British UC seat cushions

[ajmac]

Does anyone have an original TL numbered UC seat cushion? I need a Loyd one, but figured a UC one would be more likely to be found. I want to nail down the leatherette colour. I think it's a dark green, but have never seen one from a British machine, always CTL parts.

[Petr Brezina]

Alastair, its brown on mine! See the detail of the material.

[eddy8men]

green on mine

[Lynn Eades]

Check this out Al.

[Ron Pier]

The NOS cushions that I acquired some years ago are green. They have a very faint TL number (not CTL). I can't see a date or makers name though. I also have an original seat back cushion but would have to remove it to see any markings. Ron

[Ben]

Speak to Jim Clark, he has an almost perfect match for the green rexine used on the original British seats. It's not actually rexine but the match is very good.

[ajmac]

Many thanks guys. I guess it's up to me then...green or brown!

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by ajmac

Many thanks guys. I guess it's up to me then...green or brown!

About 25 years ago, I was at Bill Vince's yard at Ely, getting Bedford parts and asked if he had any seat cushions, he showed me a van load of nos British Carrier cushions. Although the cushion fitted the Bedford seat, it was bloody hard and awful to sit on, so I sold it to a Carrier owner. Definitely green exactly as the one in Ron's post.

[Lynn Eades]

Which is what Ben and I have. (thanks Ben for thinking of me) They are filled with felt as per Ron's picture. I haven't done any endurance testing yet Richard. Now I know what to expect :-(

Alistair, Petr's brown seat back cushion has the hole for the seat belt, which is in keeping with his later war MkIII welded hull carrier. The serials for that batch are T331000 to T334000. The last carrier contract going to Ford (Dagenham), so quite late. (from Nigel Watson's Vol.1.)

[Ron Pier]

Yes these cushions are filled with several layers of some hairy felt stuff. As Richard stated, they are very firm. In fact if you stand on them, you hardly make a dent. Ron

[RichardT10829]

I always thought they were green mind Alistair.

I put mixed density foam in my seat pads, I had covered a smoot over 1.5K miles in my carrier from 2014 - 16 I have a boney behind....... I was never not comfortable ! I think if the pad dimensions and appearance are correct, you can fill the pad with what ever is most comfortable for you.

[ajmac]

Green is probably the way to go. Sadly I've never managed to handle an original Loyd seat cover, the wartime photos clearly show leatherette type covers and the parts book states that the stuffing is layers of felt, so it would seem to line up well with the UC items shown in the above posts.

Most if not all of the restored / preserved Loyds have no seat covers or incorrect tan canvas ones.

[Petr Brezina]

Sorry Alastair, now I got the question - hopefully may use your thread.
What's the overall height of the driver's/gunner's seat cushion?
Many thanks!

Edit: Answer found in another thread. Thanks Ron! http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=12810

[Jim Burrill]

Where can I buy the closet match to the fabric?
Someone mentioned a list member - Jim Clark - and I PM'd him with no response. Any commercial source for a good match?

Thanks!

[rob love]

The material is very much like the material used on school bus seats.

Brian Asbury has (or had) the rear back cushion for the mk1 carrier, which, while generally dried out, is a good sample to use when sourcing the leatherette.

[Ben]

This is Jim's company.

http://www.milweb.net/go/alliedforces/

He made my carrier seat backs including the correct lift the dots fixings. Very high quality.