There have been lots of tiny progress steps taken over the last few months, none of them are in the critical path of restoration but I had to finish off trimming my vintage Riley competition car so that it can be put up for sale during 2024.
I need to bring this blog up to date:
* Obtained: Replacement front seat frames
* Obtained: Original Leaping Jaguar radiator mascot
* Obtained: a number of tools for the bootlid tool kit
* Obtained: replacement hinges for the bootlid tool compartment
Manufactured: Replacement rear number plate with letters that are illuminated from behind
So lets make a start on updating the blog:
FRONT SEAT FRAMES
I have one complete front seat, the other one is terminally corroded so I have been slowly remaking the seat frame from scratch learning new skills along the way but accepting that I will probably never need to use some of them again. That work went on hold whilst I investigated how to bend a one-piece seat back hoop from 20mm pipe into a complex set of curves that need to match on either side. I have heat, I have pipe bending tools, but this part of the fabrication was alluding me. Luckily, I met a very kind MK5 owner who had a barn full of spares (for a MK5) and he had a few spare seat frames that he was happy to let me have for a token payment. The MK5 seats were actually fitted in 1948, the last year of the MK4 manufacture. The style of leather trimming was slightly different but underneath the leather the frame is the same shape as the MK4 albeit 25mm wider.
So, I now have 2 matching front seat frames which I can trim to look MK4 correct. I forgot to mention that I do need to re-create the spring-filled seat cushions. Luckily the original MK4 seat can be used as a model, and I know a man that sells the springs. Seat spring cushion manufacturing skills are on order 🙂
