Seat Frames/Rails refurb

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:25 pm

Finally got some fine weather today and managed to pull the seats out of my car. I'm having the rubber padding and webbing straps under the driver's seat re-done, and want to clean up the frames and rails underneath at the same time.

The basic frame looks like it is just painted in a matte (or semi-gloss) black, but I'm wondering what the finish on the rails is? It looks like some kind of silvery plating. Can anyone tell me what the finish is, and what kind of place I should take them to have them re-done? As always, I am sure it will be a bit of a search here, but if I know the correct terminology I can translate it and find someone who will know.

I haven't got a clue how it never occurred to me before, but I've just discovered that I have two driver's seats i.e. the reclining adjuster mechanism is on the same side on both seats (left side, LHD car). I guess the old Recaro Sports seats from 1967 (no headrests) aren't easy to come by these days? They are both in very good condition (except for under the driver's seat) and I suppose I can live with them as they are and hardly anyone will ever know. But now I do, it will keep bothering me.

Cheers
Greg

TimB · Post by **TimB** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:45 pm

Greg

I am sure those with greater knowledge will give you a definitive answer but I think the sports seats were not handed until approx '69 onwards.

Tim

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:09 pm

Hi Tim

I have seen lots online that look exactly like mine, without headrests, described mostly as "Original Early Recaro Sports Seats 1966-1968". I thought that they gained headrests after 1968 - but who am I to know?

Which raises another question. I found today on Amazon Japan a book called "Collector's Originality Guide Porsche 911", by Peter Morgan.

Is it well known? And is it useful? I bought a useful one by Brett Johnson on 911/912s, but left it under the seat one day, and it was when when it floated out under my feet that I suddenly realised how much the Targa roof leaked. The book hasn't been quite the same since. I'll probably have to buy another one of those too.

Greg

Nick Moss · Post by **Nick Moss** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:45 pm

The 1967/68 sports seats are unhanded, the handed seats came in with the change to LWB in 1969 (although as these are Porsche there will always be the odd exception). The 1967 seat differs from the 68 in that the the 67 doesn't have headrest mounts, the 68 does, on the top of the seat back.

The finish on the rails should be clear passivated zinc plating.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:53 pm

Thanks very much Nick. Now all I have to do is find out how to say "clear passivated zinc plating" in Japanese and I'm home and hosed. In the meantime I'll get them all cleaned back as best I can and ready to go.

Looks like I'll have to take a couple of photos of the seats. I'l try to do that tomorrow. They are definitely "handed" - both left. But neither has anything like a headrest mount.

Cheers
Greg

Nick Moss · Post by **Nick Moss** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:54 pm

By non-handed, I mean there is no difference between the left and right seats, both have the reclining mechanism on the left side.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:46 am

Many thanks Nick. I hadn't expected the reclining mechanisms would be on the same side. Seems an odd layout - was there any particular reason?

To see if I can more correctly identify them, I took a few photos of one of the seats today. Grateful for confirmation that they are what I think they are - or otherwise.

And Nick - I'm struggling locally with "passivated" I think I've got the Japanese right but the only place that seemed to know what I was trying to get across said he only knew it as applied to stainless steel - and the rails don't look like stainless.

Cheers
Greg

gridgway · Post by **gridgway** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:23 pm

No idea about the seats, but with regard to the Zinc passivate, the passivate is essentially a top coat to the Zinc electro-plating to give it greater resilience and often to give a colour. The sequence is this:

1. Zinc plate.
2. Cold water rinse.
3. Cold water rinse.
4. 0.5% v/v nitric acid.
5. Rinse.
6. Dip in passivate
7. Cold water rinse.
8. Hot water rinse.
9. Dry.

The Passivate is a chromium substance of some sort (not the famous hexavalent chrome famed in"Erin Brockovitch").

I don't think it has anything to do with Stainless. In fact I cannot wee why Stainless would be zinc passivated.

Graham

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:59 pm

That gives me some more to work on Graham. Thanks. I know I can get them zinc plated locally - though one more issue was that he seemed to be saying that you can't re-zinc plate over an original zinc plating - particularly if it has rusted or been damaged in places. Does that make sense? Or maybe my technical Japanese is not as good as I thought it was.

I have access to a sand/bead/whatever blaster tomorrow and will get the rails and base frames cleaned up for the next stage.

Cheers
Greg

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:43 pm

Greg, these were a miss-matched pair of lightweight Recaro sliders and brackets that were a bit rusted and rough.
A little scotchbright and a clear Zinc passivate treatment and they do come up like new, ready to go in the car.

tanick · Post by **tanick** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:14 pm

Greg,

you may remember from the stuff I sent you that I have plating shops in Japan? They won't be able to do the work but will translate into Japanese if I ask. PM me with exactly what you want to ask and I'll forward it to them. We're not doing so much chromium work at the moment and I've never heard them use the word 'passivate' but their technical english is good.

tanick · Post by **tanick** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:21 pm

The passivate is probably trivalent Chromium. We've used this in the past, can get you the japanese for this...

tanick · Post by **tanick** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:57 am

Zinc Plating --- Aen mekki

Clear Trivalent Chromium--- Kuria Sankakurometo

Sayonara

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:53 pm

Thanks for the updates guys. Much appreciated. I did eventually get the correct terminology - seems there are a few ways to say it, but yours is definitely one of them Nick. Arigatou gozaimasu.

I am currently in Canada till close to the end of the month, but before I left I managed to borrow a sandblaster and stripped everything back, bundled up all the rails and got them away to a plating shop in Sapporo. They'll be ready to pick up by the time I get back. The black frames are being redone elsewhere.

It has finally snowed in Whistler overnight. After days of event postponements because of LACK OF snow, this morning the Men's combined is cancelled because there is TOO MUCH snow to do any adequate grooming. It is all very bizarre.

Cheers - and sayonara
Greg