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Author: Subject: Expanding Foam Seats, any pics?
NS Dev

posted on 22/3/05 at 01:15 PM Reply With Quote
Expanding Foam Seats, any pics?

Has anybody got any pics of homemade expanding foam seats?

If so can they post them so I can have a look.

Cheers!

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timf

posted on 22/3/05 at 01:54 PM Reply With Quote
some details here
in the feb 2005 diary area

with some piccys

he didn't seem taken by the stuff

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bccox18

posted on 22/3/05 at 02:05 PM Reply With Quote
This any good!?


[Edited on 22/3/05 by bccox18] - Bloody pictures!!

Here

Or Here

[Edited on 22/3/05 by bccox18]

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timf

posted on 22/3/05 at 02:14 PM Reply With Quote
with lots of work he ended up with this


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locoboy

posted on 22/3/05 at 03:20 PM Reply With Quote
It it really worth the effort?





ATB
Locoboy

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bccox18

posted on 22/3/05 at 04:28 PM Reply With Quote
Its really depends on what your looking for.

I've got a Tiger Cat and as is the Tiger way, you cant bloody fit any "normal" seats (well, without mods), particulary shell type ones, due to the 'Pigs Ear' sections for the rear suspension

I wanted something comfortable, but not pricey .

The expanding foam seats fit the bill perfectly. Very comfortable over long journeys as perfectly moulded to my backside, easy to make and cost about a tenner!

The only downside is that they dont look too pretty, but my cars no show queen so not a problem really!!

Bob

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MikeR

posted on 22/3/05 at 05:14 PM Reply With Quote
NS Dev - this is the way i'm going. I should have at home some web sites showing how they are made. Ben Marriott and Martin also have foam seats. Ben should be at the next Locost Midlands meeting. Fromt what I've seen, covered in black gaffer tape they look ok and are damed comfy once you've got the hang of making them.

This thread has been covered before - try a search, it should turn some stuff up.

oh, get your foam from a boat builder / GRP suppiler not from a motorsport company its 200% cheaper.

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viatron

posted on 22/3/05 at 07:55 PM Reply With Quote
Cat Seats

Bob,
Do you post on the Tiger Owners Club forum? I think someone there had a set of second hand Tiger seats (with the pig ear cutout) for sale, if not post in the wanted section.

Mac
Viatron

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NS Dev

posted on 23/3/05 at 08:56 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
NS Dev - this is the way i'm going. I should have at home some web sites showing how they are made. Ben Marriott and Martin also have foam seats. Ben should be at the next Locost Midlands meeting. Fromt what I've seen, covered in black gaffer tape they look ok and are damed comfy once you've got the hang of making them.

This thread has been covered before - try a search, it should turn some stuff up.

oh, get your foam from a boat builder / GRP suppiler not from a motorsport company its 200% cheaper.


These few answers hit the nail on the head! having had quite a bit of experience with seats (mate runs a leading kit car company) in varius forms, I know how tricky it is to get one that fits the bill perfectly.

I am NOT going to spend £160 on seats that don't fit but look okish, when I can spend £20 on seats that look a bit dubious but fit perfectly. I considered buying the £160 shell seats, then foam filling them around me to get the best of both worlds, but I think I will just go for the foam, same as MikeR et al.

Oh yes, the 2 pack foam from CFS fibreglass supplies is £16 for 5 Kg, and I checked with them and you can apply polyester resin over the foam when it has cured, so there is no reason that you can't apply a layer of resin and matting, and then paint on a layer of gelcoat "topcoat", which apparently gives a reasonable finish without having to make a mould.

[Edited on 23/3/05 by NS Dev]

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clbarclay

posted on 23/3/05 at 09:14 AM Reply With Quote
Can you cover expanding foam seats in anything other than gaffer tape?






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bccox18

posted on 23/3/05 at 10:41 AM Reply With Quote
Mac (Viatron) - You have U2U

Bob

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NS Dev

posted on 23/3/05 at 01:23 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by clbarclay
Can you cover expanding foam seats in anything other than gaffer tape?


