Orange T
10-25-2014, 03:44 PM
#47
Drifting
Thread Starter
More to do. These look suspiciously like Lollipop seats, just need the round top. Might make some of these next time if I ever do an Impact bumper build. Perfectly in period for a mid seventies car.
10-25-2014, 08:38 PM
#48
Drifting
Thread Starter
Head restraints.
Gotta have these to get the right look.
I had planned to get some reproductions off a vendor overseas. Had some dialogue going but it then dropped off. I lose interest fairly quickly when that happens so what I've done is secure some head restraints locally plus the mechanism out of a Honda. My main interest is the posts and mechanicals, not so much the soft part. This will be reconfigured shapewise to match an original at the auto trim shop. The plan is to integrate this arrangement into the back of the seat shell and secure it safely and glass it over. The back view of the shell will be as it is now but with two ridges housing the posts and looking as you would expect of an ST type bucket. Yeah, I know, the easy way would be to just buy some complete seats but I need something to do in the evenings.
Still have to whop the side wings off to get the top shape right. As is, they look a lot like the Singer seats. Maybe I'll do a set of these when I hotrod a 964 one day....
Gotta have these to get the right look.
I had planned to get some reproductions off a vendor overseas. Had some dialogue going but it then dropped off. I lose interest fairly quickly when that happens so what I've done is secure some head restraints locally plus the mechanism out of a Honda. My main interest is the posts and mechanicals, not so much the soft part. This will be reconfigured shapewise to match an original at the auto trim shop. The plan is to integrate this arrangement into the back of the seat shell and secure it safely and glass it over. The back view of the shell will be as it is now but with two ridges housing the posts and looking as you would expect of an ST type bucket. Yeah, I know, the easy way would be to just buy some complete seats but I need something to do in the evenings.
Still have to whop the side wings off to get the top shape right. As is, they look a lot like the Singer seats. Maybe I'll do a set of these when I hotrod a 964 one day....
10-26-2014, 02:07 AM
#49
Drifting
Thread Starter
Whipped the side wings off, now just need to re create the edge roll up the sides and over the top.
The guy at the fibreglass supplies shop gave me a hot tip on using plasticine as a former to run a starter layer of glass over. The first layup would be lapping the inside of the shell and then subsequent lay ups each side until it is well blended and a similar thickness.
Here's a practise run to see if I could get the plasticine to hold shape.
The guy at the fibreglass supplies shop gave me a hot tip on using plasticine as a former to run a starter layer of glass over. The first layup would be lapping the inside of the shell and then subsequent lay ups each side until it is well blended and a similar thickness.
Here's a practise run to see if I could get the plasticine to hold shape.
10-26-2014, 06:58 AM
#52
Drifting
Thread Starter
First lay up. Looks pretty good, just needs a trim and sand and the rough shape will be there ready to build up the final layers. Not that happy with the bump on the side wings - I'll smooth that out a bit later. The shell is quite thick, at least 5 or 6 layers of fairly heavy cloth. The seats are made with polyester resin so I'm using that. Lucky for me as I have developed an allergic reaction to epoxies and even just looking at them now brings me out in spots...not nice. Talking with the shop guy, he reckons boat builders can use it for years and be OK but then one day a reaction comes and that's it - new career required.
10-26-2014, 03:12 PM
#53
Drifting
Thread Starter
So, it's all cured and the first layup gets a trim and a sand and it's looking about right. The hot tip from the fibreglass guy worked OK but the resin turned the plasticine to mush and it didn't release from the formed glass so well. Left a bit of it behind so this will need a proper clean so the subsequent layers bond properly. Now that I have the shape, the plan is to lay up full sheets of glass front and back to totally enclose the new edge structure to the main body.
10-26-2014, 03:17 PM
#54
Drifting
Thread Starter
I had a trial fit (me in the seat) to get the position of the head rest correct. This is something I couldn't try when shopping for shells so had to just hope that it ended up in the right place. Biggest concern was that the head rest is too far forward and pushes your head forwards - worse with a helmet on. But the end result works great. Compared to my other cars it is in about the same position relative to the back of my head. I can run the posts down the outside of the shell as planned without having to slot them into the back of the shell somehow.
10-26-2014, 03:37 PM
#55
Rennlist Member
Nice work.
Why did you cut the seat back so far, then have unsupported headrest bars? In a custom seat, the headrest should be right down on the seat back. What do I know? I could be completely wrong.
Dave
Why did you cut the seat back so far, then have unsupported headrest bars? In a custom seat, the headrest should be right down on the seat back. What do I know? I could be completely wrong.
