TR2/3/3A TR2 Seats

[CJD]

Today I pulled out all the seats I have accumulated over the last 4 years. I have 6 seat frames...some donated, some from EBay, and some I really don't remember where they came from after all this time. I was ready to try to build a working pair from all the parts.

That's not going to happen.



This is how the bottoms all look. I am not in the mood to spend several weeks trying to repair this kind of damage.



Of all the seats, I only came up with a single decent bottom. The tops are all passable, but the bottoms are simply to thin to start with, and are the first thing to rust out in a TR2/3.



The Ebay seat came with prior patches like this. But...





Even with the patches, the edges are all blown out.



So, anyway, this is a pic of what I need. 2 non-tilting seat frames that are not rusted out. I have been searching for 4 full years...and time is now up.

If anyone out there has a set of good seat frames, I will pay handsomely for them. I can live with surface rust...but I am not interested in any frame with rust pinholes. I have learned that by the time you blast a pinhole, there is no metal left. This is a final plea...before I fork out the bucks for a new pair.

 

[TomMull]

John,
Am I correct in thinking that the seat frames for all the sidescreens are interchangeable? I am quite sure I have at least one decent early frame and several later ones. (I'm not sure whether it tilts or not). I probably will not meet your schedule, though, as I will be away until mid April.
Tom

 

[DavidApp]

Hello John

Had a look at my seats and I found I have a matching pair to your seats. Splits and rust holes.

What is the reason you are choosing to not repair them.

I see that Moss has them at about $350.00 each.

David

 

[CJD]

Thanks Tom. I'll likely start covering before then...but let me know when you get home, as I may get delayed. Are you RV'ing to Florida for the winter?

David...call it burn out. Not only is patching these flimsy stampings a low probability fix...I'm just tired of patching rust!?! Moss shows them new at $336 ea. Rimmer has them for $243ea+$50 shipping. That just seems high for such thin stampings. Plus pics for the new seats shows subtle differences in the new vs original.

 

[DavidApp]

Hello John

I thought that burn out may have been one of the reasons. Also looking closely at mine I think that burn through may be the result of attempted patches. The pan does seem thin. Is the bottom pan all one piece? I do not see any ripples in the turned up edge.
The subtle differences in the new vs original is probable less of a concern to me.

David

 

[TomMull]

Thanks Tom. I'll likely start covering before then...but let me know when you get home, as I may get delayed. Are you RV'ing to Florida for the winter?

John, I'll tell my wife to remind me, that way I have some hope of remembering in April, but don't hesitate to write back if you have not come up with a resolution.
I am on my sailboat, only slightly newer than my sidescreens, in the Bahamas.
Tom

 

[CJD]

John, I'll tell my wife to remind me, that way I have some hope of remembering in April, but don't hesitate to write back if you have not come up with a resolution.
I am on my sailboat, only slightly newer than my sidescreens, in the Bahamas.
Tom
View attachment 46952

NICE! I wanna go with you!

David, I think Standard started with the usual 18 gage steel for the seat pans, but after stamping it looks to me to be no more than 22 gage at best. I've seen many seats with patches and stiffening plates to fix cracks in the floor pans, but all that seems to do is move the cracks somewhere else. So, even a perfect seat frame will get cracks...which I don't mid repairing. But if you add rust through to the already too weak floor pan, then there is really no use messing with it in my opinion.

It's a shame that some supplier doesn't make a run of seats with thicker material to start with. I would not feel so bad paying $300+ for an improved pan that would not crack.

 

[TomMull]

2Tall has complete seats on his eBay site, but I don't know anything about them. I assume the frames are new also. Tom
https://stores.ebay.com/2TALL-CUSTOM-AUTO-INTERIORS

 

[CJD]

Good idea! I just sent a message to TooTall...

 

[CJD]

Well...I had to order new wire wheels from Rimmer. I went ahead and bit the bullet and ordered the seat frames at the same time. With shipping they're about $525. It's funny...many parts I figure are worth it and I pay without worrying a bit. But these seats could be stamped in China for no more than $25 each. I still have a cramp in my finger from hitting the purchase key!!

 

[DavidApp]

I feel better about my seats having looked at some on E Bay. Still going to have to do something about them.

Post photos when they arrive.

David

 

[CJD]

Just a follow-up. TooTall called me back. We talked for some time about interiors. He makes his own metal seat frames and will sell them separately at $400 a pair plus $50 shipping. He sells complete interiors, including seats (but without carpet) for $1800.

 

[TFB]

Just a follow-up. TooTall called me back. We talked for some time about interiors. He makes his own metal seat frames and will sell them separately at $400 a pair plus $50 shipping. He sells complete interiors, including seats (but without carpet) for $1800.

I bought my complete seats from Tom too Tall,for TR3 not TR2.I was happy for the price but the pans are different on the bottoms from the original TR3.Why he didn't follow the original patterns in the bottom for ribbing and spacing and mounting holes I don't know but it made fitting the original seat tracks(he sent new replacement tracks at no charge) more difficult.Also the pans bottoms were considerably bowed and had to be beat flat on an anvil.Again the leather and overall seats were nice but not without some tweaking required.Probably not a good choice for repalcement pans on a concours level restoration.
Tom

 

[CJD]

Thanks Tom. Too tall tried to make me feel bad that he could have done it $50 cheaper. You make me feel better about it!

 

[DavidApp]

It is strange that the tilting seat is cheaper than the fixed one on the Rimmer site. The illustration/photos look exactly the same as the original. I may go ahead and order a pair for my car along with the springs as a lot of my springs are broken. Also get the correct padding.
Then put my old ones on e bay.

David

 

[CJD]

I'll take pics when they come in. I did already get the Rimmer springs. They are made from larger diameter wire than the originals, with fewer coils. They appear a bit stiffer than original, which is probably a good thing. I'll keep you updated...

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Not sure if the stiffer springs will be better...the ones in my 60 are stiffer and I sit higher in the seat...almost too high. I prefer the ones in the 59 that sits me a little lower in the car. The TR3 seats with the coil springs really differentiate this car from any of the other TRs that I own...they definitely take some getting used to.

Cheers
Tush

 

[CJD]

So, maybe the stiffer will be better for my daughter, worse for my taller son, and just right for me?!? Sorta like the three bears...!?!

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

 

[TFB]

So, maybe the stiffer will be better for my daughter, worse for my taller son, and just right for me?!? Sorta like the three bears...!?!

I have sat in a lot of different TR3 seats and while not for the purist ,the Too tall foam are I think the most comfortable to me.
Also If I had spent 2k to build my seats instead of the 700 for full leather with new frames and folding passenger side from TT I think my choice would have been the Moss covers which seem to be a little nicer leather ,closer to originals,than the TRF covers.
I haven't seen any of the English trimmers work in person.
Tom