Its been a few months but should be allen wrench in front and the same size allen socket on two long extensions with a flexible knuckle between the extensions for the rear.

 

Yes you need a swivel adapter to do this
Also, PLEASE PLEASE be careful when reinstalling!

For some reason the passenger seat is difficult to get the threads restarted without stripping. You may think you have it started, but the soft aluminum female threads strip. I know this because I did it to mine. I had to retap the threads.

 

+1

I use a swivel adapter and a 12" extension.

Make sure that you thread the bolt using just the extension, not the ratchet handle. Get a few solid turns in by hand, then reattach the handle.

 

If I remember rightly, it is the back right one that is difficult. This is what I use with an Allen bit.
Michael

 

I got a set of these. The ends are rounded so you can get in the bolt at an angle and not have to use teh swivel socket adapter. I got them at harbor frieght

 

The above are referred to as ball drivers. They are also available as a single long handle.

 

Ok, so perhaps I'm dumb.

Trying to remove the front passenger seat to be able to get at the rear speaker behind it.

It's not easier just to access the speaker with the seat in place?

 

I removed the speaker without having to remove the seat, just use a short screwdriver.

 

Might want to consider the Sector sys.6.pack.

sys.6.pack - Seat Security and 6 Point Harness Attachment for your Lotus Elise and Exige - Sector111

If you are removing the seat it would be the time. This set up not only attaches the seat to the cat a lot more securely, but removing and especially reinstalling the seats is a lot easier. That passenger right rear bolt is a real pain. Hard to get in or out, very easy to strip. The sys.pack setup passes a bolt through the seat rail and chassis, placing a nyloc nut on the other side.

 

seat removal

Sector111 has an excellent video showing all steps/tools to remove the seats to install a seatbelt harness bar. http://videos.sector111.com/video1.php

 

Just get a ratchet extension. Longer the better. You can remove the seat in no time.

Auto Repair Tools - Socket Extensions - Ratchet Wrench Extension - Tools for Car Repair

 

Simple. Ratchet with wobble extension. But I agree about the ease of cross-threading the bolt. Buy a tap in the right size 'cause you'll need it sooner or later.

 

I am going to offer another piece of advice...

After you loosen the 4 bolts, be careful when you start moving the seat. Especially the inboard side where the rail touches the center console and you might end up scrapping paint or leather trim off.

 

Another unsolicited bit of advice. There are no torque values that could be found anywhere, even after extensive searching by myself and several others... so blue locktite it is when reinstalling the seats...

 

+1 on the locktite. Its a good piece of insurance so the bolts aren't wiggling there way loose. And its easier to break it loose when needed.

 

The Sector 111 kit looks interesting, as I plan to remove my seats soon to install carpeting (none in Purist). However, it says '06-'07 Elise. Are the later seats - especially '09 - attached differently than earlier models? Thanks.

 

I don't think so.

 

I haven't tried this one yet, but a great tool to use is a "wobble extension" They fit into a regular socket, but allow the extension to be at an angle to the socket. I've been using them for years. Here's some from Harbor Freight (I think Sears makes a version, and you can find them at lots of auto parts stores):
9 Piece Wobble Extension Set

 

bump

 

The right rear bolt on the (USA-spec) passenger seat is as others have said a bitch. There is a perfectly-accessible hole in the base frame that could be used by drilling and tapping a new hole in the tub. I didn't have to go there.

The ball-end driver would have been useful (I only have such things in SAE sizes), but I got by with a 3/8" drive bit powered by a wobble bar. Having the angle drive at the cap screw head would have been better. The wobble bar was really crowding the inflator bulb.

 

and especially reinstalling the seats is a lot easier

I have to respectfully disagree here Xhilr8n, I think the Sys.Pack makes it MUCH harder, well, impossible to do alone. Now that the bolts go all the way through you have to grab the nut from the top and the allen headed bolt from the bottom. The only way I could do that was to jam a pair of vice grips on the bolt and try to start it from the bottom. Took me about 2 hours to get one of them in (when a friend stopped by the second took all of 3 minutes).

That being said I'm glad I did the Sys.Pack as the attachment points are so much stronger now. If (when) I hit something the seat is definitely staying in place...