CMP Seat Springs

[Tony Smith]

The seats used in CMPs, both Ford and Chev (not only in the cab, but also in various other locations on other body variants), use a solid base with a tubular rear frame and the back cushion is supported by a number of springs in a grid like array connected by rings. As the spring material is a thin gauge, high-carbon steel that has been worked to form the spring, these springs are prone to rusting away. Although the seat frames them selves are usually in good condition, the springs are often missing.

In an effort to reproduce these springs, does anyone have the specs for the 24 springs and the 9 rings that join them? The specs required are the guage of wire, length, dia of coil, number of windings, etc.

Even better, has anyone used their own measurements and had some made by a spring maker and can provide details and prices?

Also, just a local Australian note. Australia had a "Wideback" version of the CMP seat where the 2 tubular uprights at the back diverged outwards, ie not parralel. Did the Aussie seats use the same springs and stretch them, or were they longer?

[cletrac (RIP)]

Here's a pic of the seat bottom assembly, albeit in less than pristine condition. Seeing as how I've got around 25 seats and only three bottoms, my guess is that they're not that common.
The two edge rows have 6 springs each and the four remaining rows have 7 springs each. The springs are 2" diameter and 4" long and they're made of 1/16" material and there's five coils. The outside ring of springs are held together by hog rings as are the fore and aft rows.
They had a layer of horse hair type stuff over them then the canvas.
Now we need to find a supplier at a reasonable cost.
The tension type springs on the seat backs wear thin and break where they make ontact6 with the rings. It's an easy procedure to take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend out a fresh coil to wear on and remove the remains of the broken coil. Even with this method you'll still need to access more springs since there's always a few missing.
From everything I've been able to find on the subject, the seat cover canvases were only offered in one colour and that was khaki. The side curtains were made in desert stone, brown, khaki, etc, but the parts lists don't mention colour in relation to the seat covers. The same applies to the rear seats on all body styles. They was only one part number for them and that was a brown leatherette material like on my original 2A1 rear seat.

[Mike Kelly]

It would be nice having the original setup..but oh dear , all that work fiddling with springs and wire .. For a fraction of the effort , you will achieve good results using modern HD foam . With the canvas covers on, who is going to know the difference Materials like horse hair , are not that commonly used these days with upholsterers .... and with the animal liberationists being so rampant these days ..horse hair wouldnt be 'politically correct' either .

Just my two pennies worth
Mike

[Jeff Gordon]

Those inner sprung blitz seats are just the best! you bounce along.
It is like riding in an FJ Holden. No jarring on your back.
I did a job for a mattress factory that burnt down last year and they made a mattress that used 6 inch springs that would be perfect to make a seat base out of.
It would be very easy to make and possibly cheaper than new foam.
Have you bought any lately?

Just my 2 cents.(too young for pennies)
Cheers
Jeff

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Jeff Gordon

Those inner sprung blitz seats are just the best! you bounce along.
It is like riding in an FJ Holden. No jarring on your back.
I did a job for a mattress factory that burnt down last year and they made a mattress that used 6 inch springs that would be perfect to make a seat base out of.
It would be very easy to make and possibly cheaper than new foam.
Have you bought any lately?

Just my 2 cents.(too young for pennies)

Cheers
Jeff

Very easy to make ..I don't think so... try bending wire and playing with hog rings for a few hours .

BTW 48 215 and FJ Holdens were renowned for having crap seats .... I grew up with them

I wonder why the motor car manufacturing companies all changed over to foam..could be something to do with the time and cost involved with hand made spring seats.
Mike

[Jeff Gordon]

Very easy to make ..I don't think so... try bending wire and playing with hog rings for a few hours .

Compared to restoring the rest of a blitz it would be a walk in the park.

