Seats - New Foam Cushion Preparation - TR4
My Dad replaced the original vinyl seat covers in 1976. The replacement seat cover kit was purchased from a local Aids Auto Parts Store, in Port Chester, N.Y. for $59.95. Nice quality Naugahyde, heavier than the originals. They’re almost always mistaken for leather; really nice quality and good looking to this day.
But now it was time to replace the worn out original foam cushions. The kits from Moss are excellent quality and worth it. What I didn’t expect was that the replacement cushions need to be “finished”. It took me the first afternoon just to figure out what I thought was the best method to finish them. I researched and found nothing online. I got little advice from Moss except, “better to let the pros do it”. Moss is not an “Upholsterer” so they were short on advice and understandably so. The advice I did get, however, was to study the job and proceed only after careful planning.
It was fun disassembling the seats. I found the original inserts were signed by the builder at the factory whose name was Josie, signed on one Masonite seat back including a “JC” on each seat back foam. I found one dated in the same hand “12-62” for December 1962, (my car is a ’63). These findings make the job for us DIY-ers interesting and so much more rewarding. I wonder what Josie C was thinking when she (or he) signed this set almost 50 years ago.
I photo-documented the entire process thinking I might write it up someday as an informative article for the rest of us DIY-ers. Other important original factory assembly steps include; the seat back strap lengths for proper tension and support, the type of adhesive, the front and rear burlap sections and the cotton batting used on the back cushion. The other photos, (not these herewith) for another article, (if I ever get to it), show the trimmed cushions for exact fit and other details and dimensions of the assembly. For my personal preference, I added additional foam in the back cushion to increase the lumbar support which made a HUGE difference. I‘ll included is a list with source and pricing of that extra foam lumbar cushion, batting and burlap for any inquiries.
As it turned out, this job was another one of those where the feel of completion leaves a smile on your face with every driven mile. I never realized how low in the seat I was positioned. I kind of wondered why the steering wheel seemed to grow larger over the years, (was I shrinking?). But now I can see the hood and I find myself more relaxed while driving because I am no longer jacking my chin upward to see over the steering wheel!
Thank you Tags, I just got back a short while ago from a nice run through the mountains, sure feels great. Have a happy!
Very nice, and very timely! I'm looking at a similar job in the next couple of months for my TR4. Didn't realize they used the later style seats on an early-ish TR4 such as yours.
I know the covers are not original on my car, though they were good quality and I hope the current replacements are the same.
Questions, questions:
1) How did you carve the seat foam so nicely?
2) The back straps, did you replace, and if so where did you get your supplies? Not sure I've seen too many of the vendors selling the internals of these seats.
3) Did you put in rubber seat diaphrams on the bottom? I wasn't sure if these seats originally came with the rubber diaphram, one seat I had did not.
Thanks
Randy
Hi Randy,
This was a fun job and I got a good deal of satisfaction out of it. It takes some planning with the first seat, but the second was smooth sailing. To answer your questions;
1.) I did not carve the seat foams at all. I should have described how I did this part with some detail. What I did was, I folded over the foam in the direction of the arrows gluing them in that folded position using 3M Spray Adhesive. I bought the 3M spray can adhesive at the local PEP Boys. That stuff is miracle glue, ...spray it on, ...wait a few minutes, ...then very carefully fold over the foam into position, but don't miss, you won't separate this stuff without tearing the foam. I also used this stuff to also replace the dash pads, (see this post => http://triumphregister.lefora.com/2009/12/19/tr4-dash-crash-pad-replacement-a-brief-photo-essay/#post1 and this one too =>http://triumphregister.lefora.com/2009/12/28/tr4-dash-crash-pad-replacement-preparation-tool-fo/#post1). I practiced a few dry runs folding the foam, imagining the sequence of how I would do the wet run, then I sprayed and carefully did it up, the photos show the results. I was pleased.
2.) Moss offers a great back strap kit, called Seat Webbing Kit, Part No. 681-330 at $39.95 per seat, The kit comes with everything you need, except the hole punch and finished lengths to cut each one to, see photos. I carefully measured out each finished one and listed the lengths which provide the correct tension, (for me). The tension is gaged by the amount of stretch you design in. You can't used the old ones to measure because, like in my case, they were, and are likely to be, all dried out with no more stretch. In fact the were all very brittle and somewhat cracked. The replacements are the same construction, which was great to see. Just be sure to make the holes for the wire staples using a hole punch which is good practice when cutting holes in stretchy rubber materials. I used a 3/32-inch hollow punch. Using a knife or razor will leave sharp edges which may tear later on while the material is under tension when stretched. Strap measurements, not fitted in place, un-stretched: the top #1 strap measures, 13-1/8 inches, #2 is13-3/4 inches, 3# is 14-1/2, and #4 is 14-3/8 inches. (See photos, the photo with the additional greenish foam is what I did to add back and lumbar support. I recommend it.)
3.) The rubber diaphragms are correct for these original seats. I did replace the passenger side with a new one from Moss which is excellent quality, but did not replace the driver side as I replaced it about 4 years ago and it is still in great shape.
Let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck! de
Dominick-
Excellent info, thanks! Clever too on the bottom seat shaping.
Hi Randy, I include photos of the back and bottom foams. Good luck, d
Oops, as you can see Dominick, I haven't done this yet! I thought those bolsters were on the bottom.. This is good stuff, thanks!
I noticed some hidden photos. If you look at the second set of photos and put your cursor between the first and second photo to the left, you can double click and see a hidden photo with the original stretched and brittle back straps still in place. If you then place your cursor just below the "Hi Randy" in the third set of photos and double click, you will see yet another hidden photo. I wonder why this is happening.
Excellent info, thanks! Clever too on the bottom seat shaping.
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