Technical How many are running Original Seat Frames?

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Ive been making tube hoops the same shape as the top seat coil spring retainers. I then use legs to suspend it from the wood base to the same height as the top coil spring retainers. Then it gets Zig Zag springs which does not take up any verticle room at all. That can then be upholstered using the same seat upholstry but is very stout. More zig zags stiffens the load. Make since?

 

When I redo the interior in my 37 Chevy p/u I am going to look into doing something with the springs,it has the coil springs in it and I can bottom them out. Due to the small cab I just cant add more padding or my head will be in the ceiling and gut into the steering wheel,I originally put too much foam in the seat and had to cut it down when I was too close to the steering wheel.

 

Stock 34 Ford seat, how can I lower the bottom seat so that you don't sit so high? Can you tie all the springs or what is the process?

 

So you make hoops on the sides and run the zig zag springs across?

 

I build the top hoop the same shape as the top of your bottom seat cushion.Then suspend it up the same height as the coil springs. I then attach the zig zags front to rear.

 

This is where the aftermarket seats like I make come into play... The olny way to do it and still have some compression with coil springs is to get heavier shorter coil spring. Or go with the zig zag option. The time spent finding shorter coils that have the right weight rate is really just a good guess or some would call it a shot in the dark that its going to be right. For channeled and sectioned cars I would go with an aftermarket frame or build something like in the prior post..

 

i've seen so many bad bucket installs it makes me want to puke! stock seats for me. after all the factory spent alot of money making the seats fit right.

 

Regarding firmer seats. No-sags come in different gauges. Thicker for seats, thinner for backs. The closer you put the rows, the firmer the seat. Tying the rows together with jute twine makes them firmer as they act as a group as opposed to independent. The more ties or cross springs, the firmer.

Coils also come in different gauges. Taller coils pulled down lower when tying increases firmness. Four way tie= softer, six way= firmer and eight way tie makes the firmest seat. The centers of coils can be packed with cotton to firm them up. Not the perfect way, but works if you need to firm up a shorter spring.


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1oldtimer, Check with your local upholstery shop (car or furniture) They should have a catalog from the supplier they buy from regarding spring repair parts.
Coil or zig-zag and attachments are very similar between furniture and cars. I purchased from B&A Supply in Atlanta, Ga. Once you find a supplier, visit with them. You will be surprised what is available and how knowledgeable these supply people are.
In a good many cases you may have to establish a cash account or have your local "Upholstery Guy" order parts for you............... Jeff

 

I used the original bench seat in a chopped 34 three window that I built years ago and sold just recently. The seat was comfortable and absorbed a lot of the bumps to help out the buggy spring suspension. It also looked good and even at 6 feet tall, I could fit in the four inch chopped coupe just fine.

 

So what is the biggest disadvantage of running stock seats?

 

took my 40 to a shop recently because the seat is mushy. the shop wants to take the springs out, put in a plywood base with foam. not sure if this is the way to go. any ideas?

 

I hope an upholstry GURU jumps in to help with this one. As a frame builder lt will work as most of the bucket T's are done this way but you might want to check around and see if there is someone that will rebuild it with the spring. My guess is you will be buch happier with some give under the foam? Believe me if the current car manufactures could get by with just foam and no springs that would be all you would see in the vehicles now. Just my 2 cents worth. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

I'm still looking for a split bench seat for a 63 catalina


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$0 Standard, Have someone lace your existing springs together. Once they are tied together and are all the same height (replace broken springs) have the top of the springs covered with good quality burlap. You can then use foam on top of the burlap to regain original seat height. You can use 1 layer of high density foam and glue a second layer of low density foam laminated to the first layer. Once your final upholstery is add you might be surprised how good it will ride.......
You will have the best of both worlds (springs and foam).......... Jeff

 

(Opinion)
Guessing that all the springs are still there and is mushy because they are no longer tied together. I'd save it if possible.
Most likely the shop is not familiar with hand tying springs. Face it, this is old stuff and not many younger people have learned it. This would be considered a specialty as not many later cars are running around with them.

