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MG MG Y Type - YA front seat stripdown.

Just thought I'd show the stripped carcass of my driver's side front seat, to remind those of you who have "been there, done that" of what you once did ... remember?? - after carefully removing original covers and storing them (possibly never to see the light of day, but couldn't throw them away);unpick bifurcated rivets holding the 70-year-old plywood tacking strips; arrange what's left of tacking strips in order to make new ones - some soaking and bending of 4mm ply involved;wire brush and spot-blast areas of steel frame and zinc prime; wire brush springs (still in perfect nick) and zinc prime; rivet new tacking strips, using original holes; rub bucket metalwork and re-prime; stand back and admire work.
Yes, I've done the passenger side front plus rears, all are re-upholstered - this is the last seat to do!
Yours, John.


J P Hall

John did you take any photos along the way. If so I would like to get copies, as now that the YT is running and on the road I need to do some work on the bucket seats I bought from Tony. (none of my existing seats are from Y types)

Did you get the seats upholstered locally or did you buy the upholstery already made.
cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Stuart, I omitted to take any useful "work in progress" photos - really only the "before" with ratty original upholstery in place and "after" when the new upholstery was done. But with this last front seat I'm going to make a point of photographing my prep. work and then the stages as the upholstery is built up.
I tracked down a retired upholsterer (English) who lives in Innisfail, an hour or so from me. He bought the materials for me, and I'm pleased with the results so far. He used Australian hides and English headlining material (not fitted yet and of no interest to you).
Regards, John.
J P Hall

John , yes I would like to see a pic of the finished job , and also a progression of photos to see what you have done when doing the next and last one.
Question, when you view the pic of my recently acquired seat should the angled section that holds the springs exist in a flat plane, or does it normally have a slight bend as it approaches the sheet metal backing. ( many seatings over the years)

Any plan of where of where the ply wood is to be placed would be helpful, inner and outer of the back rest .

Cheers Clive

I pad photo too large
CR Dickinson

Clive

It should be level and flat all the way round!

Paul
Paul Barrow


Clive, X 2 with Paul - I'll shoot you a piccy tomorrow to confirm. Hope to do the plywood strips this weekend, so will add photos for you. Yours, John.
J P Hall

Clive - any chance of your photo coming through? - it would be interesting to see the state of your frame.
I look like finishing my last tacking strips this morning, so will post photos later. John.
J P Hall

Clive: a couple of photos of the installed new tacking strips. I don't know whether the YT seats have the same structure, but a couple of comments I'd make:
- I used the original rivet holes, but modern pop-rivets; this ensured the exact same positioning of the strips. Fortunately my original strips were in good enough condition to salvage and copy on hardwood ply.
- a couple of pieces ( bottom internal and top external on the bucket/backrest) needed to be soaked overnight, allowed to dry for a couple of hours and then carefully bent to fit, clamped in place and then rivetted. The other pieces had enough give in them to just clamp and rivet.
- I found it necessary to cut out the "soaked" pieces along the grain, because my first effort across the grain bent very easily after soaking, but tended to split.
Other than the fitting of the tacking pieces, as I said in the original post, it was just a case of cleaning up the frame and springs, tightening the ends of the springs for good measure, and flinging on some etch primer and cold-gal paint that I had in the shed.
Hope this helps! Yours, John.


J P Hall

Second photo shows tacking strip at back of backrest. This is covered in felt before the cover goes on.

J P Hall

John, what thickness ply did you use?

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

3.6mm hardwood ply Stuart, a 910 x 610 sheet from my local builders' supply place was enough to do the set of tacking strips plus a bit left over. My upholsterer confirms he had no trouble tacking into the hardwood ply.
Do you know whether the construction of the frame of the YT is the same as saloons?
John.
J P Hall

This thread was discussed between 18/10/2017 and 28/10/2017

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