Dave
10-26-2014, 07:58 PM
#56
Drifting
Thread Starter
Hi Dave,
I cut the seat back at 60cm high which from what I can see is close to what an ST seat is. The unsupported head rest posts and guides are going to be integrated into the back of the seat as part of the seat structure. The head rests shown clamped in the pictures are running very high just for a look. In the actual finished driving position there will be no more than an inch of post showing
I cut the seat back at 60cm high which from what I can see is close to what an ST seat is. The unsupported head rest posts and guides are going to be integrated into the back of the seat as part of the seat structure. The head rests shown clamped in the pictures are running very high just for a look. In the actual finished driving position there will be no more than an inch of post showing
10-27-2014, 04:36 AM
#57
Drifting
Thread Starter
The mechanism I picked up with the head rests isn't going to work. It is pressed metal and while fine inside a fat Honda seat, it is the wrong profile to fit neatly tucked on the inside of a thin shell fibreglass seat. Plan B required.
I want the head restraints to be fully adjustable and to stay put.
The chrome posts are 10.0mm diameter. I went out and bought some Acetal rod, 16mm OD and 9mm ID. The posts will slide up and down smoothly inside the acetal rod bore - after I bore it out to 10mm.
I've worked out a detent system so that the notches in the post will locate and stop and not move. A simple 10mm ball and spring arrangement. I'll drill a small hole in the side of the main post guide which will let the 10mm ball pop into the bore in the post space by a couple of millimetres. The spring will keep the pressure on the ball and when a notch in the post passes the ball, it should self locate and stay put. That is the plan anyway. Once the acetal rods are bonded to the back of the seat shells I will get a better idea if in fact a detent is needed or if friction is enough. Certainly tweaking the posts apart a bit will provide enough resistance to the head rests falling down over time. It's all a bit experimental.
I want the head restraints to be fully adjustable and to stay put.
The chrome posts are 10.0mm diameter. I went out and bought some Acetal rod, 16mm OD and 9mm ID. The posts will slide up and down smoothly inside the acetal rod bore - after I bore it out to 10mm.
I've worked out a detent system so that the notches in the post will locate and stop and not move. A simple 10mm ball and spring arrangement. I'll drill a small hole in the side of the main post guide which will let the 10mm ball pop into the bore in the post space by a couple of millimetres. The spring will keep the pressure on the ball and when a notch in the post passes the ball, it should self locate and stay put. That is the plan anyway. Once the acetal rods are bonded to the back of the seat shells I will get a better idea if in fact a detent is needed or if friction is enough. Certainly tweaking the posts apart a bit will provide enough resistance to the head rests falling down over time. It's all a bit experimental.
10-27-2014, 03:14 PM
#58
Drifting
Thread Starter
More progress.
I've cut the acetal rod and feathered the ends a bit to make the glass over easy at the bottom. In the end I had to slightly groove the raised contours on the back of the shells to let the acetal in and sit at the right angle relative to the seat back. In the photo they are temporarily wired to the shell and a couple of fibreglass strips tacking them in place. I want to secure the acetal guides to the shell very well and not just rely on the fibreglass wrap to keep them in place in case of a rear ender. I've grooved the acetal and the temporary wire will make way for braided stainless steel wire which will go through drilled holes in the shell and wrap around some contoured aluminium load spreader plates located on the inside of the shell, which will be glassed over themselves. The upholstery will cover all that up and hopefully not be felt as a high point when sitting in them. Next job is to do the full width lay ups where I will lay sheets of glass fibre front and back to totally wrap the entire top half of the seat to make the new rolled edges as one with the larger body.
I'm having early thoughts about the shell back colour. Gloss black is the obvious choice but I'm leaning towards an off white, creamy colour to work in with the brown theme and keep the interior light.
I've cut the acetal rod and feathered the ends a bit to make the glass over easy at the bottom. In the end I had to slightly groove the raised contours on the back of the shells to let the acetal in and sit at the right angle relative to the seat back. In the photo they are temporarily wired to the shell and a couple of fibreglass strips tacking them in place. I want to secure the acetal guides to the shell very well and not just rely on the fibreglass wrap to keep them in place in case of a rear ender. I've grooved the acetal and the temporary wire will make way for braided stainless steel wire which will go through drilled holes in the shell and wrap around some contoured aluminium load spreader plates located on the inside of the shell, which will be glassed over themselves. The upholstery will cover all that up and hopefully not be felt as a high point when sitting in them. Next job is to do the full width lay ups where I will lay sheets of glass fibre front and back to totally wrap the entire top half of the seat to make the new rolled edges as one with the larger body.
I'm having early thoughts about the shell back colour. Gloss black is the obvious choice but I'm leaning towards an off white, creamy colour to work in with the brown theme and keep the interior light.
10-27-2014, 08:56 PM
#60
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Sometimes I wish I'd never started something, this could be one of those things. Looking ahead, the work will be in the final shaping of the outer shell after I've laid up all the layers. I suspect there will be a bit of filling and sanding.
Sometimes I wish I'd never started something, this could be one of those things. Looking ahead, the work will be in the final shaping of the outer shell after I've laid up all the layers. I suspect there will be a bit of filling and sanding.