The foam used in most parts of the Spit seats is quite hard so that it
retains its shape. Upholstery shops typically use "Loaded Foam" that is not
available in the usual places you and I might look.
I am not sure if all the usual suspects sell the same upholstery kits, but I
have to say that the Herringbone covers I got from BPNW are quite good and
have been on my red Spit over 10 years and still look as good a new.
Finally, I suspect that a flat tonneau will be too tight on your seats
unless you remove the headrests entirely. That brings to mind that I think
that certain European models have seats that were identical to the later US
ones but sans headrests. They might also be non-reclining. So there is a
possibility that you can get those covers and not have the hole at the top
that the headrest goes through. That would certainly allow a flat tonneau
to work OK.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: spitfires-bounces+spitlist=cox.net@autox.team.net
[mailto:spitfires-bounces+spitlist=cox.net@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
Kevin Rhodes
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 10:15 PM
To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: [Spits] Upholstery quality? And Tonneau question
End of last season, the driver's seat frame finally broke under my
excess girth, so I had to pull the upholstery off. I redid the seats
with new everything about 10 years ago, using materials from Victoria
British. I was never particularly happy with the quality of the
materials, and taking the seat apart has pretty well made me decide
that it is time to do it over again - the seat foams are in a pretty
terrible state, and the cardboard parts of the seat covers have
disintegrated. Does anyone have any opinions as to who has the best
quality foams and covers? Or do all the places pretty much sell the
same stuff and just get it where it is cheapest/most convenient?
Given the crummy quality and ridiculous price of the foams, I am
tempted to try making my own from bulk foam.
Luckily, I still had the driver's seat from the Spitfire I parted out
years ago, so that went in for the time being. Not great, but the
worst of it is hidden with the top down. And my butt covers the rest!
Lastly, I really need a new tonneau cover. Is it really necessary to
get the one with headrest pockets that is listed for my car? I have
'74 seats with the tiny headrests that don't even go up into them.
Seems like a flat one would be tidier, and they are a bit cheaper.
Hard to believe, but I bought Freddy 12 years ago this July, on my
birthday. One of us is getting old.... ;-)
Kevin Rhodes
Westbrook, Maine
Spitfires@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/spitfires
http://www.team.net/archive
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