See the end of my post further up

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clbarclay

posted on 23/3/05 at 01:36 PM Reply With Quote
I ment more like leather/vinal/cloth etc.

Preferably with a thin layer of foam padding underneath if the seats are too firm. I'm not sure how hard/firm expanding foam goes, but obviouesly quite hard if you can give it a gel coat.






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NS Dev

posted on 23/3/05 at 01:50 PM Reply With Quote
yes, it will be hard (matting plus gelcoat over the foam, just gel would crack I think) but as I have said on seats before, if the seat fits properly, you don't really need padding, that's only to fill the gaps on seats that don't fit right!
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MikeR

posted on 23/3/05 at 11:41 PM Reply With Quote
just to be pedantic........

your clothes will cause ripples, bulges etc..... you will put on and loose weight.

I know you race in a metal seat but over a long jouney i'd expect some amount of flex would be an advantage.

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irvined

posted on 24/3/05 at 11:56 AM Reply With Quote
I'm planning on doing this over the weekend. I'll put up some piccies when its done.

So mike, does this mean your going to strip off before you make your seat for perfectly molded finish.

*yuck*

Cheerio

D

*Smilking cos my lights just arrived*

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NS Dev

posted on 24/3/05 at 12:53 PM Reply With Quote
some piccies would be great Dave!

I am a little way away from seats at the mo, just worrying that cos I am short in the leg and the ST chassis is quite long, a foam seat might not get me close enough to the pedals!

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clbarclay

posted on 24/3/05 at 09:09 PM Reply With Quote
Then mount the pedals nearer the rear of the car (seat). If your using a prebuilt pedal bow this is slightly harder, but still posible.

[Edited on 24/3/05 by clbarclay]






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NS Dev

posted on 24/3/05 at 09:16 PM Reply With Quote
I have considered it, but it means chopping about an awful lot of nicely powder coated chassis, and a lot of extra complication in several other areas, which I don't really want!
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MikeR

posted on 24/3/05 at 09:19 PM Reply With Quote
or sell me your pedal box (converted back to cable) and make your own!!!!!
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NS Dev

posted on 24/3/05 at 09:23 PM Reply With Quote
errr, no!

But I will provide materials and some labour if you go the homemade route!

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MikeR

posted on 24/3/05 at 11:18 PM Reply With Quote
thinking one more try at the top mount, then i'll convert my top mount pedals to bottom mount ....... if i've already got the pedals why make new???
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NS Dev

posted on 25/3/05 at 08:39 AM Reply With Quote
that's ok, but you'll find that by the time you have converted them, the only bits you will use are part of the shaft and the bush tubes, the pedals will be too long for floor mount and the pivots not in the right place to suit the shortened pedal!

Done this one before!

The shafts are useful to save cutting out new profiles from sheet though.

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Dave Ashurst

posted on 25/3/05 at 10:10 AM Reply With Quote
Nat
For what it's worth..
On mine I used an inclined plywood seat-back to position the seat squab a bit forward. The back has a wooden spacer block lying on the floor to hold its inclination angle and it's fixed to the ali back panel with stainless screws.

I needed to get my long body-short legged butt a bit closer forward.

Repositioning the pedals rearwards, away from the bulkhead would be a pain.

I used cut foam, not liquid moulding type, but otherwise it was a pretty similar principle. Steel floor though, and the seat is fixed directly to it from beneath.

If I had an ali floor I think I'd be tempted to weld some flat steel straps across the chassis on top of the floor and fix to them through the floor plate.

regards
Dave

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NS Dev

posted on 25/3/05 at 10:34 AM Reply With Quote
Cheers Dave,

I think I will be doing similar to the sloped plywood backrest, I like being fairly reclined and like you said, I am short legged tall bodied too!!

I am still thinking about the floor strips. The only downside is welding with the powdercoating and polyurethane sealer in close proximity!

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