Project Shrek: Sport seat transformation
06-06-2010, 04:18 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Project Shrek: Sport seat transformation
The idea is rather simple. I want full electric sport seats, with heating and lumbar support.
The challenge is, these are impossible to find (if they existed at all).
I have a pair of perfect full black leather sport seats, with leather on the backs and sides as well, and I found a pair of (mismatched) full elecric heated 993 confort seats.
So, how hard can that be? Not very, but time consuming. The difference between std and sportseats frames is only 2 tubular steel extensions welded to the sides of the std seat frames, and of course specific foam and covers. But since I have "donor" sport seats, it will only take making and welding the brackets to the comfort seat frames.
The heating is another challenge since I have to remove the leather from the center cushion of the backrest to insert the heating element between the leather and the foam. After consultation with a few upholsterers, it seems the heating pad does not have to be immediately under the leather, sparing the effort of removig the stitching patern on the center cushions.
To finish the prep for the backrests only, the 3 electric motors (1 recline and 2 for the lumbar support) are in the headrest, necessitatig a re-shape of the headrest foam to match the one in the confort seat.
A few pics:
The challenge is, these are impossible to find (if they existed at all).
I have a pair of perfect full black leather sport seats, with leather on the backs and sides as well, and I found a pair of (mismatched) full elecric heated 993 confort seats.
So, how hard can that be? Not very, but time consuming. The difference between std and sportseats frames is only 2 tubular steel extensions welded to the sides of the std seat frames, and of course specific foam and covers. But since I have "donor" sport seats, it will only take making and welding the brackets to the comfort seat frames.
The heating is another challenge since I have to remove the leather from the center cushion of the backrest to insert the heating element between the leather and the foam. After consultation with a few upholsterers, it seems the heating pad does not have to be immediately under the leather, sparing the effort of removig the stitching patern on the center cushions.
To finish the prep for the backrests only, the 3 electric motors (1 recline and 2 for the lumbar support) are in the headrest, necessitatig a re-shape of the headrest foam to match the one in the confort seat.
A few pics:
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
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Tom Sawyer (12-13-2021)
06-07-2010, 01:43 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Today's work:
The backrest heating pad is easy enough. I only needed to remove the staples on one side, then place the heating pad between the foam core and the leaher/thin liner. I attached it with a few stitches, and then re-stapled the leather to the foam.
The "sport braces" are made of 10mm round steel rod. Takes some ingenuity to make correct enough bends, but nothing that can't be overcome with a bench vise, some steel tubing and a BFH.
The backrest heating pad is easy enough. I only needed to remove the staples on one side, then place the heating pad between the foam core and the leaher/thin liner. I attached it with a few stitches, and then re-stapled the leather to the foam.
The "sport braces" are made of 10mm round steel rod. Takes some ingenuity to make correct enough bends, but nothing that can't be overcome with a bench vise, some steel tubing and a BFH.
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
06-15-2010, 02:04 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Going forward, if slowly.
Got the seatbacks back from the workshop (actually done as a favor). Some primer is drying before the black paint. Original is already black.
Got the seatbacks back from the workshop (actually done as a favor). Some primer is drying before the black paint. Original is already black.
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
06-15-2010, 03:36 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
George, Supercool, can You do mine at the same time 
... Just got an offer from my tailor today, 800 € each to get them like new again ....they still are in my office at home, Stage: pending.
... Just got an offer from my tailor today, 800 € each to get them like new again ....they still are in my office at home, Stage: pending.
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06-15-2010, 04:33 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
Wow! I didn't realise that the motors were in the headrest!
PS. What adjustment differences are there between 4 (2 controls), 8 (2 controls) and 12-way (3 controls) seats?
PS. What adjustment differences are there between 4 (2 controls), 8 (2 controls) and 12-way (3 controls) seats?
06-19-2010, 07:16 AM
#10
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Here are some measures for the braces. The bottom brace height is 7cm (not readable on the picture), and it is 30cm long on the inner side
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
07-05-2010, 01:24 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Back to life.
Got the seatbases welded today. It is so warm today that the primer and paint dry at warp speed.
Which is the original, which is the modified?
Got the seatbases welded today. It is so warm today that the primer and paint dry at warp speed.
Which is the original, which is the modified?
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
08-06-2010, 05:27 PM
#14
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Thread Starter
The driver seat is DONE!
The advantage of doing this myself is that I could custom fit the cushions based on the time I spent in the passenger set (yes my wife drives it).
For this one, I made the bottom 1 cm lower, and reshaped the bottom side bolsters, from convex to concave. I have always had trouble with nerve compression just below my greater trochanter on the right side. I thus created a shape closer to my thigh outline to reduce spot pressure. We'll see if it works. one can see on the pic that the side bolsters are concave, not convex.
Lowering the bottom also helped with another issue: the junction between the center cushion and the headrest is touching my cervico-dorsal junction.This is not an issue on the pax side since I can move the backrest more than if I was driving. On the driver side I thinned the foam of the headrest's lower part. That and the lowered bottom moved the potential trouble spot out of the equation.
As they say, the proof is in the driving, so I'll fit it next week and discover if I am successfu (hint: I did that in my former C3 and it worked very well, albeit in an early sport seat).
The advantage of doing this myself is that I could custom fit the cushions based on the time I spent in the passenger set (yes my wife drives it).
For this one, I made the bottom 1 cm lower, and reshaped the bottom side bolsters, from convex to concave. I have always had trouble with nerve compression just below my greater trochanter on the right side. I thus created a shape closer to my thigh outline to reduce spot pressure. We'll see if it works. one can see on the pic that the side bolsters are concave, not convex.
Lowering the bottom also helped with another issue: the junction between the center cushion and the headrest is touching my cervico-dorsal junction.This is not an issue on the pax side since I can move the backrest more than if I was driving. On the driver side I thinned the foam of the headrest's lower part. That and the lowered bottom moved the potential trouble spot out of the equation.
As they say, the proof is in the driving, so I'll fit it next week and discover if I am successfu (hint: I did that in my former C3 and it worked very well, albeit in an early sport seat).
Last edited by GeorgeK; 12-11-2014 at 02:44 AM.
08-06-2010, 10:40 PM
#15
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Outstanding job George! I've said many times in the past, you're pretty good with your hands.
I found a really nice set of RSA seats to put in my C4, but they are sitting in Dave C.'s house in Dayton waiting for a pickup (I can't seem to get him to deliver them to me
)
I found a really nice set of RSA seats to put in my C4, but they are sitting in Dave C.'s house in Dayton waiting for a pickup (I can't seem to get him to deliver them to me
)