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Re: [Tigers] Mk 1A Seat Rebuild

To: Stu <sabre2tgr@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Mk 1A Seat Rebuild
From: Jay via Tigers <tigers@autox.team.net>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2021 17:03:44 -0700
Cc: Tigers <Tigers@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: Tigers@autox.team.net
References: <CA+DpG67=6mKGeAqVKChFw+xFTD7pmTz-g9b=nVMr1-7nC1+0Qw@mail.gmail.com>
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I can tell you about when I did it on my SV Alpine, which I believe is =
the same.  I used the foam from SS and the diaphragm.  Wow, what a =
difference the seat was once it was correct.  I had previously replaced =
the original diaphragm with straps and clips I got at the local =
upholstery store.  Worked ok, but the correct foam and diaphragm was a =
revelation.

I have to tell you, I don=E2=80=99t remember right now what I did to =
stretch the rubber to put the clips in.  I do remember that getting the =
correct size clips was important - as I didn=E2=80=99t have all the =
originals.  I remember talking to Rick about it (It was about 25 years =
ago now).  I think I made some sort of grabber with a pliers.

I also had to remake the cardboard that went along the back of the =
frame, inside the seat covers.  That took a long time to get right.  I =
had to experiment with different thicknesses of cardboard and some steam =
to get it right. =20

I spent a bunch of time cleaning off the metal and painting it.  Mine =
were not bad.  But on a non-Sunbeam that I redid the seats on, there was =
a bit of rust.  Almost made me wish I left them alone - but in the end, =
they are stronger now.

Also, when I cut the vinyl around the two bottom edges, I cut it wrong.  =
So it doesn=E2=80=99t cover exactly right down there.  Pissed me off.  =
It=E2=80=99s ok.  I don=E2=80=99t think anyone would ever notice.  But =
I=E2=80=99m usually pretty good at seeing how things are supposed to be =
cut.  So I guess I=E2=80=99m only suggesting you take time there to make =
sure it=E2=80=99s right before you cut.  Perhaps I just totally blew it =
and it would be obvious if I did it again.

I was careful to epoxy the center section of the seat bottom into the =
square hold in the foam before doing anything.  That=E2=80=99s still =
holding 25 years later and I=E2=80=99m glad I did it.  I see folks where =
their seat bottom vinyl just floats.  That=E2=80=99s not a good look, to =
me.

Oh, and I=E2=80=99ve also seen on some cars people say they cover the =
seat backs with a large plastic bag before pulling on the upholstery.  I =
never did that because I didn=E2=80=99t want it to make crinkly noises =
every time I moved.  It was hard to slide it down.  It took a lot of =
squeezing and pressing a little at a time.  I don=E2=80=99t know if it =
would have been smarter to do the bag trick.

That=E2=80=99s all I remember.  Hope this helps.

Jay



On Apr 1, 2021, at 4:52 PM, Stu via Tigers <tigers@autox.team.net> =
wrote:

I've seen the Parlanti article on Tigers United, about rebuilding the =
seats, but his seats were earlier than mine and had the straps.  My =
seats from my Mk 1A  have the rubber diaphragm.  Is there any info on =
line about restoring Mk 1A seats?  I want to be sure I know what I'm =
getting into before pulling the trigger on an order to SS, or ripping =
mine apart.

Stu
_______________________________________________

tigers@autox.team.net

Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/tigers =
http://autox.team.net/archive

Unsubscribe: =
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--Apple-Mail=_90595170-06AB-47F4-B763-530564434039
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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=3D"">I =
can tell you about when I did it on my SV Alpine, which I believe is the =
same. &nbsp;I used the foam from SS and the diaphragm. &nbsp;Wow, what a =
difference the seat was once it was correct. &nbsp;I had previously =
replaced the original diaphragm with straps and clips I got at the local =
upholstery store. &nbsp;Worked ok, but the correct foam and diaphragm =
was a revelation.<div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">I =
have to tell you, I don=E2=80=99t remember right now what I did to =
stretch the rubber to put the clips in. &nbsp;I do remember that getting =
the correct size clips was important - as I didn=E2=80=99t have all the =
originals. &nbsp;I remember talking to Rick about it (It was about 25 =
years ago now). &nbsp;I think I made some sort of grabber with a =
pliers.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">I also =
had to remake the cardboard that went along the back of the frame, =
inside the seat covers. &nbsp;That took a long time to get right. =
&nbsp;I had to experiment with different thicknesses of cardboard and =
some steam to get it right. &nbsp;</div><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">I spent a bunch of time cleaning off =
the metal and painting it. &nbsp;Mine were not bad. &nbsp;But on a =
non-Sunbeam that I redid the seats on, there was a bit of rust. =
&nbsp;Almost made me wish I left them alone - but in the end, they are =
stronger now.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"">Also, when I cut the vinyl around the two bottom edges, I cut =
it wrong. &nbsp;So it doesn=E2=80=99t cover exactly right down there. =
&nbsp;Pissed me off. &nbsp;It=E2=80=99s ok. &nbsp;I don=E2=80=99t think =
anyone would ever notice. &nbsp;But I=E2=80=99m usually pretty good at =
seeing how things are supposed to be cut. &nbsp;So I guess I=E2=80=99m =
only suggesting you take time there to make sure it=E2=80=99s right =
before you cut. &nbsp;Perhaps I just totally blew it and it would be =
obvious if I did it again.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"">I was careful to epoxy the center section of the seat bottom =
into the square hold in the foam before doing anything. &nbsp;That=E2=80=99=
s still holding 25 years later and I=E2=80=99m glad I did it. &nbsp;I =
see folks where their seat bottom vinyl just floats. &nbsp;That=E2=80=99s =
not a good look, to me.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"">Oh, and I=E2=80=99ve also seen on some cars people say they =
cover the seat backs with a large plastic bag before pulling on the =
upholstery. &nbsp;I never did that because I didn=E2=80=99t want it to =
make crinkly noises every time I moved. &nbsp;It was hard to slide it =
down. &nbsp;It took a lot of squeezing and pressing a little at a time. =
&nbsp;I don=E2=80=99t know if it would have been smarter to do the bag =
trick.</div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">That=E2=80=
=99s all I remember. &nbsp;Hope this helps.</div><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Jay</div><div class=3D""><br =
class=3D""></div><div class=3D""><br class=3D""><div class=3D""><div><br =
class=3D""><div class=3D"">On Apr 1, 2021, at 4:52 PM, Stu via Tigers =
&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:tigers@autox.team.net"; =
class=3D"">tigers@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=3D""><div dir=3D"ltr" =
class=3D""><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">I've =
seen the Parlanti article on Tigers United, about rebuilding the seats, =
but his seats were earlier than mine and had the straps.&nbsp; My seats =
from my Mk 1A&nbsp; have the rubber diaphragm.&nbsp; Is there any info =
on line about restoring Mk 1A seats?&nbsp; I want to be sure I know what =
I'm getting into before pulling the trigger on an order to SS, or =
ripping mine apart.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" =
style=3D"font-size:small"><br class=3D""></div><div =
class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Stu</div></div>
_______________________________________________<br class=3D""><br =
class=3D""><a href=3D"mailto:tigers@autox.team.net"; =
class=3D"">tigers@autox.team.net</a><br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Donate: =
http://www.team.net/pipermail/tigers http://autox.team.net/archive<br =
class=3D""><br class=3D"">Unsubscribe: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/tigers/jay.laifman@gmail.com<br =
class=3D""><br class=3D""><br class=3D""></div></div><br =
class=3D""></div></div></body></html>=

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