Yesterday I swung a wrench for the 1st time in a while, as I started on
installing
the new interior. I'll post my adventures as I progress, using the "Inside
Story"
subject header to facilitate deleting the messages by any uninterested parties.
First, I did a little shopping. The area Home Depot had the contact adhesive (I
bought the traditional kind, not the "non-flammable", and for no particular
reason)
and some throw-away brushes, but the next item stumped everybody in the place;
and
usually they've at least _heard_ of the stuff they cannot get for me. A side
trip to
an old-time hardware store cleared that up. They had not only heard of, but had
in
stock, hog rings and hog ring pliers. In case you don't already know what
they're used
for besides securing upholstery, I'll spare you the instructions printed on the
side
of the box. Boy, am I glad I do not work on a farm!
Then out to the garage. I pulled out both seats, and disassembled one; I was
warned to
leave the other intact as a reassembly guide. That already seems like a good
idea! The
tilt mechanism is not a unit, it kinda fell out in bits. the main hinge pins
securing
the seatback are strange; a short fat countersunk machine screw with a large
trunnion
sticking out past the threads (I won't even bother asking if my local hardware
store
stocks anything like it).
The upholstery for the seat bottom almost dissambled itself, and I am not _too_
worried
about putting the new stuff on. There was, however, a fair amount of rotted
fabric
glued to the metal framework, and I suspect replacement fabric is not in the
new kit.
What to use, and where and how to install it, is still up in the air. The
seatback was
a lot more complicated. The DPO simply pit the red vinyl over the black. A fair
amount
of wiring, gluing and riviting held the thing together, and I had to cut a lot
of the
vinyl away to get it off; I am not sure in what order I do what later, but I'll
worry
about it then. Fortunately, the seatback foam, which I am told is not available
new,is
in pretty good shape.
The metal framework of the seats is amazing in the # of tubes and plates used
in the con-
struction. Look up a picture of a Birdcage Maserati or a Cobra, without the
body panels,
to get an idea; a lot of strength without a lot of weight. The lower cross-tube
of the
seatback frame seems bent up slightly at the ends, but only be a 1/4" or so and
even on
both sides, so I am inclined to think it's supposed to be that way. Other that
that, and
one boken weld and some surface rust, the metal is in prety good shape.
The frames, base track assemblies and all the little metal bits are going to
the dip shop
to have the rust/paint/glue/crud removed. Primarily to make the reassembly job
more pleasant,
it will also improve the smell of the car, and I hope free up the almost-seized
seat tracks.
My past experiences at the dip shop reminded me to take all of the small parts
and attach
them together on a length of wire, as the dipper (?) is not happy about keeping
track of
a large # of small parts in a tank the size of a small swimming pool. I've been
warned
about the effects on pot metal and rubber parts; all I found were two flat
rubber blocks
ans two conical bumpers, all where the seat rests on the track assemblies.
These were re-
moved. Alas, the dipping and repainting will slow things down a bit, so I'll
proceed with
other parts of the car. Hey, whaddaya think of Guards Red seat frames? Or maybe
chrome?
Today, before starting in, I am going to install a bumper Susan made for me for
the side
of the garage, where the brick chimney protrudes just to close to the Garage
Queen. A 5'
length of 3/4 copper pipe was covered in 1" foam rubber, then in bright red
vinyl, hanging
tabs will allow me to hang it horizontally at door level, avaraging between
on-the-floor
and on-jack-stands heights, to protect the car door, especially while putting
the panel on
that door (I am naturally clumsy).
That's all for now, I'll let you know how it all turns out
Larry Wright "I can't get no-- Satis-traction"
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