advice on building cockpit needed

[dunkee]

I just finished mine this weekend. Don't have pics yet but will soon. I kinda went a little crazy and butchered the pedals a little. I put them up-side down and switched the pedals around by chopping plastic, glueing and splicing wires It feels like a real car now. I also bought a cheesy $85 surround sound system and put the speakers in the cockpit. I put the sub-woofer by the pedals (get all the vibrations from the bumps and wind), front speakers underneath the steering wheel (gets some engine noises), center speaker underneath the chair (gets the exhaust), rear speakers on my chair (gets all the background noise) You can really appreciate the sounds more...kills GT3. Definite worth all the work.

 

[sparticus]

here is my cockpit. Cost about $175.

120 - DFP
40 - Impreza seat
20 - seat cover
0 - materials(already had it)




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/sparticus06/Diagram.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/sparticus06/P1010015.jpg

 

[RedOak]

the good thing about a system like that is that the driver's weight keeps the whole wheel from moving around while playing. I Would hope to find those materials at a decent price tho... that would most probably add about 50$ to your final cost tho

 

[sparticus]

the good thing about a system like that is that the driver's weight keeps the whole wheel from moving around while playing. I Would hope to find those materials at a decent price tho... that would most probably add about 50$ to your final cost tho

The materials are more like 40.

 

[bmw5150]

BMW5150- Yes, I built the DIY kit, the MkII version. It took me a few weekends to complete but someone that knows what they're doing could do it in 1 weekend. It is very solid and also quite adjustable for different users. I bought a $30 seat massager and padded it with extra foam and is really comfortable. Plus the massage motor makes it feel more realistic! I will try to post some pictures soon.

The only negative is that it's a little challenging to get in and out of, but that's a minor concern.

Any pictures yet?

 

[RedOak]

nevermind this post.

 

[AndySV1K]

Hi people,

First post on here.

How good is the DFP and is it readily available from shops or is it a special order thing??

Andy.

 

[dunkee]

I just finished mine this weekend. Don't have pics yet but will soon. I kinda went a little crazy and butchered the pedals a little. I put them up-side down and switched the pedals around by chopping plastic, glueing and splicing wires It feels like a real car now. I also bought a cheesy $85 surround sound system and put the speakers in the cockpit. I put the sub-woofer by the pedals (get all the vibrations from the bumps and wind), front speakers underneath the steering wheel (gets some engine noises), center speaker underneath the chair (gets the exhaust), rear speakers on my chair (gets all the background noise) You can really appreciate the sounds more...kills GT3. Definite worth all the work.

Finally pics!

My crazy pedals

My beach chair

 

[SimRaceDriver]

Hi Hajaz. Nice cockpit.

You can see some pics from my cockpit to figure out some new ideas for your project.

I modified the wheel and pedal angles, to make them more comfortable for my driving.

Hope it helps.

Good luck!

MARTIN

Nice looking setup! Digging the Frex wheel & Shift+ you've got! 👍
Thinking about ordering a whole setup myself, since BRD won't be coming out with their new FF wheel for quite some time! (Word is next year sometime..plus it'll be compatible w/the PS2 as well as the PC! )

Quick question..why didn't you order their Pedals as well? I'd think they'd look really cool if they were in place of your current ones, as seen in the 2nd or 3rd pic..sorry I can't recall...where all you see is just the pedals themselves!..and hung upside down, as in a real car!

I must say I'm really liking the added 'carpet' look you've added to your cockpit! Really cool and unique in my book! Oh. and I thought the intergration of the Frex shift+ was done really, really well too!

 

[Martinmaxx]

Nice looking setup! Digging the Frex wheel & Shift+ you've got! 👍
Thinking about ordering a whole setup myself, since BRD won't be coming out with their new FF wheel for quite some time! (Word is next year sometime..plus it'll be compatible w/the PS2 as well as the PC! )

Quick question..why didn't you order their Pedals as well? I'd think they'd look really cool if they were in place of your current ones, as seen in the 2nd or 3rd pic..sorry I can't recall...where all you see is just the pedals themselves!..and hung upside down, as in a real car!

