I’m preparing to reupholster my front seats and would like to reinforce the seat backs while they’re at bare frame. Does anyone know of a welder in the SF Bay Area with experience or capable of doing this? Chris at Fiatplus charges $400 per seat back, which I’m sure is concours but beyond my budget. I recall seeing photos of cross bracing and tube bracing. Which is better? I suppose I could show examples to a good welder but I was looking for a recommendation of someone who may have done this before. Any leads would be appreciated. Bryan, Geo, Steiny? Thanks Greenspider.

greenspider wrote:I’m preparing to reupholster my front seats and would like to reinforce the seat backs while they’re at bare frame. Does anyone know of a welder in the SF Bay Area with experience or capable of doing this? Chris at Fiatplus charges $400 per seat back, which I’m sure is concours but beyond my budget. I recall seeing photos of cross bracing and tube bracing. Which is better? I suppose I could show examples to a good welder but I was looking for a recommendation of someone who may have done this before. Any leads would be appreciated. Bryan, Geo, Steiny? Thanks Greenspider.

Hi Greeny, I have to ask, what is wrong with your seats? Are some of the welds broken on the seat back, or something else? I'm in the process of "refurbishing" the seats in my '69 spider, and the issue is usually that the foam is all crumbly, not that the metal frame is goofy. In other words, the metal frames in my seat are fine, but it's the foam and padding and outer vinyl that needs work. Which I'm working on.

How about yours?

-Bryan

18Fiatsandcounting wrote: Hi Greeny, I have to ask, what is wrong with your seats? Are some of the welds broken on the seat back, or something else? I'm in the process of "refurbishing" the seats in my '69 spider, and the issue is usually that the foam is all crumbly, not that the metal frame is goofy. In other words, the metal frames in my seat are fine, but it's the foam and padding and outer vinyl that needs work. Which I'm working on.

How about yours?

-Bryan

The seats were changed in 79. They weren't as strong, and can develop a lean, especially if you just reach back to raise the top.

Vickauto says they will fix it.
https://www.vickauto.com/FIAT-PARTS/FIA ... -50-1322-R

bobplyler wrote:The seats were changed in 79. They weren't as strong, and can develop a lean, especially if you just reach back to raise the top.

Vickauto says they will fix it.
https://www.vickauto.com/FIAT-PARTS/FIA ... -50-1322-R

Thanks, Bob, good to know. I dd figure out that you can set up the seatbacks with an intentional inward or outward lean, by setting up the two hinges so they are out of sync with each other as far as the connector rod between them.

Useful for those of us who are into, "digging the scene with the gangsta lean"....

-Bryan

Vicks looks like a great option. My 1980 driver’s seat had the g-lean when I purchased the car mid-80s. Years ago a friend tried to weld back the mounting nuts but made it even worse as it cracked and ripped out the sheet metal. I found an excellent replacement on eBay and plan to do it properly now that I’m presumably wiser. Thanks, Greeny