Seat Plating Question

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Steve Nau
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Seat Plating Question

#1 Post by Steve Nau »

RE: 58 Coupe
On my seats the tube on the back connecting the left hinge to the right hinge was painted black. I pictures I have found it looks like they should be chrome plated. Please tell me what is correct.
Thanks

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#2 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

From an original '58 coupe detailed in "Neil's Book"

They do not appear to be chrome plated, but obviously are not painted black.
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Barry Brisco
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#3 Post by Barry Brisco »

I just looked at that seat part in my '59 coupe. While my seats have been recovered, I do not believe that the hinge assembly has ever been disassembled and restored (but I can't be sure). That connecting tube piece on my seats almost looks like it is bare metal. It doesn't look like it is cad or zinc plated to me, but I could be wrong. It is certainly not chromed, and it is hard to imagine why the original manufacturer (Reutter?) would bother to chrome it, since it isn't visible except when the seat back is pushed forward.

Steve, I highly recommend that you buy Neils book. It is invaluable to anyone who has a T2 coupe and is interested in authenticity questions like this.

Best regards,
Barry Brisco
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Steve Nau
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#4 Post by Steve Nau »

As always - thanks for the help. Seems there is always one more book that I need.

Kevin Murray
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#5 Post by Kevin Murray »

I believe the crossbar should be nickel plated.

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Barry Brisco
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#6 Post by Barry Brisco »

Kevin, do you know if the seat rails were nickel plated? Mine may be and they look a lot shinier than my seat crossbars. But maybe the plating on those pieces has dulled. You may well be correct and they are nickel plated.

Thanks,

Barry

Bruce Baker
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#7 Post by Bruce Baker »

I am not a plating guru, but those seat cross tubes were not nickel plated in my experience (as the seat tracks were).
They were plated possibly with cadmium, so when I am doing a batch of that increasingly difficult to source procedure, those get done with that. Zinc will work, too. More often than not, for a street driven car, if those are not too bad, they are lightly sanded and painted with 'dull aluminum' rattle-can spray to spruce them up to 'look' plated.....but not bright and shiny like chrome or nickel, just clean.
BTW, different seat recliner assemblies from different years had different types of tubes and finishes on those connecting control tubes.
A seat guru like Jim B. could enlighten us on those, I'm sure.
 

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Jim Breazeale
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#8 Post by Jim Breazeale »

Bruce Baker wrote:I am not a plating guru, but those seat cross tubes were not nickel plated in my experience (as the seat tracks were).
They were plated possibly with cadmium, so when I am doing a batch of that increasingly difficult to source procedure, those get done with that. Zinc will work, too. More often than not, for a street driven car, if those are not too bad, they are lightly sanded and painted with 'dull aluminum' rattle-can spray to spruce them up to 'look' plated.....but not bright and shiny like chrome or nickel, just clean.
BTW, different seat recliner assemblies from different years had different types of tubes and finishes on those connecting control tubes.
A seat guru like Jim B. could enlighten us on those, I'm sure.
Bruce

"Guru"?.......not!. I am just an observer of things 356. No seat hinges got painted except for those on 72 and 73 911s. Yes, I said none. 58T2s and earlier cars had bare aluminum covers over the springs. the 59T2s had a nickel (I think) plated metal cover (round) over the springs. Look at the tech article about seat hinges. All of the pictures are of unrestored hinges. The cross bar tubes are nickle plated as Bruce said.

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Barry Brisco
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#9 Post by Barry Brisco »

Bruce Baker wrote:I am not a plating guru, but those seat cross tubes were not nickel plated in my experience (as the seat tracks were).
They were plated possibly with cadmium...
Jim Breazeale wrote: The cross bar tubes are nickle plated as Bruce said.
Okay, now I'm confused. Bruce says "seat cross tubes were not nickel plated", and Jim says "cross bar tubes are nickel plated as Bruce said.".

Barry

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Jim Breazeale
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#10 Post by Jim Breazeale »

Barry Brisco wrote:
Bruce Baker wrote:I am not a plating guru, but those seat cross tubes were not nickel plated in my experience (as the seat tracks were).
They were plated possibly with cadmium...
Jim Breazeale wrote: The cross bar tubes are nickle plated as Bruce said.
Okay, now I'm confused. Bruce says "seat cross tubes were not nickel plated", and Jim says "cross bar tubes are nickel plated as Bruce said.".

Barry
Sorry Barry

I'm the one that is confused. Bruce is correct. the crossover tubes in As appear to be Cad plated. The later cars appear to be nickle plated.

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Jim Breazeale
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Barry Brisco
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#11 Post by Barry Brisco »

Thanks Jim. So now we have a consensus from Bruce and Jim that the cross tubes were Cad plated, and Steve Nau's original question that started this discussion has hopefully been answered.

The seat cross tubes in my A coupe are kind of dull, but I suppose that Cad plating dulls a bit after 50+ years. :-)

Best regards,

Barry

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Steve Nau
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#12 Post by Steve Nau »

Wow - Amazing the discussion that can result for what would seem a simple question. I have a LOT to Learn about these cars and really appreciate this kind of help.

Sandy Sandberg
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Re: Seat Plating Question

#13 Post by Sandy Sandberg »

I think the seat tubes are electro galv plated.It is the same plating as on the aluminum ??? data plat on page 95 of Neils otherwise very good book . Cheers Sandy in Nelson NZ
Sandy Sandberg

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