my dream was shrt lived as my place has no room for one! and my housemates would have objected surely.
You however can live the dream! yea keep us posted as u progress for sure.
I was also looking at buying one out of curiosity, they have some pretty sweet setups out there, complte with alloy frame, and bucket racing seats. Though at upwards of $700 its a bit much....
on 30-08-2009 02:45 PM
I'm always interested in seeing Racing seats come along so would be great if you could track your progress on these forums as you build your racing seat. As much into Gran Turismo as I am, I don't have a proper racing seat, built a table and have used that for the past 5 years. One of these days i will get around to building a proper seat, but will have to move my setup to the garage to make room for it.
Head to gtplanet.net if you haven't already, there are a lot of guys on there that have documented their racing seat projects, you may be able to pick up tips and/or ideas from them.
Good luck! Will cya online when GT5 releases!
on 31-08-2009 09:10 AM
Yeah I frequent GTPlanet a fair bit, there are some awesome setups there - mine won't be THAT flash but it should be perfectly functional.
I was going to build one back in NZ but I never got around to it as I would of had to build it in someone else's garage. I had a Driving Force EX too, and it was crap so I wasn't very motivated! So then we moved here, and I bought a G25, which is amazing, and with the seat it should be fairly realistic. Now that I have a garage and a bigger house I just can't wait to get started!
I should start work on it later this week, I'll keep you posted.
on 31-08-2009 10:18 AM
good luck with ur design mate..........
here's the link to my setup that me and a friend made earlier this year
http://community.eu.playstation.com/playstationeu/
on 02-09-2009 12:18 AM
@nickandgem - I'm interested in watching your progress as you make your setup. That sort of stuff strangely fascinates me and I admire anybody who can create their own design and see it through all the way to the final product.
@Cliffo - that seat that you and your mate made is nice and simple. It's actually really nicely designed, did you guys design it yourselves?
on 02-09-2009 08:15 AM

on 03-09-2009 04:20 AM
Ok just an update - got 4 days off from today. So I bought home all the tools I'll need for the job from my toolboxes at work. Can't wait to get started!
I went to Bunnings and got some materials needed - but the rail I'm using that was expected to arrive today isn't in..so hopefully it arrives tomorrow. I couldn't get any stainless bolts where I was working, so I went to the bolt shop to get some. Im using stainless simply for its looks, I have socket head stainless cap screws in use for everything else, so I wanted the main bolts that hold the structure together to also be stainless of the same type - $40 later. Oh well, should look sweet
(Just don't tell the missus - she'd kill me, or just buy ANOTHER handbag to compensate for my spending...women!)
Anyway, I'm going to start cutting up the metal and brackets I DO have now, pictures will come later ![]()
on 03-09-2009 01:32 PM
Ok, first up - my arsenal of tools for this job:

A bit of a look at the main components of the build:

This is the steel box section the frame is going to be made of

This is the MDF I'll be using

And this is the angled aluminium I'll be using as a support along the front of the MDF for the steering wheel.
What now? OK I'll cut up the steel into the appropriate lengths, a drop saw is best, but I don't have one of those. However I do have a square and a grinder. Then a file to make it pretty. But before I cut it up, remember...

SAFETY FIRST!!!
Ok so I've cut the steel (I'm still short remember, so I have a bit more to cut up yet) so now Ive got to mark up the ends for the bolts, using these L brackets

Next, use a centre punch to ensure no drill slippy slippy!

Ok now we can drill. First drill a pilot hole, then increase to the diameter needed for the required bolt (I am using 8mm bolts, so my hole is 7mm, then I will tap a thread) Remember to use cutting compound!

OK, thats it for now as I have run out of steel until hopefully tomorrow, then I should have all the steel work done, ready for painting.
I'll keep you posted!
on 04-09-2009 04:17 AM
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