TC seat dilemma

[Ray White]

When I bought my 1949 TC it was fitted with an early type seat. In other words the pleats go all the way down. I now know this is wrong for a late car and while there are aspects of my rebuild that are not technically "correct" this seems to annoy me. My dilemma is that the seat will need recovering as it has been done in vinyl but would I be throwing good money after bad to cover it in the early style or would it pay me to splash out mega bucks and have a new seat trimmed correctly for the year of the car.?.

[Duncan M]

Ray-
Pleats all the way to the bottom..... of the seat bottom? I have a '49 also and was not aware the older ones were different.

[Ray White]

Ray-
Pleats all the way to the bottom..... of the seat bottom? I have a '49 also and was not aware the older ones were different.

The earlier cars have pleats all the way down. Later cars have the pleats stop about 3 inches from the bottom. This gives a much neater finish for the seat base to fit under. There are two different seat coverings available (when they are in stock) and both the same price. What I have is an earlier seat which is incorrect for a late build car. Until I take the covering off I won't know what condition the seat back is in but it does sound a bit clunky so there is obviously work to be done. I am just asking if it makes sense in a comprehensive rebuild to spend cash on restoring the wrong seat when a correct new one is available; albeit at a high price.?

Or am I over thinking it.?

I would not have normally worried about the cost but this virus has killed my business stone dead and I am therefore draining my savings...

[Duncan M]

Oh, I see what you mean. Never knew that. So pleats all the way down would be cheaper? Or you could just tough it out with the vinyl you got, until Covid strains reverse. Saving up for the correct style.

[Steve Simmons]

I have a single black vinyl bottom cover in good condition for late TC that you can have it if helps.

[Ray White]

I will at the very least need a new seat covering. I have no intention of keeping with the old vinyl covers. There is no price difference between an early and a late leather seat covering. My dilemma is that the seat that I have is from an earlier TC and I am reluctant to buy a new covering for it. The problem is that to get a seat in the correct later style would be very expensive. I just have a feeling that I would be throwing good money after bad if I stick with the older style - then again, a brand new seat to the right design would be very expensive but might be worth it for my sanity.

[Duncan M]

Now I see on top of page 56 of TC's Forever the 2 different designs. Sherrell indicates the early style was on "very early" cars.

[Tom Wilson]

The spring cases are different for an early type seatback and a late type springback. The plywood back is the same size, but the battens attached to it are different.
And as you noted, the covering is different.
Tom Wilson

[Franz]

NT has a great picture where can see the difference between the 2 models

Franz

[Duncan M]

Pic above indicates seat bases are same shape--early and late. Sherrell diagram indicates seat bottoms are different between early and late (as well as different backs).

[Tom Wilson]

Seat bottom plywood shape changed, as did the interior cushion and the front inner ramp. The change happened about TC2000 (after the first 1,800 bodies) not "Chassis No. 5000: as NTG publishes.

The changes were:
Plywood bottom air holes changed from circular to oval slots. Outer rear corner stepped in on replacement.

Seat cushion changed from a heavy layered glued up rubber/latex cushion that was stepped to fit over the front ramp to a Dunlopillo brand single thickness latex cushion. The later one dries out and crumbles, whereas the earlier ones always seem to retain their flexibility.

Inner ramp changed from thick hardwood outer edges shape to a sloped ramp with less wood. The sloped ramp eliminated the need for the layered step on the early one.

The shape and pattern of the leather and vinyl had very little change. The step in rear corner was probably done for a better fit against the wheel arch when the seat was pushed back all the way.

Tom Wilson

[Ray White]

Tom. I believe the original was a mixture of leather and Rexine. As you probably are aware the Rexine is no longer readily available (although I have been told that it is being made in India) and is now replaced with vinyl. I am hoping to exchange my seats for the correct style but finished completely in leather with matching panel trim if I can afford it.

[antijam]

You can still get Vinide leather cloth (Rexine) - see here

[Tom Wilson]

Vinide (correctly spelled Vynide as a trade name), is not the same as the trade name produce Rexine. Rexine is a linseed oil based finish on woven cotton fabric, something in the USA we called oilcloth when I was a kid. Rexine was used for automotive interior upholstery because it was an attractive and fairly durable product for its type.
When PVC materials were developed in the early 1950s, they quickly replaced Rexine in the British auto industry for interiors. It was a step up in quality without an increase in cost. The change from Rexine to PVC (Vynide is what MG used) happened in the late TD era, and used almost exclusively in the TF and on.

Leather came from Connolly Brothers. Celstra was the trade name of the leather used; it was just like the higher priced Vaumol but had more defects per hide, hence a lower cost.

There is a company in Germany that sells a fabric they call Rexine for book binding. It is very close to the original brand Rexine material, but I believe it uses modern materials. Available in a range of colors, none matching the original MG colors, and would likely be hard to match to leather.

Tom Wilson

[Duncan M]

antijam-
If you are looking for originality on the covered dash, that vinyl is not even close. We discussed it recently, and a few here still have the known original rexine on their cars. see: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=60495

[Ray White]

Talking about leather / Rexine interiors, does anyone know if it would have originally been matte or shiny?

[Tom Wilson]

Shiny, though not brilliantly so.
Tom