I must say I'm really liking the added 'carpet' look you've added to your cockpit! Really cool and unique in my book! Oh. and I thought the intergration of the Frex shift+ was done really, really well too!

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

The Frex pedals were really expensive (more than the wheel adapter, Momo Wheel and shifter combined!!). I didn´t want to spend that much. Besides, If I feel the need for good pedals, I can purchase them anytime, and replace the Logitech ones.

Don´t forget to post pics of your setup once you finish it.

Regards,

MARTIN

 

[Hajaz]

well looks like my racebase package came through after all. A full 6 weeks after i ordered it. Seems its all customs fault as they had opened it up and charged me extra.
I do owe microsim an apology, but alot of stress coulve been avoided if theyd only replied to my emails

 

[SimRaceDriver]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

The Frex pedals were really expensive (more than the wheel adapter, Momo Wheel and shifter combined!!). I didn´t want to spend that much. Besides, If I feel the need for good pedals, I can purchase them anytime, and replace the Logitech ones.

Don´t forget to post pics of your setup once you finish it.

Regards,

MARTIN

Well, since I don't really have the 'know how' required to build anything from the ground up...nor the required space and/or tools, I took the easy way out and just merely purchased this....

NOTE: This particular picture is not of my setup, but after I tried to take a similiar pic (Mine is exactly the same) and screwing it all up to hell, I thought this was the next best option available...the only noticeable change between this one and my own personal one is that I use the Logitech Driving Force Pro, while the wheel shown above is the Logitech Momo Racing)

I also purchased the pedals to match, but as of now, the company that makes them (Ball Racing Development - home page found here isn't going to making a PS2 converter, for a lack of better words, until sometime next year! )

I'd love to have all the little things that I'd like to have in order to make this RFP even more interesting, (Frex shift+, Handbrake & the Logitech DFP updated/upgradeable wheel using a Sparco steering wheel) like maybe do something similiar to what you've done, so I could start 'attempting' to make it look more like a real race car!

Oh well, when the money is right, I'm sure it'll happen!


Say, I visit the RSC (Race Sim Central) forums a lot and wanted to know if you'd mind me sharing pics of your setup with those racers who visit this forum?

It's got an ever growing list of new 'frex' users and I think everyone would enjoy seeing the craftsmanship and uniqueness of your racing sim! So, do you mind?

Don't worry, I'll include your name and/or a web site if you've got one where more pics can be found :-)

TIA!

SimRaceDriver

 

[Martinmaxx]

Say, I visit the RSC (Race Sim Central) forums a lot and wanted to know if you'd mind me sharing pics of your setup with those racers who visit this forum?

It's got an ever growing list of new 'frex' users and I think everyone would enjoy seeing the craftsmanship and uniqueness of your racing sim! So, do you mind?

Don't worry, I'll include your name and/or a web site if you've got one where more pics can be found :-)

TIA!

SimRaceDriver

Go ahead. No problem at all!!

 

[Shure]

SimRaceDriver: Where did you purchase that frame from if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking for one too, but not having much luck in finding a decent looking, good quality frame. The one you've got looks to be pretty solid.

Thanks

 

[THEFiJiMAN]

Has anyone been to Best Buy recently? They have one of those rocker floor chairs that look just like a racing seat. Very comfortable, $79.99; too bad I work there, I get them wholesale. .

 

[SimRaceDriver]

SimRaceDriver: Where did you purchase that frame from if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking for one too, but not having much luck in finding a decent looking, good quality frame. The one you've got looks to be pretty solid.

Thanks

@Shure:
Sorry for the late response...I work grave-yard...
A company called BRD (Ball Racing Development - website) in the UK has a U.S. distributor here in Sunnyvale, CA called Trinity-Racing...their site is here

NOTE: They're not cheap by the way!

 

[JohnBM01]

Sim Race Driver, that's still a nice setup (Post #132; https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=1287423&postcount=132).

