Seats and Road Worthy Inspections

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I am going to making a push on getting one of my Series 3 Land Rovers on the road for September. One issue I have is a number of the seat backs and seat bases have sizeable cracks in the vinyl and they look very manky.

Is it okay just to get seat covers to go over the cracked vinyl or does the integrity of the seat's original material have to be sound before it is eligible to pass a road worthy inspection?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[brend0n]

I think it would depend on the state your in & the place you go.

I changed my RRC from NSW to QLD, went to one place got knocked back on the seats, went somewhere else later, passed no worries.

I put seat covers on to hide the tears

[Lionelgee]

I think it would depend on the state your in & the place you go.

I changed my RRC from NSW to QLD, went to one place got knocked back on the seats, went somewhere else later, passed no worries.

I put seat covers on to hide the tears

G'day BrendOn,

Thank you for the reply. I am in Bundaberg - so it might just depend on pot luck who I take it to for an inspection.

Did the Department of Transport up your way put your car over the pits before they handed over the plates? Or did they just rely on a mechanic's roadworthy certificate and it was all done at the front counter?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[isuzurover]

Hello All,

I am going to making a push on getting one of my Series 3 Land Rovers on the road for September. One issue I have is a number of the seat backs and seat bases have sizeable cracks in the vinyl and they look very manky.

Is it okay just to get seat covers to go over the cracked vinyl or does the integrity of the seat's original material have to be sound before it is eligible to pass a road worthy inspection?

Kind Regards
Lionel

IME a Qld RWC inspector won't remove seat covers to check the condition of seats, unless there are obvious defects.
Furthermore, significant rips and tears would usually be needed to defect the seats, not just (minor?) cracks in the vinyl.

[Lionelgee]

IME a Qld RWC inspector won't remove seat covers to check the condition of seats, unless there are obvious defects.
Furthermore, significant rips and tears would usually be needed to defect the seats, not just (minor?) cracks in the vinyl.


Hello Isuzurover,

The seat backs are in very good condition the middle seat base is in good condition. The driver's and passenger's seat bases have split seams with foam coming out; large areas of de-laminating where the vinyl top has come off in large patches and then cracks = Major running in between areas of de-lamination.

Can tarpaulin grade canvas be used as a seat covering to replace the vinyl for the two bad seat bases? I can sew even though it will be by hand and not machine. It might take a while but I will get there. The pattern is really basic :) I could even use press studs instead of staples so the seat's covering could be removable.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[isuzurover]

Hello Isuzurover,

The seat backs are in very good condition the middle seat base is in good condition. The driver's and passenger's seat bases have split seams with foam coming out; large areas of de-laminating where the vinyl top has come off in large patches and then cracks = Major running in between areas of de-lamination.

Can tarpaulin grade canvas be used as a seat covering to replace the vinyl for the two bad seat bases? I can sew even though it will be by hand and not machine. It might take a while but I will get there. The pattern is really basic :) I could even use press studs instead of staples so the seat's covering could be removable.

Kind Regards
Lionel

I don't see why you can't use canvas. Recovering a series seat is very simple. If you don't have a staple gun just use small nails/tacks - then you just need to sew the corners.

You can even add some more foam at the time to make them more comfortable.

[Lionelgee]

I don't see why you can't use canvas. Recovering a series seat is very simple. If you don't have a staple gun just use small nails/tacks - then you just need to sew the corners.

You can even add some more foam at the time to make them more comfortable.


Thanks again IsuzuRover,

Yes some more cushioning would not go astray. Since the canvas would be more prone to soiling than vinyl using press studs instead of staples would allow me to remove the covering. I could then give it a good scrub and hose without wetting the foam.

I would still get seat covers to go over the top so everything looks uniform inside the cabin. Plus I will not stick to the vinyl back or cook in summer.

I had an idea that the condition the seat bases are in now would be a bit more than what a nice pretty seat cover could hide.

Oh well some needle sticks and spilled blood to look forward to while I do some sewing before September. The patron saint of vehicle restoration will have its dues paid by the end of the process in the form of blood offerings, pain and the uttering of profanities upwards unto the sky.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Xtreme]

.................... Since the canvas would be more prone to soiling than vinyl using press studs instead of staples would allow me to remove the covering. I could then give it a good scrub and hose without wetting the foam.
..................................................
Kind Regards
Lionel

Alternatively you could put a few eyelets on each flap of the canvas that folds under the seat and then use nylon cord to lace the covers on - easier to remove than pulling out press studs which would eventually become loose if same holes were used eash time.

[Lionelgee]

Alternatively you could put a few eyelets on each flap of the canvas that folds under the seat and then use nylon cord to lace the covers on - easier to remove than pulling out press studs which would eventually become loose if same holes were used eash time.


G'day Xtreme,

I had a closer look at the seat bases and the vinyl is not even stapled down. There is a series of what would have originally been metal discs that have been bent over in half to form a semi-circular clip.

The clip sandwiches the vinyl to the bottom metal frame work. There are a couple of screws going through it - mostly to hold the bottom rubber stops in place at the bottom of the seat = Land Rover seat springs :).

Gee bodgey brothers seat material attachment, I reckon I can fit right in!

Kind Regards
Lionel

[UncleHo]

G'day Lionelgee :)

Aah! you have the steel framed Series 2a outer seats,with the plain covering, as Series 3s had ribbed seats,the 2a's had Dunlop rubber in them and the Series 3s had cheap foam,:( I would go with the canvas/calico covers,you could even use Denim from places like "Spotlight" the furnishing store,or borrow a set of seats from Pop058 he is in Bundy ;) it would get you through rego, If you were closer I would lend you a set of S3 seats.

cheers

[Lionelgee]

G'day Lionelgee :)

Aah! you have the steel framed Series 2a outer seats,with the plain covering, as Series 3s had ribbed seats,the 2a's had Dunlop rubber in them and the Series 3s had cheap foam,:( I would go with the canvas/calico covers,you could even use Denim from places like "Spotlight" the furnishing store,or borrow a set of seats from Pop058 he is in Bundy ;) it would get you through rego, If you were closer I would lend you a set of S3 seats.

cheers

G'day Uncle Ho,

Of my two Series 3 vehicles made in 11/75 and 07/76 they both have the same type of seats. I only have utes so they have the fold down seat backs to allow access to stuff stored behind the seats. I am not sure if their being tray back utes made any difference to what type of seat was fitted to them. Both are painted Camino Gold and all their seat backs - well the ones that are still there have the same colour.

I thought ribbed seats went by the name of "deluxe". I do not even recall if the station wagons in the Series 3 have a different type of seat to the ute as I have never looked. I thought seats just came in bog standard and deluxe.

Thank you for the information.

Kind Regards
Lionel