This weekend I stripped my 66 427/425 coupe seats of the previous saddle vinyl covers. These were not correct covers, but something a previous owner installed. I have a set of Al Knock vinyl saddle covers and buns I am about to install....I have watched carefully ant both BG and Carlisle when they installed a set of midyear covers. I bead blasted the frames completely and they are in pretty decent shape, some minor pitting on the bottom attachment rails to the floor, I will fill prior to painting. Someone had touched up the frames before with paint, appears to be Krylon 1613 or similar. However, the backs were not repainted, and were much more glossy...almost looked like gloss black. What brand and color of paint works best to do this right? Something like a gloss black Rustoleum? Also, one seat bottom spring is broken. I know they sell these at Al Knock, but when I inquired (at least to the phone order person) they indicated all were the same...well, the front two zig zag springs on my seats are fairly flat, while the rear springs have an upward curve and sharply bent attaching points at the ends. Does anyone have experience with Al Knoch's springs...are they correct? Seems like all their other items are top notch. Thx for any help...I want to order some springs for my seat frames tomorrow...thx!...Craig
66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
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Re: 66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
Thx Joe - I was assuming they were hard tempered steel, and bending would be near impossible, as well as cutting other than with a pneumatic muffler cutoff tool. Are you saying they can be formed? I would think this would risk snapping the spring steel.....did you form them by hand?....thx for your input...Craig- Top
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Re: 66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
Craig,
I recovered my 65 Roadster seats last spring and when I took them apart I had one zig zag spring that was broken. It was broken one zig away from where it was attached to the seat frame, I had it welded by a freind of a guy at work and it is holding up fine. This may be worth a try for you.
George #36809- Top
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Re: 66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
George - that is exactly where mine is broken as well, 1 zig (or zag if you prefer) away from the end. I have a MIG welder, and considered welding it. Maybe I will give that a shot....if yours is holding up...it would only take a minute to weld. I just figured that would remove the temper from the spring and it would bend at the weld. I may as well give it s shot this weekend...thx!...Craig- Top
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Re: 66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
Craig:
I think most springs break near the ends, where most of the bending moment is concentrated--they are, after all, in torsion near the ends. The springs I replaced were formerly welded, but since new springs are cheaply available, I replaced anything that was questionable.
You can use a bolt cutter, or a grinding wheel to cut them. Surprisingly, both old and new springs can be cold formed by hand, and are then identical in every way.I would replace anything fatigued or broken--especially in the driver's seat.
Joe- Top
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Re: 66 Seat Frames....repair and paint questions
Joe - thx! I suspect the lower cushion springs are the ones I should change. Glad to know they can be formed like the originals, I really don't want to tear into the seats again!..Craig- Top
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