I actually like this pre-made setup though I seen it before. When I came up with all those arcade racing units, I was talking about a sort of "dream project" in making a console exclusive to racing games. Well, that and resting your big bottom if you don't feel like laying on your bed playing your favorite game. If you wanted to tune up the seat to have speakers (like at some arcades), you'll have to use your brain power and your knowledge to make it work.

How much do those units cost, anyways?

 

[SimRaceDriver]

@JohnBM01

The Race Frame Pro was just under a $1,000 ($964 I believe)
It would have easily been over a grand but I saved a few $$$ by picking it up from TRD and not having it shipped!

As for the pedals I've just picked up, seen here...they were about $425 plus an extra $30 for the mounting brackets so I can hang them upright...as seen here and here

NOTE: The good thing with these pedals is that I can always add the clutch pedal later, as more PC games start to utilize it!

The only downside is I can't use the pedals right now on the PS2 because the company (BRD) hasn't released their newest PS2 converter for them as of yet and won't get around to it until after the new year... 👎

 

[SimRaceDriver]

Go ahead. No problem at all!!

Thanks!
Here is the link to the article over on RSC (RaceSimCentral)

check it out in a few days as I'm sure you'll get a lot of praise for your craftsmanship!

 

[ewgf]

Anybody had any experience with GameFramefrom BRD?

 

[dunkee]

I think it's weird that all sim steering wheels use pedals that are backwards. On a real car you're usually suppose to step on the bottom part of the pedals not the top. This doesn't bother anyone else?

 

[dmwierz]

ok guys, just a quick warning.
DONT buy from www.racebasecockpit.com
if you do, make sure ure well covered legally.
I ordered their DIY plankit 5 weeks ago, payed by banktransfer (dumb me).
Havent received anything to this day, eventho they confirmed getting my cash a month ago.
What makes the whole thing even more annoying is that theyre not even replying to my emails ive sent them asking about my order.

I ordered the plans from them a few years back and got 'em within a couple weeks. Took me a long three day weekend to build it, and it's still in use today. Go here for pictures during building and final shots: Racebase - construction photos

 

[vector86]

I see alot of normal car cockpit designs. Which is more preferable, the upright positions, or the more Kart like position.

 

[SimRaceDriver]

I see alot of normal car cockpit designs. Which is more preferable, the upright positions, or the more Kart like position.

The position that is comfortable for you is the most preferred! :-)
I myself, like the more upright position as opposed to the laid back feel of being in a Go-Kart.

 

[Patrik]

I think I wanna build a cockpit pretty much like Martinmaxx did, except the frex gp shifter and momo wheel but... pretty much the same, its beutiful

 

[Soarer]

me and my dad built a awsome race seat yesterday we are finishing it off with some painting later but once thatts done ill post some photos of it.

The great thing is anybody can use it if they are really tall or really short.
the seat is on a slder thing off a real car so you can move the seat backwards and forwards. the steering wheel can come closer or further away and you can also adjust the height of the wheel.

we put the pedels off to one side wich i find is way better because i only use one foot.

 

[Patrik]

I think Im goin to by this racingchair... oh, sorry abou the swedish site. http://www.g2styling.se/product_info.php?cPath=381&products_id=1343
1.795:- is about, hmm... 250u$

 

[Quisp]

Has anyone been to Best Buy recently? They have one of those rocker floor chairs that look just like a racing seat. Very comfortable, $79.99; too bad I work there, I get them wholesale. .

Yeah, I have that Rocker chair for the rig I made. Works well. Scroll and see pics.
Btw, Ive since CUT the length off the rear section, essentially butting the rear elbow joint against the rear support joint. I just didnt update the picture. The way it was (as shown in the current pic), didnt allow my Rocker seat to get close enough to the wheel. Cutting that bit of length off, didnt sacrifice stability, btw.

My Racing Cockpit

Zipped up pics and plans

 

[Patrik]

Pretty nice setup there, nice TV!!! but I think Martin still has the best cockpit thats what I think...

 

[Patrik]

Hey, I live in Sweden and want to order som stuff from Frex GP, but sweden isn't in the list of the countries that u can order from? can I call them and order, or what shounld I do? I really want the Shift+!