Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 The drivers seat foam is starting to (literally) fall out in the form of orange lumpy dust, no sooner have i hoovered it up but it back, so I guess I need to replace it. The seats have recently had new leather covers (why oh why did he not also replace the foam) so I don't want to just swap them etc. Have seen foam kits for sale (seems expensive given what it is) but I guess I have no other option, so, how hard is it to remove the seats and once out, how do i go about replacing whats left of the old foam. Many thanks in advance K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Hi Kerry, stripping the seats down is easy. Check the frame for cracks and weld/repair. Fitting the foam is easy. If you have never fitted the covers before then it could be very hard to impossible; or if you have the knack - easy. I did my 4A in the 90's and was very impressed by the result. Over the last winter I made a dogs breakfast of the TR4 seats and they are now with a trimmer to sort out. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Thanks Roger, do i need to get under the car to unbolt seats or are they bolted into captive nuts? Out of interest what is your chap charging to retrim? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Seats unbolt from inside the car, just two hinge bolts at the front of each seat Kerry, super easy job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 FANTASTIC - last time i did this it was on a Morgan (sadly now gone) four impossible to get at bolts, four nuts that turned under the car. Thankfully my friendly local garage helped but even with two people and a ramp took almost an hour. So just need to order the foam and have a go I guess :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Hi Kerry, I am using Moto-Build in Egham Surrey. I've heard good things about them so it should be interesting to see what appears. They are not cheap but I haven't the time. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cubehopper Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 (edited) Hi Kerry, Reasonably straightforward job,as you rightly say the foam kits are expensive,but are the right shape and easy enough to fit. Good description of the procedure on the Buckeyetriumphs.org website. You may also need to replace the diaphragms. Take your time and you`ll get a good result and a lot of satisfaction from the job. Also a good article on retrimming seats on the victoriabritish.com website Dave Edited August 12, 2016 by cubehopper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Thanks Dave, had not seen Buckeyetriumphs.org, lots of very useful info so can see that will come in handy again. Good advice re diaphragms, be annoying to have everything out and apart only to find the old ones are no good, may as well order some at the same time. Thanks again to all :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3739 Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Hi Kerry If you plan on keeping the car for a good while & doing long journey's replace with Mazda MX5 seats. Best ones are with removalable headrests. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MX-5-EUNOS-MK1-PAIR-OF-VELOUR-SEATS-WITH-RUNNERS-HEADRESTS-/272328676445?hash=item3f680dd45d:g:fKIAAOSw3xJXoPAi Cheers Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 (edited) Thanks but part of the charm of (any) old car is not just the way it looks but also the period experience you get from driving, both the good and the bad. Putting MX6 sats in is like putting UPVC window in a Georgian house in my opinion. But each to their own, thats also what is so nice about 'classic cars' :-) Edited August 12, 2016 by Kerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Hi Kerry If you plan on keeping the car for a good while & doing long journey's replace with Mazda MX5 seats. Best ones are with removalable headrests. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MX-5-EUNOS-MK1-PAIR-OF-VELOUR-SEATS-WITH-RUNNERS-HEADRESTS-/272328676445?hash=item3f680dd45d:g:fKIAAOSw3xJXoPAi Cheers Mike Thanks but part of the charm of (any) old car is not just the way it looks but also the period experience you get from driving, both the good and the bad. Putting MX6 sats in is like putting UPVC window in a Georgian house in my opinion. But each to their own, thats also what is so nice about 'classic cars' :-) That told you Mr Bling . Kerry, Stick with the original seats. After all, Triumph sort of new what they were doing.......... Cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Do hope "Mr Bling' did not take that the wrong way, as I said each to their own, I have a very comfortable car if thats what I want, the TR is more a horse hair and birch twig experience, I blame the Nuns ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Hi Kerry If you plan on keeping the car for a good while & doing long journey's replace with Mazda MX5 seats. Best ones are with removalable headrests. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MX-5-EUNOS-MK1-PAIR-OF-VELOUR-SEATS-WITH-RUNNERS-HEADRESTS-/272328676445?hash=item3f680dd45d:g:fKIAAOSw3xJXoPAi Cheers Mike With you on that one Mike, still got the originals in the garage though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nibbo Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 I have just used Newton Commercial who are about 1/2 a mile from me and they have done a brilliant job....I purchased the foam and new seat covers from TRShop and guess what NC said that they supply TRShop...DOHHH....ah well live and learn.....at least they new the kits lol Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cubehopper Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 I`m with you on the original seats Kerry,once rebuilt they are very comfy plus they don`t look that they have been shoehorned into a too small space as the mx5 seats do.Obviously there is an increased cost over the mx5 seats,but I think its a price worth paying to retain the originality. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 +1 Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Ps. My comfortable seats, wont be moving them over either - they have their separate 60 amp system more or less just for them Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alan57 Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 (edited) It is not too difficult to sculpt the right sort of foam to replace perished seat foam - I did 2 seat back for around £20 - somewhat less than the foam kits!!! Edited August 12, 2016 by alan57 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 It is not too difficult to sculpt the right sort of foam to replace perished seat foam - I did 2 seat back for around £20 - somewhat less than the foam kits!!! Give you £40 to do mine, thats a 100% margin :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ShaunC Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Got my parts from http://www.john-skinner.co.uk Fitting the covers isn't easy until you realise you need to be bruttle to get them pulled nice and tight. I refurbished a set of early US seats with tipping headrests which are quite comfortable! I've put the originals to one side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rog1 Posted August 12, 2016 Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 Got my foam from James Paddock, as they seemed very reasonable price wise. Bought one set first and was very pleased with the result, so got another for the other seat. Regards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2016 (edited) Rog, have been using James Paddock for years, had no idea they also did TR stuff (used them for old Land Rover stuff) - cant imagine they make it in house yet just looked and they are cheaper then many so called TR specialists - thanks for that though notice the part number SFK2023 is identical to Newton Commercial - who I was told make it yet charge more - confused Edited August 12, 2016 by Kerry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
roy53 Posted August 14, 2016 Report Share Posted August 14, 2016 Kerry taking them to Alan in france may put the costs up . Always rewarding when you do it yourself. [ and get it right ] Roy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kerry Posted August 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2016 ha ha, that reminds me of my very first eBay sale, many years ago. Had an old but working photo copier, put it on eBay and it sold for around £40! - what I did not think to do was check the delivery cost, I just guessed at £10 - ie about £40 less than it cost me, so in reality I paid £10 to give it away. A France is quite appealing by comparison Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted August 14, 2016 Report Share Posted August 14, 2016 The drivers seat foam is starting to (literally) fall out in the form of orange lumpy dust, no sooner have i hoovered it up but it back, so I guess I need to replace it. The seats have recently had new leather covers (why oh why did he not also replace the foam) so I don't want to just swap them etc. Have seen foam kits for sale (seems expensive given what it is) but I guess I have no other option, so, how hard is it to remove the seats and once out, how do i go about replacing whats left of the old foam. Many thanks in advance K Refurbishing seats is not the simplest thing you'll do to a TR, but it's within the scope of a competent DIYer. There are a few online guides. Here is an outline with quite a few pictures of my seat rebuild: http://bullfire.net/TR6/TR6-56/TR6-56.html Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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