I grew up with them as well and I am still driving them. My mothers everyday car is an FE my grandfather bought new. It have never been restored and never been off the road and the seats are still great.
My brother has an FJ that was mine for a while that has been restored with re-sprung seats and they are more comfortable than a modern car.
I find new car seats too hard. They only get away with it because the suspension is so mush better these days.
My first car was an FE and being young and stupid I modified the hell out of it. I owned it for about 16 years. It had lowered suspension, low profile tyres and bucket seats in it. Great for racing but long trips were painful.
There is also an FC in the family too, I could post some photo's but you don't sound like a fan of old Holdens.

Just my 2 dollars
Cheers
Jeff

[cantankrs]

Originally Posted by Jeff Gordon

I did a job for a mattress factory that burnt down last year

You didn't burn the mattress factory did you Jeff

Just kidding. BTW I like your collection.

Originally Posted by Jeff Gordon

I find new car seats too hard. They only get away with it because the suspension is so mush better these days.

I tend to agree with your view. I had a HX with a bench seat and it was very comfy but you leant sideways going round corners. I replaced them with modern bucket seats that lock you in but sore behind.

Alex

[Jeff Gordon]

Alex, No one told me you can't oxy cut above foam mattrasses!

No I fitted new Air conditioners into the offices after it was rebuilt.
I think my Mum and partner are around Kalgoolie at the moment. They are gray nomads.
Cheers
Jeff

[Bob McNeill]

Carefull, all sorts of people lurk around this site, remember Holden is part of GMH.

[Ian Fawbert]

'playing with hog rings'

Hi guys,

In regard to the rings, i cant see why you couldnt use the fencing staple pliers used for joining/tieing your strands/wires onto your mesh. To me, they look almost exactly the same as the joints used on the seat base Cletrac' has shown. These pliers take about 1 second to put a ring like staple on.

If you do this, just bear inmind these staples usually have a pointy tip- might need a quick whack into the grinding wheel- could be a problem otherwise if it spins and rips your new cnavas.

Cheers,
Ian.

[Jeff Gordon]

Nice Ute Bob, what is the seat like?

Ian that's exactly what I was thinking. I recon you could U nail or staple the bottom of the springs to a piece of ply that sits in the seat base. That also gives you something to staple the canvas to.
For around the top a piece of high tensile fencing wire.
Cheers
Jeff

[Jim Price]

When I restored the seats in my F8 I went to the local Ace Hardware which has a great selection of both springs and rings. I'm sure that there's any number of hardware stores through out the former colonies who may have what's needed for this restoration.

I tried bending new hooks on the original springs and found that they would break on bending.

Regards,
Jim

[Willanthry]

G'day Tony

My Blitz and the other Blitz cabin i own came with enough seat springs and rings still in 'em to put together a back for one seat. I have the photo of it here. The springs probably aren't in the right proportions so to speak, as i could only use what was at hand, but it gives one an idea as to what it looks like!

[Bob McNeill]

Good to see that the brackets are there for mounting the door top bag, spring base for the seat, looks like you,ll be busy on MUMs sewing machine.

[Willanthry]

I will indeed Bob; as a matter of fact, there's still scraps of fabric jammed behind the bracket!
Out of curiosity, are the Blitz seat covers made out of canvas or vinyl?

[Bob McNeill]

" Normally " canvas, as with your doors, tops and canopy also sunshine roof, in your case, almost forgot MUDflaps. make them your self, just keep your fingers out of the way it HURTs.

[Ausmick]

Went out and grabbed a handful of these springs from an Aussie Blitz. Didn’t realise the Aussie built ones had a wider back in the seat so all the springs I collected were too long for the Canadian seat. Even the rings were a touch wider.

Pulled into local hardware store to see what I could find and found Bed Springs that are perfect. Very common spring so not hard to find. Same length as the ones on truck, a little thicker but tension wise just right. May even replace the lot of the old ones with them thinking about it.

[ozm29c]

AusMick,
Where are you in Coona? I am in Narrabri but I travel down your way regularly to work at our Radio Telescope at Mopra. It would be good to call by one day to admire your treasures.
Cheers
John W.