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My condolences to you and your family and all the best...very sorry for your loss!
When I hear that somebody passed away it always tells me that I should spend more time with my dad and my mum because both are already over 80 years old...
Thank you everyone for your support and words of comfort, I do appreciate it.
Axel, do spend more time with them, eventually it will happen to you too!
As Mr Towed said quite rightly, when things of this nature happen, it brings to the fore how short life is for us all, so we should all do more, spend more time with the family, and generally try to live what we have to the full.
When Ram were making the kits, the screen was offered as part of it I believe Gary.
Ram were bought out by Realm Engineering which still offer all the parts, but the screen and screen surround are expensive at around £1500 I think.
Pilkington Glass still make, or will make a glass screen at around £600 or £700 as far as I know.
Today I started to nail the leather seats together.
I like to use a hand machine wherever possible, as it is much more accurate.
But the really thick padded Jaguar seats need the bigger machine.
I was a bit peed off when the bumpy bits on the foam showed through the leather, so I was forced to recover the seat base with thin foam to rectify the problem, more unwanted work, but its sorted now.
After rough shaping with an electric carving knife you can shape then with an angle grinder with an 80 grit sanding disc. I also use a small belt sander that is easier and more forgiving. Works best on closed cell foam which also has the advantage of not soaking up water so if you have left your roof down and it rains it won't waterlog your seats.
Thanks for the tips fellas, I don't have a leccie carver, but I do have a hot knife, which I used ti try to finish the foam.
What a mistake that was! The toxic fumes that released were really TOXIC!
I took it outside in the end, and wore a mask.
I think the only way now is to cover the other seat in the same foam and copy the one I've done.
I worked out how I am going to tension the seat leather on my bases.
I have made a U shaped simple frame out of brazing rod,
(Brass, so it won't rust( and fixed it to the bottom of the leather.
There will be nylon ties going from it, through the foam and plywood base.
After I have fixed the leather in place as well as I can, I will then pull each of the ties through holes in the plywood, and get the correct tension on each one, to make the leather look taut and crease free.
I have been away for a few days, Mum's funeral, sorting out the house and other admin tasks.
I am not fishing for sympathy, just explaining the lack of posting!
Today I got the passengers seat base sorted out, it is ready to be re-coloured (when all the rest is ready, that is)
It does not look too bad, I have the option to re-tension at any time, but after the dyeing process, it should tighten the leather even more, but I am happy as it is for now.
Today I worked all day stitching up the drivers leather seat base cover, using the Jaguar base and leather from the setee, and fitting it to the foam.
It is now ready to re-colour.
When making two identicle seats, having completed one, you always have the thought:
" I wonder if I can make the other one as good"
Its always a challenge, but it usually seems to work out right.
Because I knew it was the one I would be sitting on, as opposed to the passengers one, I put more effort into it, and I thinks its better because of it.
Only I know the little f**ck-ups I've made!!!
I now have to make the seat backs, but that will be easier I think.
I may have a go at re-colouring the seat bases before I tackle the seat backs, as I cannot wait to see the results, as I am an impatient bastard.
Well I finally cracked! I just could not wait, I had to colour the seats.
As I had not ordered any leather dye, I did a bit of experimenting on the leather seat bits I had spare.
I decided to use a spray paint made by a company called "Tetrosyl"
As I said earlier, with leather colour change, the preparation is everything.
I spent two hours preparing the seats.
I sprayed the paint into the seams first, and then worked it in with a toothbrush, The same deal for all the creases and cracks, then several thin coats over the finished surface.
I was not actually "painting" the leather, but rather using the paint as a dye and colourant.
I chose red because it contrasts so nicely with bare aluminium, it also is a colour that Jaguar used a lot with BRG cars.
I am pleased with the results,and it looks as gpod as the expensive colouring agents I have used before, except this time the can cost me £5.99 and there is enough left to do a lot more!![IMG][/IMG]
