Seat Foaming - question

[dereklola]

I'll be making a new seat with urethane foam this weekend and on this car I will not be able to get it out in one piece.

So do I foam it in one piece then make a vertical cut after it has hardened?
Then cover both halves to use it?
What is best to cut it with - the now infamous 'box cutter'?

Is it best to split on centerline - or offset maybe several inches?

Derek

[Nicholas Belling]

really well block up the seams / crevices of the interior cockipt and anywhere you are planning on pouring the seat before the poor with cardboard.. just so the foam doesnt latch itself adn hook itself to the car upon extraction.. then when you do cut it out go right down the middle on an angle.. it should pull out with some fine cutting on the outside edges..

Then with it out remove all your cardboard.. put the raw seat in and start finessing with using foam padding like on rollbar padding. and taping wedges on the foam directly. to help make the seat a nice tight wedge when inserted together.. Holds the seat together very well from where the seam was cut down the middle.. finally wrap the entire seat with hockey tape or another cloth like tape.. then spray the entire seat down with a fireretardent spray.. and voila a good seat is made.. and anytime you want to add to it or change it pull tape back.. and pour in that area with a bag and cut/sand excess foam..

[lancer360]

I have an appointment to get a bead seat made on Monday, but from what I have gathered, you do not want a split going vertical down your spine. I figure the best way to cut it is from roughly from left or right shoulder down to the opposite hip and don't cut it with the blade straight. Lay the blade over on its side at about 45 degrees so the pieces overlap each other when they are installed. Then wrap the pieces individually, preferably in a fire retardant cloth.

Edit: Whoops Nicholas beat me to it.

[dereklola]

Nicholas - what sort of fire-resistant spray do you mean? Does this help to keep the adhesive on the tape rather than on your suit?

Lansing - if you cut diagonally like you say isn't the upper piece going to be somewhat loose in use?

Thx anyhow for both your info. I have done it before (in different cars) but never had to split it to get it out.

[cooleyjb]

The answer is "it depends"

I've seen the seats poured by the guru at Bald Spot Sports with a Cut down the middle, A cut at just the shoulder, no cut, 2 cuts with a center section that removes.


The biggest key to a 2 part foam is prep. Since it is liquid it will run to the bottom and work it's way into the crevices that aren't covered. Spend 25% more time on the covering up of the crevices than you think. It will make your life a lot easier in the long run.

As for the cut the most common that I've seen used is an angled cut that goes from a left shoulder to right hip or vice versa. Use a 45 degree angle like the other talk about and when you get the seat back in the car it will be held in place by your body.

As for covering it you can use a number of fabrics. Nomex is nice but remember that this is between you and the fuel cell. If the seat is on fire you're in trouble. Cotton is a perfectly usable alternative as well that is much cheaper.

[lancer360]

I'm not sure if the top would be loose or not as I haven't tried it yet. Another member here had suggested it, but I can see what you are talking about. Maybe make the cut vertical like Nicholas suggests, but slightly off to one side (1/3 and 2/3) or the other so the cut isn't right under your spine. The reason for not having the cut under the spine is that in a wreck if the seam opens up your spine still says supported (in theory at least).

I think I will probably put a couple of small pieces of Velcro behind mine just to make sure it doesn't shift around when I get in or out of the car.

[cooleyjb]

I'm not sure if the top would be loose or not as I haven't tried it yet. Another member here had suggested it, but I can see what you are talking about. Maybe make the cut vertical like Nicholas suggests, but slightly off to one side (1/3 and 2/3) or the other so the cut isn't right under your spine. The reason for not having the cut under the spine is that in a wreck if the seam opens up your spine still says supported (in theory at least).

I think I will probably put a couple of small pieces of Velcro behind mine just to make sure it doesn't shift around when I get in or out of the car.

I have one of the Bald Spot's seats that tehy were throwing away down stairs I'll take a pic. It came out of a vintage car though so they only had to cut a shoulder out but the direction and style of cut is similar.

[dereklola]

"it depends" - just like life!

Cooley - I'll go to bed thinking about where to cut and probably not be able to sleep - good points you make though. Thx. I agree with your thoughts on where the fire might be and the dubious advantages of nomex in this case. On my current car, because the foam pad is about 4" thick (long story) I found a Chevette seat cover from Pep Boys worked almost perfectly - just minor sewing mods - has a Mexican blanket look - lots of comments - pity I can't see it when I'm driving!

[cooleyjb]

This seat was in a vintage FF so all it needed was the small shoulder cut so it could get out from under the upper longitudinal tube of the frame. New cars aren't as easy to deal with unfortunately.

[cooleyjb]

As for covers I'm gonna have to run down to JoAnn fabrics and get some gaudy day-glo pink zebra striped fabric.