I know that I've got waaaay more to work on than my seats, and for what they are they're fairly comfortable, but every little bit helps on those looooong drives to 914 events. I was considering getting some of that "memory foam" (tempurpedic matress type stuff) and repadding the seat, back and bolsters. Aircraft Spruce sells some foam specifically designed for aircraft, but it's apparently made of spun gold for the price they're asking , so I did an EvilBay search and found some 1"- 2" pads used for horse saddles that were quite a bit bigger.......and a helluvalot cheaper.

Just wondering if anyone has done this, and if the "end " results were worth it.


Kevin (candy-ass) Jung.......(pronounced "Young" )

Kev,
Go to Wal Mart and look for the bet top foam that they sell in a box. It costed me like $50-60 and is a queen size piece. I used it on my bed and love it. I have been entertaining the idea of using it in a seat, but I would only use a thin layer on the parts that get constant pressure like the ass and back parts. Not the bolsters. Try a fabric/upholsery place as well. They will have it for much less.

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Mar 22 2005, 12:22 AM)

Kev, Go to Wal Mart and look for the bet top foam that they sell in a box. It costed me like $50-60 and is a queen size piece. I used it on my bed and love it. I have been entertaining the idea of using it in a seat, but I would only use a thin layer on the parts that get constant pressure like the ass and back parts. Not the bolsters. Try a fabric/upholsery place as well. They will have it for much less.

Never thought of Wal Mart.....and there's one just down the road (like everyfreakinwhere else in the country). You wouldn't happen to know the density off hand, would you? I think the horse pads were like 5.5lbs (fairly stiff as foams go).

Also, why not the bolsters? Just wastin' foam? Or requires major seat demolition to get to them?

You should your boys down south to do a demo seat since you're the upholstery dude here........let me/us know what you think!

Might be a nice "option" to the standard foam rubber cushions.

when i lived out west i attended the Playboy Jazz Festival for 13 years running. after the first year of a weekend on a wood stadium bench, i bit the bullet, went to Sharper Image, spent the $100, and got their gel-filled seat cushion. best $100 i ever spent. heavy sucker, and expensive, but it works.

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Mar 22 2005, 02:42 AM)

when i lived out west i attended the Playboy Jazz Festival for 13 years running. after the first year of a weekend on a wood stadium bench, i bit the bullet, went to Sharper Image, spent the $100, and got their gel-filled seat cushion. best $100 i ever spent. heavy sucker, and expensive, but it works.

Gel filled? I think I've seen those for motorcycle seats. I guess you'd have to make damn sure you took all sharp objects (i.e. - screwdrivers) out of your pockets before you sat down........could get ugly. I wonder if the summer heat would have any adverse affects on the gel?

I'll have to mess around with some possible combinations after I get the cars running. I've got like 8 seats laying around, and 4 of them are definitely "guinea pig" condition.

QUOTE (Special_K @ Mar 22 2005, 02:24 PM)

Gel filled? I think I've seen those for motorcycle seats. I guess you'd have to make damn sure you took all sharp objects (i.e. - screwdrivers) out of your pockets before you sat down........could get ugly. I wonder if the summer heat would have any adverse affects on the gel?

nah - it won't leak. it's like really, really compliant Sorbothane. ads used to show the pads with a nail stuck through 'em. i've seen no effects from heat up to perhaps 110F. mine is about 10 years old now, and showing no signs of degradation of any kind. i don't know that i could find it in any kind of timely manner, i haven't seen it since moving to PA although i KNOW it made the move. they're not on the SharperImage website any more... if i run across it, i'll try to get you the manufacturer's information ...

This is a great idea thread. I don't have two dimes to rub together right now, so the only projects I can do on the 914 are free ones or hidden costs ones. I will be attempting a rebuild of my seats soon and these are great ideas.

