Restoration of BringaTrailer 240z - HLS30-35883

[zed2]

Perhaps photo at post 39 would help at Seat restoration

Keith

[inline6]

Thanks Keith.  Do you have any thoughts or concerns about the flap being only 2" deep and the and the additional distance that flap needs to be pulled down to reach (within hog ring reach) of the wire running across the bottom of the Pirelli straps? 

Also, I went looking for Imperial Army green, but only found some acrylic hobby paint.  Do you recall what you actually used?  I'd like to use it in a couple of places on my seat rails to improve their appearance a bit.

Garrett

[zed2]

Garrett,

I used zip ties to pull the flap (which contained the metal rod) to the metal rod across the seat bottom (below the Pirelli straps). This will compress the foam and allow you to install the hog rings.  Remove the zip ties after closing the hog rings. (Zip ties are not original!😆)

I had Sherwin Williams produce a quart of oil based color match.  They used my seat rails as the basis for the match.  (As long as your seat rails are not rusty and have the original finish, they are a great starting point... since they do not get direct sunlight, they should not be faded.)

Keith

[inline6]

Thanks Keith, 

I worked on the one seat bottom for a couple of hours today.  I made a rod for the flap and used my Exacto knife to put holes in the foam and run zip ties through.  When I cinched them all the way down, I did not like what I saw.  

   

None of the edges of the upholstery are attached to the frame, however the amount the seat upholstery got "pulled down" in the center seemed to be excessive.  I couldn't really get pictures while doing so, but even pulling very tightly and holding the upholstery down along the front and sides, the creases in the side panels on the seating surface would not go away.

I also found myself examining the front of the foam closely and not liking what I was seeing.  The front of the upholstery is a simple, flat piece.  Why is there a step here in the cusion? 

     

 

The step causes the flat section of vinyl to bulge.  I don't like it. When you pull the front really tight, that lip basically crushes and becomes far less noticeable, but why is it there at all?  

  

 

So... I suspect that this is not the foam I should be using with my upholstery.  The upholstery kit I have was made by Distinctive Industries.  And the foam, (though when I ordered it, I asked if it was made by Distinctive Industries and was told yes), I think was made by Seatz. 

  

I purchased the foam from Motorsport Auto.  And doing a lot of searching online, I keep seeing that they use Seatz as their supplier.  

See the numbers cast into the foam - can anyone confirm that this foam was not made by Distinctive Industries?

Edited September 30 by inline6

[zed2]

As far as I know Distinctive Industries is the only one that has a mold for the foam.

I will have to study your pictures to attempt to determine why you are getting a crease in the bottom outer bolsters.

Keith

[inline6]

I think there may be another.  I don't see the numbers in these cushions like on mine:

https://interior-innovations.com/product/datsun-replacement-seat-cushions/

 

[CanTechZ]

I just checked the restoration receipts that came with #957 and the seat covers and foam came from Les at Classic Datsun Motorsports. The receipt (from 2016) doesn't mention whose product the foam is, but you might want to check with him. The issue you are describing is evident on the front of the bases but it's barely noticeable when the seats are installed. It was actually not that easy to get down that low to get a picture. Lol

Here are a few pics from #957 for reference

 

And a couple of pics of the the removed passenger side OE seat bottom that is un-restored from #6521. The issue is only slightly evident.

[zed2]

I did extensive research on seat upholstery kits years ago. Naturally there could be changes in production in the marketplace since then.

What I learned was that Seatz manufactures two different style 240Z seats based on production year. The primary difference is the length of the seatback material, since early years did not have recliner mechanism, and later years did. Distinctive industries only manufactured one length of seatback with the thought that the extra material could be tucked up into the seat back.

Distinctive Industries manufactured the foam kit overseas to meet the specifications of their seat upholstery kits. Seatz does not manufacture foam kits and relies on dealers to offer foam kits to those customers who need them. 
 

Since each kit is hand produced (both Seatz and Distinctive Industries) there inherently will be variation in fitment to either original seat foam or aftermarket foam kits.

