What have you been up to today

[Alastair]

I don't think there ever was a grommet between the filler pipe and the body, which should help restore your smile a bit sooner! I need to replace or at least reposition my hose but keep putting it off because its such a pig of a job...
Alastair

[Duncan Grimmond]

Rather than take it out again I'd be tempted to cut the new grommet when you get it and slip it over. Superglue works well on freshly cut rubber and no-none will ever know.

[Chris KC]

I decided to resurrect a thread from the old forum which was often interesting, it is a great place to post information about the small jobs, runs, etc that you have been up to.

To kick off I have been giving my Nippy a bit of a birthday, the old seats were in a terrible state so once I had repaired the metal frames, my brother in law Kirk who is an upholsterer offered to help me recover them. We have tried to where possible use authentic materials and construction, the following pictures show some of the sequence we have been going through.

Obviously making a super job of those Ian! As a member with a Nippy-in-waiting I'd love to hear more about how you formed the wood (steamed? or laminated?) and indeed how the metalwork ended up that good (are those 'restored'? or re-made?)

[Ian Williams]

Here is a finished Nippy seat and a close up of the Hidem banding and piping round the edge, as stated earlier there should be a D shaped moulding instead of the Hidem and I may change that later.

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And PS the wood was ash, the top part made up from laminated strips, the side pieces were steamed and clamped over a former. the bottom part is 3/16" three ply, steamed and fitted directly to the seat base with brass brake rivets. The metal frames were repaired and painted, I had to remake sections but did not think to photograph as I went along.

[Douglas Alderson]

Ian thanks for posting the seats finished they look very good.

[Chris KC]

Here is a finished Nippy seat and a close up of the Hidem banding and piping round the edge, as stated earlier there should be a D shaped moulding instead of the Hidem and I may change that later.





And PS the wood was ash, the top part made up from laminated strips, the side pieces were steamed and clamped over a former. the bottom part is 3/16" three ply, steamed and fitted directly to the seat base with brass brake rivets. The metal frames were repaired and painted, I had to remake sections but did not think to photograph as I went along.

Splendid work, and thanks for the info Ian.

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Ian,

With reference to the fabric covered pin beading around the edge of the seats originally, I used this as trim on my Twelve but wonder if it could be covered to provide something similar?

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1484-pin-beading.aspx

Ruairidh, did you say fabric? Funnily enough I was looking at just that beading yesterday for my Ulster. I'm contemplating leather seats (though I think originals were leathercloth) but can't quite picture how you'd cover 6ft of beading in same without an ugly join somewhere. I imagined it would have been same leathercloth as the seats or at least rexine? Any info to the contrary gratefully received.

[Ian Williams]

Chris, the D moulding Austin used was built up from fabric and covered in Rexine, this was simply wrapped around and the edge hidden beneath the beading, one could do exactly the same if using the Metal moulding Ruairidh referred to. Rexine is today sold under the name Abertex, this modern version is as far as I can tell identical to the product Austin used on their seat backs, door cards and beadings.

[Chris KC]

Chris, the D moulding Austin used was built up from fabric and covered in Rexine, this was simply wrapped around and the edge hidden beneath the beading, one could do exactly the same if using the Metal moulding Ruairidh referred to. Rexine is today sold under the name Abertex, this modern version is as far as I can tell identical to the product Austin used on their seat backs, door cards and beadings.

Thank you Ian, much appreciated. Your remarks have gently reminded me that I actually have a pair of (saloon) seats tucked away in the store that I'd forgotten about, and their original beading is obligingly disintegrating too (embarrassed). On close inspection the 'core' is wound from string (can't think of a better way to describe it) and seems to have been firmly moulded into the 'D' shape, which is 5/16 x 1/8, if anyone is interested. It is indeed covered in rexine, which matches the leather seats in colour (blue, in this case). The method of assembly baffles me slightly, the D-bead is attached to the seat by the same tacks which secure the leather flutes to the woodwork (spaced at 1.5" or so), but these pass only through the lower layer of rexine, not the core. The rexine is wound around the core, doubles back slightly at the final edge, and crimped/sewn in a zig-zag of fine wire. I can only guess it was tacked in place in an 'open' condition, then 'closed' in situ.
This https://www.gemalia.com/en/half-round-le...nd-2022302 suggests that half-round core material is potentially sourceable (in this case too short and too fat) if one can figure out how to cover and fix it.

[Ian Williams]

Chris, 
The D Moulding on the seats in my possession are constructed slightly differently to your description and were attached independently to the leather after the seat had been finished. The moulding is built up around a steel strip with pins at 2" intervals, first a strip of heavy canvas is folded in half and then in half again, the pin strip is then pushed through with a second strip of canvas below, this second strip is folded back over the top of the pin strip and finally a strip or Rexine folded back over the complete assy. Hopefully the following pictures will make my attempted description clear!


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Pictures 1 & 2 show the Rexine cover striped back

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Pictures 2 & 3 show the build up of folded canvas interior

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Picture 5 shows the internal steel strip with pins spot welded to it.

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[Chris KC]

[attachment=573]Chris, 
The D Moulding on the seats in my possession are constructed slightly differently to your description and were attached independently to the leather after the seat had been finished. The moulding is built up around a steel strip with pins at 2" intervals, first a strip of heavy canvas is folded in half and then in half again, the pin strip is then pushed through with a second strip of canvas below, this second strip is folded back over the top of the pin strip and finally a strip or Rexine folded back over the complete assy. Hopefully the following pictures will make my attempted description clear!


Pictures 1 & 2 show the Rexine cover striped back

Pictures 2 & 3 show the build up of folded canvas interior


Picture 5 shows the internal steel strip with pins spot welded to it.

That's interesting, mine are quite different. In the spirit of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' I'll attempt to post my first photo (sorry not as clear as yours Ian but the bead is staying in place for now).