CHEAP Cockpit Alternatives ONLY

[MasterGT]

Last.....

I'm interested in this seat. Since I find that wood is sort of sweaty to sit on for extended periods, how is this plastic one?

What is the seat? I don't recognise its base, so is it something like a fishing boat's seat?

Cheers,

MasterGT

 

[fast fun 2]

I'm interested in this seat. Since I find that wood is sort of sweaty to sit on for extended periods, how is this plastic one?

What is the seat? I don't recognise its base, so is it something like a fishing boat's seat?

Cheers,

MasterGT

yes it is. I own a marina and it is out of a boat I salvages. I yave another one exactly like it, i need to figure out if im getting rid of it or not.

 

[MasterGT]

Thank you, fast fun 2, but how sweaty is it to sit on that seat over extended periods?

 

[fast fun 2]

Thank you, fast fun 2, but how sweaty is it to sit on that seat over extended periods?

its not bad, it stays nice and cool

 

[waxer]

So ive started puting my real deal cockpit together having made my cheaper test one. Ive just been planning and getting parts at this stage. I noticed one of the other frames somewhere on here has some springs and tranducers. I dont if they do anything but they look cool and wouldnt cost much to make.

Im no engineer but hopefully that would work. Buttkicker insulate their units with matting or cork from the floor so i assume this may actually do something.

I just got one of these new for $152NZ or $112 US
Im trying to find out about buttkicker gamers and whether they are 240v or what othe oprtions i have without breaking the bank.

Heres a scetch of the side panel. The main/base frame is steel tubing which is suspended off the ground on feet so there is room for tranducer/s under the seat. The side panel will have to bolt to the base somehow so that its removable/portable. Im looking at building the top armrest part from polysteyrene so that i can easily shape it the same as the gear shift. It will then have a thin layer of wood above and below (like a sandwich) for strength and to stop any dings. The ends will then get a layer or 2 of cloth and hardner. Perhaps plaster. Over all that ill wrap it in either black leather or an imitation and staple it underneath where it cant be seen.
For the filled in part of the side panel i plan on sandwiching a peice of grill(like they use in car bumpers) between 2 more thin sheets of wood. The wood will be covered with black leather and stapled on the inside where it cant be seen. The grill will be painted blue like the seat. And as pictured the panel wont be the same width as the armrest part.
Im still not sure whether i will just make a looped steel frame for the steering wheel or if i should angle the supports for the shelf. That will also effect the look of the side panel and how that would look angled. Having a simple way of removing the steering would make it double as a nice seat (although you might look stupid) for watching movies,especially with a buttkicker.
The main thing im after is to make a centre console that has atributes of a car door to help give the illusion of a car. It will also feel a litle more like a cockpit if your a little more enclosed like that.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

hey waxer are you from nz? if so were about's? im from dunedin.

love the setup man(especially the seat), looking good sofar:tup:

 

[waxer]

Im from Tauranga. Yeah i thought the seat was a pretty sweet deal. Jamex.co.nz apear to be selling off old stock, like seat colours that are no longer available for pretty cheap on trademe. All brand new. The closest thing to it i could find was a generic semi looking race seat for 300 at repco. And that was trade price. I ende up going adjustable rather than fixed so more people could us it. Especially those over 80kg. Came with runners and everything as well. I dont know anbout how they have priced it though. It seems to good a deal to be true as the price on their site says $600. Maybe thats for a pair. Either way it was cheaper than getting 2nd hand seats. Maybe they are really just knockoffs.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

very nice might have to look for a seat myself. I have the two front seats out of a vr4 galant(oldschool evo 0, bought of trademe, $30 for both) but they didn't come with rails, so there in two pieces and i have to have the back up against a wall

 

[Mr.Grandorifto]

oops!

 

[Mr.Grandorifto]

This is my cheap seat! Some masking tape, the kitchen table, and some extra pillows to boost me up. I know some of those photos are nerdy, but at the time I was tanked. They're right when they say you can't drive drunk! Thanks, guys, tell me what you like.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

lol, what's up with the gloves?

 

[Mr.Grandorifto]

First of all, what's up godzilla_GTR, and second, my hands slip on the steering wheel. Sometimes I'm playing for hours, and then my hands get sweaty. How about you do you have a setup?

 

[Der Alta]

I do construction work. Or more accurately, I make sure people build stuff right, as I don't swing a hammer, or carry a piece of wood. I'm just the guy in charge.

Some benefits to that, is that I get first choice when it comes to "extras" or "leftovers". Like today, I'm demo'ing a VIP Screening room in the National Amusements HQ. We're putting in new VIP seating for the "Before it hits the theater, the Big wigs get their buddies a free showing" screening room.

What happens to the 20 seats that are in the room? They get dumpster'd. Except for this one. It ended up in the back of my car.

Looks like DA has some work to do this weekend.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

First of all, what's up godzilla_GTR, and second, my hands slip on the steering wheel. Sometimes I'm playing for hours, and then my hands get sweaty. How about you do you have a setup?

sorry man i was just asking, wasn't implying anything(don't know if you were either, but anyway...), i like my hand's being a bit sweaty with the g25, makes it easier to drift. And yes i do have a cockpit but it's pretty crappy, my vr4 bucket's didn't come with rail's so are in 2 peice's and i have to be up against a wall to be able to play. I'm going to dump it and make a newone shortly.

DA: that seat look's compy as man, and it would have great fold-up storage capabilitie's lol.