A pair of seats I have for my 914 (Still not really mine yet) have the memory foam on the bottom pads. When you first sit down they feel almost hard, but after about 5 seconds you can sit in them all day. I don't know who put the foam in these seats, but I like it a lot.

I've tried Memory Foam, and it DOES NOT WORK to sit on or lean against!!!!!!
When you do, it completely collapsus itself end to end, and does not give ANY coushioning! It will however "remember" where its suppose to go back to once you remove your ass or back from it.

Doesnt seem like much of a deal for the price that they charge for it.





By the way, DO NOT get one of those Memory Foam Lumbar Support cusions from walmart. THEY DO NOT WORK. The same sinerio applies.

QUOTE (Toast @ Mar 22 2005, 01:10 PM)

I've tried Memory Foam, and it DOES NOT WORK to sit on or lean against!!!!!! When you do, it completely collapsus itself end to end, and does not give ANY coushioning! It will however "remember" where its suppose to go back to once you remove your ass or back from it. Doesnt seem like much of a deal for the price that they charge for it. By the way, DO NOT get one of those Memory Foam Lumbar Support cusions from walmart. THEY DO NOT WORK. The same sinerio applies.

WOW!

I take it you don't care for memory foam.

I know for a fact that they use the stuff on the ejection seat pan cushions in Mil. aircraft, but haven't had the opportunity to plop my ass down in one.

I see what you're sayin' Toast, once it's collapsed from the weight of your ass it's done....no more cushion. Maybe a combo of thin layers, something like gel at the bottom, then memory foam, and finally regular foam rubber on top......like a club sandwich for your butt.

This will require more research for sure.

I am pretty sure the foam wouldn't work.
If it did they would be making chairs by now

cheers
Joe

QUOTE (JoeSpark @ Mar 22 2005, 07:05 PM)

I am pretty sure the foam wouldn't work. If it did they would be making chairs by now cheers Joe

....uh...aircraft "chairs" use it. 1" stuff on the aircraft I work on.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpa...cksaverfoam.php

And if it's good enough for a pilots ass, it's good enough for mine.

Put like a 1/2" over some regular foam. I bet its great. If I had time to do R&D I would try it.

I would like to have a nice set of Recaro's in my 914. I cannot afford them right now. Soooo, I have a drivers seat with some small rips. not bad, and probably not noticable. But I wanted more. I just hapened to have some dense foam, some memory foam and some 1/4" hard foam in my shop I was using for motorcycle seats. Out came the bottom pad on the 914, scissors were cutting, foam was flying, I was in and out of that seat checking for fit. The memory foam went on the top layer on thigh and bolster and butt. The seat wraps around me and as I sink in it holds me in. I just picked up a 5 point race harness and I can't wait to see how it fits on my "faux sarcaux" Hey it worked for me.
MSG L

Yeah!!

Kind of like adjustable rate springs......for your ass!

Race car, or street?

yes

MSG L

I do like the memory foam pillow that I have.
Its greatly comfortable!

I also noticed that when memory foam is exposed to cold temperature, that it becomes HARD AS A ROCK!
I took my pillow camping one time, and wish I didn't! As soon as it hit the cool air, it became extremely hard, and took almost all night before my head temperature softened it up enough.
Same thing happend with the memory foam lumbar support that I have.

Just another thought to ponder on..

QUOTE (Toast @ Mar 24 2005, 09:51 AM)

I do like the memory foam pillow that I have. Its greatly comfortable! I also noticed that when memory foam is exposed to cold temperature, that it becomes HARD AS A ROCK! I took my pillow camping one time, and wish I didn't! As soon as it hit the cool air, it became extremely hard, and took almost all night before my head temperature softened it up enough. Same thing happend with the memory foam lumbar support that I have. Just another thought to ponder on..

Good point Toast.......didn't put much thought into how the climate would affect it. A straight memory foam seat might not work too well. I'll have to play around with one of my old seats with different combo's to see which is the most "butt friendly" combination.....thanks for the heads up.......err....nevermind