In a message dated 8/10/02 1:55:37 PM, thistle_3619@yahoo.com writes:
<< Wow, Just completed making the biggest and most cost
effective improvement to my driving comfort with Bugsy
my '68 Sprite that I could possibly make. No it wasn't
new shocks, sway bar, or tires. It was replacing the
driver's seat rubber diaphram and the bottom seat
foam. Not tough to do and boy does it make a
difference. I was sitting so low in the car that at
times I'd have to look through the steering wheel.
Every bump was translated into a major jolt to my
tailbone. Hey the diaphram is only $16.95 in the VB
book and I heartily endorse making the change. Seat
foam is a little pricey but I had one that came with
Bugsy. After making the change the top of my head is
even with the top of the windscreen, probably a 6"
raise in height and the shocks don't seem so bad any
more.
Hey here's a tip if you attempt this. Undoubtedly when
you remove the old seatcover the back of the
seatcover, where it attaches to the back of the seat
will be all rotted out. The old seatcover was glued to
the old foam so thats what has kept the foam from
slipping for all of these years. You'll be able to
remove the clips on all three sides of the seat bottom
but the fabric in the back will be rotten. You need a
way to fasten securely the back of the seatcover or it
will simply slide forward and look real ugly. I went
down to the local fabric store and got 1/2 yard of
heavy black vinyl with a fairly good lining. I pulled
the old seat cover off and cut a piece of vinyl to go
underneath the seatcover seat area and also long
enough in back to go down and under the round seat
rails. I used liberal amounts of contact cement to
glue the piece of vinyl to the underside of the
seatcover. After a few minutes glue was dry and I was
now able to stretch the seat cover and fasten the
clips on all four sides. Hope this one helps.
>>
That is really clever, Jim. I agree that those seat diaphragms are worth
their weight in gold. Unfortunately, they do tear out eventually. The PO
had the seats for our AN8 reupholstered professionally, and he really did a
number on them. No springs, no diaphragm, crudely cut cushions, and a
upholstery job that appears to be okay but somehow seems "crummy". I may
just have to start them from scratch--too bad. I still am running the
original vinyl seats and cushions from the (new then) 1967 in the bugeye. We
did do the diaphragms in 1996, but the cushions and seat covers looked and
felt fine, so I cleaned them up and put them back. Pretty incredible. Maybe
that's what you get for conscientious use of the tonneau cover. Until we
started showing it, it never got left out in the sun without the tonneau.
I really like the "match and glue" patch for the seat cover. That fix won't
show, and should last a long time. Incidentally, if you ever want to stop a
rip, make a circular hole at the end of it. The strain will be taken up and
it won't rip any further--try it.
Annice & Bob
1960 Bugeye (Mk. IV in disguise)
1966 Sprite Mk. III (Still in Boxes)
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