 

[Barracuda]

I just got my G25 so this is what i came up with to test it out. It gets to be really uncomfortable having to squeeze my legs between the sides of the fold up table, but it works.


Click for full size

I found a car chair while going through the GM dealerships trash (I like to find hood emblems and interesting stuff like that. The rim in that picture is another thing i've found) I plan to make a full on cockpit with my dad once we finish tiling our bathroom.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

how did you get black spokes and paddle's? or is that from the angle/lighting?

 

[Barracuda]

how did you get black spokes and paddle's? or is that from the angle/lighting?

I noticed that too, sorry to say its just the lighting. That would look pretty cool though.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

bugga, it look's awsome, sort of matte black.

Might go buy some masking tape and some matte spray paint lol.

i'll hopefully post up some pics off myn next week and of my cast alliminuim shifter i made at school.

 

[Barracuda]

Its actually spelled matte but pronounced matt.

I made an even better one. I was tired of hurting my legs and having the shifter so high, so I first went into my garage, found some spare wood, and made a stand for the shifter (thank god my dad used to be a carpenter, lol) Second, i took two stools and found another long piece of wood that i could lay across. i finally added some weights to keep everything from moving around on me.


Click for full size

 

[godzilla_GTR]

that looks REALLY dodgy lol. Especially if you plan on drifting or something, i keep seeing images of those weights flying of allong with the piece of wood and wheel and landing right smack inbetween your legs The shifter assembly looks nice though:tup:

Ive never been able to spell matte, i can spell it for about a week as matte, after some has told me before i revert back to matt. annoying.

Over here it's pronounced more in-between mait and matt

 

[Barracuda]

Yesterday when i first started out, there was a bit of movement if i had to take a sharp turn. so i took out the 35's and placed one on each end which took care of the problem.

 

[godzilla_GTR]

oh nice:tup: Just thought it looked like an accident waiting to happen is all.

Man i need to get my new phone to show some pic's of my crappy setup made out of left over decking timbre lol.

 

[waxer]

WIP
Hopefully there will be time to add more this week. Base is copied from a frame i think came off this board. Really cheap to build and is adjustable easily. I use crossover clamps that stick out the sides of the frame for riser bars. On top of the bars will be a platform that goes across then angles down to the shifter like a dashboard and centre console. Also there will be an armrest/extension of the centre console. The entire wheel mount can be loosened and either removed for watching movies or slid to a better position. I havnt taken a picture yet but i have a stainless eftpos terminal rack which is perfect for mounting the pedals on. The tranducer is a clark synthesis (which needs lowering at the moment so it hangs properly) I also need to put a bunch of rubber washers on all my bolts. I like 2" steel and clamps as it gives a very clean look while still being extremly strong looking.
Unfortunatly space is a problem so im forced to put the tv ontop of the centre speaker which makes it slightly to high. After a few minutes i didnt even notice it though. Cant wait to get the wheel on.

 

[ERacer]

waxer - really nice, solid setup 👍

About the center speaker. It may not be a good idea to have the TV rest on the center speaker. The small vibrations from the speaker may cause the TV to "travel" and possibly fall off the speaker. If possible, set the speaker on the floor, or in the cabinet if space permits, in front of your setup. You'll still get great sound but without any danger to the TV monitor. My 2 cents

ERacer

 

[waxer]

Yeah i thought about that but ive put some cloth underneath and have had no issues even after extended full volume use. Ive been thinking of attaching the securing cable that came with the screen just in case.

 

[MasterGT]

I'd love to see what you did for the wheel and pedals, Waxer, when you get them.

Cheers,

MasterGT

 

[Barracuda]

Waxer, Do you have every game system thats out there, sheesh. I just noticed that you have a ps3, 360, wii, psp, and a ds in one of the pics. How much do you make a week, lol

 

[Garak]

I just got my G25 so this is what i came up with to test it out. It gets to be really uncomfortable having to squeeze my legs between the sides of the fold up table, but it works.

I like it, but probably because I'm biased. I made something almost identical for my DFP. I use the identical wooden TV tray (I got a set from my mother a few years back). However, I just use a basic, comfy, rolling office chair. A doctor I know was refurnishing his office so told me to take whatever I wanted. I suppose one can't get a cheaper cockpit than a free one.

I do wish I could make the table a little more stable, but it's not too bad. If I keep my left foot against the crossarm and drive with some semblance of sanity, it's not so bad. Anyone got any suggestions, short of bolting it to the floor?

As for the driving position, it's probably a little high and upright for most of the driving nuts here. However, I've spent most of my driving life behind the wheel of pickups and gravel trucks, so I'm used to driving that way.

 

[Barracuda]

If you have the tools and the skills, the possibilities are endless.

Luckily my father used to be a construction worker, so we have every tool and saw you could imagine (except for automotive). Once he is finished redoing the master bathroom, he said he would help me make a real cockpit. we just need to get some wood, and i have to take some measurements from my dads standard mustang because i like where everything is placed.

If you have some tools, you could make something like i did in my second cockpit. All you need is two stools (you could find some junk ones), A board, Screws and a screwdriver, and a car seat (which you could get at a junkyard like others in this thread have done)

All you need to do is screw the board to the two stools, and maybe make a stand for the seat. Since you have a DFP, that saves you the trouble of making a stand for the shifter.

 

[RO55]

I maybe about to make myself look very stupid but what is the thing under the seat that looks like a UFO with a wire? Anyway great setup cant wait to see the finished thing!