Seat frame picture please

[Matt]

Hi

Please could somebody post up a picture of a Elan Seat frame (without cover) so I can repair my Elan S4 seats

Its the small wire parts on the frame that I need to repair

Best Wishes

Matt

[types26/36]

Mat,
Rod has pictures on his thread of his S1 seat restoration, I think they will be the same or very similar to you S4 seat frames. (You you may have to scroll down a little)
elan-photos-f18/restoration-0086-unit-3067-t21274-30.html

[ericbushby]

Hello Matt,
I might be able to help. I am just recovering the seats on my S3 and have finished one. The second one is stripped,derusted and painted in primer. It has a different spring arrangement to Rod`s frame. I can take any pictures you want if you think it will be helpful.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE Type 45

[ericbushby]

Matt, I couldn`t get two photos to go on one post. I know, I have done it before.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE Type 45

[l10tus]

Matt, are these any good?

[AHM]

I'm about to rebuild my seats - thanks for the pictures.

So that I can order it before I start - What materials do I need ?

Thanks

[Matt]

What a great response ! Thanks

Could someone please measure the thin outer frame and serpentine springs thickness.

Also if someone had the time, a simple drawing of the thin metal work on the side of the seat frames would be really good, as mines all missing.

Best Wishes

Matt

[rodlittle]

Hi
all those pictures are different from my seat frames so probably theres no point in sending you my pictures, not sure what you mean by the thin outer frame though?
The serpentine springs are 1/8" or 8 gauge wire
Also not sure what you mean by the thin metalwork on the side of the seat frames, Do you mean the seat adjuster mechanism?

rod

[MickG]

Must be the seat refurb season, I've just started mine.
The frames are in good nick so not too many problems on that front.
Simon wrote

So that I can order it before I start - What materials do I need ?

Well I ordered a set of seat covers from Aldridge Trimming have to wait 3 weeks for them to be made.
You will need some new foam. The original looks to be 1 1/4 inch thick although I may go for 1 1/2 inch.
Hog rings and pliers if you don't already have them.
Hessian backing ( ordered from Woolies ) and some of the little drive rivets that hold the back panel on. You may be able to reuse the side fixings by driving out the pins but the four at the base will disappear into the seat frame ( not the 4th dimension) and you cannot get them out.
Oh and some strong fingers apparently.
Regards Mick G

[ericbushby]

Hello Matt,
The springs on the seat on my car seats are 0.148" diameter as is all the seat side framing.
The springs on the back squab are 0.130" diameter but the upright internal frame is 0.195"
and the outer frame piece (by your shoulder is 0.185"). All measurements made on painted parts.
I will take some detail photos tomorrow morning in daylight if you tell me what you need.

AHM.
I am using the kit from Sue Miller. I am finding it difficult to do even with so much of it already pre-assembled. I didnt realise how complicated a layup they were.
I would not like to attempt it from a cover and foam. Best of luck.

I think the kit is far from perfect and I will discuss this if anyone is interested and I will probably give some constructive feedback to Sue when they are finished. The one I have done looks rather good to me but it took a lot of work and thought.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE Type 45

[AHM]

Thanks for the input.

The S4 seats aren't too bad. Just tired foam and a mouse house. So I will be doing a refurb rather than a retrim.

I notice also that there are some thin wire tiesholding things in place at the sides

[MickG]

Simon
Glad to see someone else keeping the mice population warm on these cold winter nights.
I think the wire ties you are refering to are the hog rings I mentioned in my previous post.
PS I think I showed you the damage done by mice to mine when you came over. If not let me know and I will post a few piccies.
Regards Mick G

[jerryh]

Matt

Is it the seat adjuster metalwork you need dimensions of? If so I have a template. The steel plate is 3mm and is fairly easy to replicate only problem I had is the return spring.
Let me know if you want the cardboard template and I'll send it to you, I would try and put it on the forum but I don't think it will be to scale.

Cheers

Jerry

[bloodknock]

Hello Eric
Just been looking at your forum posts on seat refurb. I have an Elan Sprint which is undergoing nut and bolt, and have now got the seats in my sights. I've had the car for 40 years (yes 40) and am now just getting into the detail of restoration. From memory, the side (Thigh) support had been penetrated by a spring from within the seat (I still have the scar) Anyway I want to strip the seats and recover them. I saw your comments about SM covers and am trying to avoid a difficult life. I have seen on ebay covers made by Aldridge Trimming and wondered if you knew of them. Plus if youve done the job you will know the pitfalls and tricks. Any chance you could enlighten me please???
Bob Skerritt

[ericbushby]

Hello Bob,
Sorry, I have no information on Aldridge trimming.
The problems I had with the Sue Miller kit were various and sometimes difficult to understand.
The instructions (with photos) were ambiguous and sometimes contradictary. In places I had to think what they meant rather than what they said. The main layup comes glued together and accurately aligned with guide lines for positioning. This is fastened to the frame by wires pushed through the backing fabric and twisted at the back. I believe my seat covers were original and the wire was 0.95mm diameter. The wires supplied in the kit were 1.8mm diameter and impossible to twist in that situation. Fortunately I found that a standard office paper clip straightened out did the job very well. (dia 0.8mm). I added a few extra ones!.
In places such as the front and side of the seat, the cover is fixed with C clips. I do not think there were enough so I reclaimed some of the old ones.
The part I found most difficult was the top corners of the back. ( by your shoulder ). To achieve the shape I wanted I had to cut some stitching to allow the cover to move forward and add extra foam padding cut very carefully to shape with many attempts.
Being disappointed with my performance. I looked at Elans for sale on ebay and classiccarsforsale to find most of them had the same defect where the cover was actually concave where it should obviously be convex!
So it wasn`t just me then.
Eventually I was pleased with the results but it took considerable effort and care.
I have talked to Sue about this and promised the feedback which I mentioned earlier. Sadly I have still to do this but after this posting I will now do it.
I have spent nearly 60 years at the physical end of electrical engineering and high power electronics so my manipulative skills should be above average and yet I found parts of this job difficult.
I will take pictures if you want but is cold out there just now.
You will need a pair of Hogring pliers but I am not sure which size.
I hope this helps,
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC( asleep In the garage surrounded by mousetraps)