I KNOW that a piece of foam can not give you what a coil spring gives you.

Why? Well if you took the seat apart and looked at an individual coil spring from your seat, it would still work as a coil spring should when you attempt to press it down. It is probably 70+ years old and still works.

A piece of foam will begin to break down in the first 5 years, but still work for the most part. After 10-15 years it is really starting to lose its rebounding quality. Even in new cars the foam is over a spring of some sort and the spring provides the majority of the rebound.

 

What kind of twine is used to tie the springs, like in the picture of the A seat you posted earlier?

Great thread so far, lots of info.

 

thanks for the answers guys. I'll take the 40 to another shop in town and see what they say

 

A "ball" of Jute spring twine. usually sold by the lb.


Here is a 30 Ford original rear tudor seat.

From the factory, small metal clips were used to "tie" the springs together.
The wire around the perimeter that all the springs are clipped to is the "edge wire". I remove the clips, straighten the edge wire and re-clamp the springs to the wire.


I start with tying the springs around the perimeter to control the shape and height of the edge wire. The 2 ties on the front springs pulls them down more to make a firmer edge and some shape to the seat.


Cross ties fron the top.


The seat entirely tied 4 ways. Wrapped in burlap and stitched.

 

Great thread...Much data to use! Thanks, guys.

 

The stitching part is so the burlap doesn't move? and is there a way to stitch it or just catch the coils across?

So you kinda of make a seat frame to go into the stock wooden frame.

 

exactly...

 

I've got the originals and plan on keeping them. Would like to get the seat lower (cut springs?) when I redo the interior. After driving all weekend, I also need to move the seat brackets back 4"-5". Man, people must have been a lot shorter in '37.

 

"The stitching part is so the burlap doesn't move? and is there a way to stitch it or just catch the coils across?"

Exactly. The next thing that will go on is a thin dense padding, then cotton in this case.
You want your platform to support this padding so that it dos not "sink" into the spaces between the coils over time. The network of jute twine helps make the spaces smaller. Then the burlap covers those spaces. So the burlap must be well supported and held in place.

In this case, the burlap was tacked to the base, stitched. Then the padding, layers of cotton which were laid in certain sizes to create a shape to the seat, cotton around the "band" of the seat and then covered in muslin. If everything goes right, the seat should be almost perfect in muslin so that the cover is not being stretched to create the shape of the seat. That is what the muslin is for.


There is a special stitch and my hands just know how to do it with my brain turned off
Maybe I can make a diagram to show you. It is an important stitch used in many places during the process.
BTW, that pile sitting on the back of the car is the crap that came off the old seat.

 

Don't do it. In my 36 5W.I had a shop(furniture uph) remove the orig spring because it was mushy and put in solid foam under the old Mohair covers.What a mistake.They guy couldn't get it shaped right and at each end next to the door its started sagging.Luckily I saved the orig spring and later found a car uph guy that re tied the springs and then he put on new covers and cotton padding.I'm happy now.BTW those covers are from LeBaron Bonney in MA.The door panels we made from 1/8" ext marine grade ply so no warpage when it gets damp.

 

Good for you Deuce Lover. That looks perfect. To get that shape, springs, edge wire are the way to go.

 

PS Here is what the old Mohair looked like

 

I'm finishing up a 36 Chevy 5W and my original seat is all upholstered and ready to go. Waiting on color sanding and buffing, then the seat goes in.
Can't wait.

 

crminal, Thanks for adding so much more to this thread. I think a lot of people will start to consider rebuilding their springs saving the original seats.
I am so glad that you supplied pictures with your instructions. I guess I am to darn old to figure out how to post pictures properly. Good Job and Thanks, Jeff

 

My pleasure, it's what makes this place tick. I've gotten so much from this community, I'm happy to share.