At 04:14 PM 2/14/99 -0600, Dave Geis wrote:
>Your local hardware store? Or an industrial chemical supply place to
>make it a little cheaper by getting it in bigger quantities. I think we
>used close to a pint of each of the 2 chemicals for the 2 or 3 tries it
>took to get it the way we wanted.
If you don't know what you are looking for, try Pegasus or Essex or any
other racing vendor that sells two part foam for this purpose. Also, the
hardware store stuff may not be rigid enough. The race vendor stuff is.
>
>We made a seat insert for my wife (5'2" vs my 6'2") using the expanding
>foam used for weatherproofing around doors, etc. Put a large trash bag
>in the spot where you're wanting to start from. Get in the car and have
>a helper pour (or squirt) the foam into the bag, starting at the bottom,
>until it's expanded up to the level you need. Stay in position until
>it's become hard (1/2 hour?). And wear a coat:
Make sure the coat isn't to thick or the seat will be a loose fit in the
summer!
it gets pretty hot when
>it's curing. I just tore off the trash bag did the final shaping with a
>utility knife and a wood rasp. Makes a perfect form-fitting seat.
>
>And in true form for Team Laughing Stock, covered the foam with duct
>tape to make sure it stayed looking good and in one piece <g>.
One problem with duct tape is that the goo oozes out and gets onto your
clothes and if you have to slide down into the seat (like a narrow formula
ford requires) the tape will peel. Another approach is to get some high
quality naugahyde or similar vinyl at a fabric store. Then fit the vinyl
around the seat and do all the duct taping in the back where you won't rub
on it. Spray fabric adhesive helps also. Some people use heavy cloth but if
you tow on an open trailer with the insert in place, and/or race in the
rain, vinyl has obvious advantages! Think about water drainage when you fit
the vinyl. You can't keep the water from getting into the folds, but you
can be sure it gets back out.
See also Carroll Smith in one or more of his books but I think Dave already
gave you the key info.
Dick Rasmussen
CM 85
85 Van Diemen RF-85 Formula Ford
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