luukkala Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Hi fellow TR drivers, I'm currently rebuilding TR6 seats and they are now completely stripped and ready for soda blasting and painting. RH seat needs bit welding as visible in picture. Just wondering are there improvements for the frames I should consider prior to repainting, like strenghtening the structure/frames by welding additonal support elements, etc? I just want to make sure the frames are top condition (or even better than originals) before moving to next step i.e. installing diaphrams, webbings, foams and new covers. My car is just normal (summer) daily driver. Furthermore, given the climate in Finland, I'm thinking of installing seat heating elements as well to increase driving comfort for early spring and late autumn temperatures. Is that doable without changing alternator or making any other changes on the electrics? Any other hints or advices? Just reply Cheers, Tommi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WWT338J Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Tommi You might want to consider MX5 seats. They are a lot more comfortable than the original seats. I put heating elements into mine and would definitely do the same thing again. I can recommend the mounting brackets TR Trader sells because they make installation very easy. Are you running PI or carbs? If PI are you running a Bosch pump? If so then you probably need to upgrade the alternator if you also want heated seats. My seats draw about 8 amps (2) on the high setting. If you add 10 amps for the Bosch pump then you have little room to spare with headlights, heater fan etc. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luukkala Posted January 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Hi David, I have a "UK" version and running on PI with Bosch pump. The seat frames are US model seats and I'm going for them due to high head rest and originality. I did consider MX5 seats, but decided otherwise...now foams and covers already ordered. I have electric fan as well thus I need to double check the alternator capacity in case I'd go for heated seats, which is tempting thought at the moment. -tommi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Tommi-- This is for a different year TR6, but much of it should apply, including the seat heaters. My heaters will add up to 10 Amps load. I wanted to stay with the stock alternator, so I tried to partially offset the increased load by installing LED lamps. http://bullfire.net/TR6/TR6-56/TR6-56.html Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luukkala Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hi Ed, Well documented project, thanks for sharing the link. -tommi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Bracher Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hello Tommi! Thinking of doing the same both rebuild-wise and seat heaters-wise. Did you make any discoveries on the quality/best place for seat foam/cushions/diaphragms etc?? The prices are high, so want to be sure I only ever do it once!! I found an MX5 site with what appear to be a decent seat heater upgrade kit for (from memory) about £80. May invest the extra while the seats are in bits!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luukkala Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hi John, I ordered the whole lot from John Skinner. To me this was easier given only one international shipment/delivery rather than collecting the bits and pieces from here and there. Price level seems to be on a high side everywhere. Available seat heater modules do range between 80-180€ per unit. This is the price level here up north where heated seats is a standard feature. -tommi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheeler Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hi Tommi You may find this helpful when you come to reupholster the seats http://www.buckeyetriumphs.org/technical/Seats/ReupholsteringSeats.htm Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luukkala Posted January 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Thanks Bill! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
astontr6 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Hi Tommi, I rebuilt my seats in 2001 and after 15 years use I noticed that the base cushions are going soft again. If I do this job again I would go for MX5 seats as they are more comfortable and give more support to my bum! When I re-furbed mine. I found that the metal work needed a lot of welding on the frame brackets and back support tubing. The passenger seat for instance needed 15 welds due to broken welds! Therefore check these areas very carefully. Also I had to weld up some the diaphragm clip holes as they had gone oval and the metal was very thin near the edge, then re-drill to original position. It was a much bigger job than I originally thought in time and expense. Alternator size? 30 to 40 years ago, it was considered by Lucas Electrical Fitting Dealers that the minimum size was an 18ACR rated at 45amps for a PI saloon or TR6. I have run that size from new! But the recommended size now is a 20 ACR rated a 55 to 65 amps? as per How to improve your TR5/6 by the late Roger Williams. The original size 15 ACR was just a bit better than the C40 dynamo? The US versions of the TR6s always got the bigger alternators 17 or 18ACR. IF you fit an 18ACR the tone of the fuel pump is much more constant. Bruce. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Bracher Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 Hi Tommi Thanks for the reply. My seats were recovered by John Skinner while the car belonged to the PO. Nice work and still in good order. Anyone else had any good (or bad) experience with seat foams/diaphragms etc?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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