Austin Ruby seats

[Malcolm Parker]

The seat cushions need to be comfortable.  In my view this is more important than whether they look perfect.
Many professional upholsterers over-stuff the cushions so they are convex rather than concave.  When you sit on them you feel that you could slide off.  In a saloon the front of the seat cushion needs to be quite a bit higher than the rear for comfort on long journeys.
The only seats I have done are for Ulsters using the leathercloth covering kits from one of our cherished suppliers.   I took advice from a local upholsterer and purchased a sheet of rubberised horsehair, about 1" thick.  This can be cut with good scissors and if a piece is fitted under the seat covering it will work wonders.   Having stripped down several Austin 7 seats over the years I would think that a layer of the rubberised horsehair glued onto the steel seat back is all the padding you will need.  Cover it with some thin scrim (the stuff that is like a roll of cotton wool). The seats are narrow and if you provide too much padding they will be uncomfortable.
Go for it!   The hardest part is starting.