MK I carrier seats

[Michael R.]

The original seat cushions and seat back cushions used an assortment of springs and horse-hair filled cloth pads. Although the horse-hair padding can be purchased, the price and performance when compared with modern fibre-form compressed polyester makes the use of horse hair less desirable. Jack I. has a fresh supply of horse hair, but for the rest of us I imagine the compressed polyester is good 'nuf.

When the cushions have additional padding, they take on a pleasing form and added level of creature comfort. Not that most of us are driving great distances or for extended times, but comfort all the same. The seat back on the left has half the amount of padding from that pictured to the right side. Too much padding pulls against the lift-the-dots fasteners somewhat, there is a happy medium at about 2"; I hope after a period of time the padding will settle in nicely. The horse hair padding does not hold a sharp 90 degree edge, so an original seat back will look very different from a new one if the new one is fitted with a 90 degree cut foam pad.

These seat covers were made with marine grade vinyl, stitched on an industrial sewing machine using 69 polyester thread and needle size 18 as appropriate for the material. The home use sewing machine simply does not work well with these components. The original seat bottom cushion cover has piping around top and bottom, with four black coloured brass snaps for access to the spring box and cushion pad. I did not use the original style combination of spring box and horse-hair filled cloth pad. The seat bottom cover as well as the seat back cover is filled with compressed polyester, which is made for exterior use as it is washable, mildew resistant, quick drying and odor free.