To make matters more complicated, some cars have had their original seats replaced over the years, resulting in non-year specific seats installed in a dated car.

With all these variables of mind, it is not unusual to have to shape the seat foam by either cutting the foam or adding additional foam.

I personally went through three sets of seat upholstery kits, and ultimately had to return a set to MSA in order to have Seatz rework a seat back.

Persistence is the key to getting the seats to original. This project can easily exceed 10 man-hours. 
Keith

Edited October 1 by zed2

[HS30-H]

9 hours ago, zed2 said:

What I learned was that Seatz manufactures two different style 240Z seats based on production year. The primary difference is the length of the seatback material, since early years did not have recliner mechanism, and later years did. Distinctive industries only manufactured one length of seatback with the thought that the extra material could be tucked up into the seat back.

In fact seats came in two specs from the beginning of production. We might call them 'Deluxe' and 'Standard'.

'Standard' seats had no quick recliner/flip forward lever, but 'Deluxe' seats did. North American market cars received the 'Standard' seats until they were superseded (12/71?).  

[inline6]

I am pausing on the seat bottoms for now.  I need to think about how to make them look right.  It is going to require something other than just hog rings to secure wire in the flap to the wire under the Pirelli straps.  More distance will be required to keep the material from being yanked down too far.  

In the meantime, I got the small parts back from the chrome plater.  They came out nicely.  These cost about $250 to have redone.

 

Before removing the horn tone adjustment screws, I took some reference pictures:

    

Today, I put the re-plated parts back in the horns:

    

I attempt to put the adjustment screws back in their original positions.  Now I just need to make some gaskets out of paper so I can finish assembling them and then test them out!

I also was able to remove the rest of the exhaust valve spring retainers early this past week and get them shipped off to the guy that did the head for me.  He turned the retainers in a lathe to shorten the "hats" and will get them coming back to me on Monday. 

 

 

[inline6]

Today, I finished reassembly and testing of the horns.  I made some gaskets out of some old "resume" paper I had.  It is high quality paper in a slightly off white color.  I sprayed a couple of coats of clear coat from a spray can on each side of the new gasket.

The differential side flange shim was a good template  for the ID.  I used the horn for the OD.  

Some people have said that their horns have a very dark brown finish on the front.  Some have said they were other colors.  Mine sure looked to be black to me.  
Condition the horn was in when I took it apart. 

This plate is aluminum and was painted black on one side.  That paint looked to be done at the factory to me.

I cleaned it and resprayed it with Krylon semi-flat black.  

 

I forgot to take a picture of all the hardware, but here is some of it.  The mounting bracket has two little aluminum spacers that go in between the plates.  Two longer 6 mm screws secure the mounting bracket to the horn.  The other four 6 mm screws are much shorter.

    

 

Horns installed.  

 

It is interesting what makes the horns high vs. low pitch.  I think all of the parts are the same except perhaps the piece to the far left in this picture.

 

I think the height of it is different for each horn.  And to get the contacts operating properly, the volume adjustment screws have to be set differently for each.  I found this out by having to adjust my volume screws differently from what I did yesterday.  The screw that was tall, I had to make short.  And the screw that was short, I had to make tall.

It was an interesting learning experience, but now they are both adjusted and nice and loud. 

 

  

 

[inline6]

As I was working on the car this past weekend, I took a few pictures of some details.  There are still a small number of not insignificant things to do, but I see that I am nearing the end. 

I expended a lot of effort to keep the factory spot welds in the lower dog leg part of the rear wheel opening.  I am very pleased with this outcome.

 

Replicating the original factory undercoating didn't go as well as I would have liked.  However, I do like that some of the old shows through and not in a way that it is obvious that there is old and new:

I painted the aftermarket Suspension Techniques springs black so it would not be obvious that they are not original.  I disliked the bright blue they were originally.

Original rear drive shaft installation hardware - note the "9" stamped into the side of the nuts:

The modified spring retainers should arrive back to me tomorrow.  After I install them and check cam wipe patterns, I should be able to fire the engine up and break in the cam.