New Seat Backs 1958 100-6 BN4

[ronzet]

Healey Fans...

Speaking of Healey seats...

I just picked up my seatbacks from the upholsterer and am ready to drill the holes to mount the back to the seat frame...

The car is an early 100-6 BN4... The seat pan is a large bucket shape.

My query... Does anyone have a picture of how the seatback sits on the bucket frame at the back???

Thanks...

 

[Dave Russell]

I don't have a pic. The seat backs should have the original pivot holes still hiding under the upholstery. You should be able to feel them out & punch through the new covers.

In any event, I think, the backs should line up with the vertical edge of the pan. On my BN2 there were rubber bumpers that fit over the vertical edges of the pan, lined up with the back, & provided a bit of cushion. The bumpers dont seem to be very available now. I think some split rubber hose sections might work. These bumpers are UNDER the seat pan covering & are not real obvious. You do need some sort of cushion there to prevent the seat back & pan cover from cutting into each other. If I'm all wet on this, hopefully someone will set it straight.
D

 

[ronzet]

Dave,

Great looking 100... :thumbsup:

The seat backs are new from moss since the old ones were rusted through... as are the seat bottoms and buckets... The hole in the back rest is not supplied...

I think that the bottom of the back should rest on the top on the seat bucket.. as you have attested... I guess in this day and age we expect something more robust than that of the cars from an earlier period... :smirk:

 

[healey106]

Ron - you may want to check out Derek Job's site www.healeysix.net

You should be able to find what you are looking for there?

Good Luck - jim

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

Ron,

I made a pdf file of some pictures of a non-restored early BN4 seat. Let me know if you need more information.

Thanks - Duane

www.aitsolutions.com/healey.htm

 

[Dave Russell]

Dave,
I think that the bottom of the back should rest on the top on the seat bucket.. as you have attested... I guess in this day and age we expect something more robust than that of the cars from an earlier period... :smirk:

Robust would certainly help. There is a distinct lack of lateral support on the seat backs, especially when briskly cornering. I've puzzled about how to stiffen lateral support without making a cosmetically obvious change to the seats. Anyone have a workable idea?
D

 

[GregW]

Good question Dave. I wonder if welding some 1/8"x1" flat bar along the bottom inner lip (from mount hole to mount hole) would help. I've highlighted what I would consider a weak point in the seat below. All those cutouts in the sheet metal. Also, if the three beads in the backrest continued around to the leading edge of the seat, that would help with rigidity.

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Greg,
On my earlier BN2 seats it seems to be the seat back mounting ears on the pan that do most of the flexing. They are very small & thin. See pic.
D

 

[red57]

Hi Guys, I have had the same problem with my 100-6 (Longbridge). The stock seat pans are sheet metal like the 100s and I changed to the later angle iron seat bases. These are much more rigid & resist the upward flexing of the seat pan/back hinge ears. In addition I keep the hinge bolts tight to the point that the seat back will stay in any position you leave it in. I can always tell if the hinge bolts are getting loose because there will be more flex on cornering. I agree with Dave, in my experience the backs themselves don't seem to flex all that much (if the hinge bolts are tight) & I have been thinking of trying to stiffen the base frame even more. I realise the change to the later seat bases would be noticed immediately by judges, but if you aren't going for concours perfection, it's an easy change that isn't 'permanent', will look right to most folks, and really is much more rigid.

Dave Phillips