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Permalink Reply by Steven Ward on August 3, 2017 at 8:02pm

Here is mine.

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on August 3, 2017 at 9:58pm

Some recommendations:

1. If you bolster the seat edges, keep them small as the seats are relatively narrow - high bolsters make you feel like your sitting in a slot!
2. I recommend using a local upholsterer so you can "trial sit" the foam.  This allows fine adjustments to be made prior to covering the seats.  Remember, hopefully you're going to be spending many hours sitting in those seats and you want to be comfortable!
3. Can't say enough good about temperature sensitive and conforming  "Confor Foam" (so-called "NASA foam" or "astronaut foam"), available from Hi Tech Foams.  They have a "kit" for the 750 (just stock pieces - still have to be shaped and carved) consisting of three progressive densities for the seat bases and two for the seat backs.  It progressively yields with G forces and can save your spine in a pancake landing/crash, unlike typical upholstery foam that lets you ricochet off the seat base and increases spinal injuries!
4. My seat backs have a Velcro closure at the bottom.  I slipped a bladder up under the seat cover so as to have an inflatable lumbar support - works great!
5. Have the upholsterer install pockets on the seat backs for maps, check lists, etc.

John

N750A

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Permalink Reply by Mark Pensenstadler on August 4, 2017 at 8:01am

John. I let Oregon Aero know about your recommendation to keep the bolstered edges small.

I live in the Detroit area...home of the automobile, right? You would think that anything I'd need automotive would be widely available. I've searched for a local auto upholstery place and have come up empty. There's some I can find on Google, but they either don't return calls or they tell me there's a 2 month waiting list. I found one and drove almost an hour to drop off my seat frames. I typed the address into the GPS and ended up in the HOOD! I'm not sure if this place was in someone's basement or what but I never even got out of the car...just drove right on home.

After talking to Oregon Aero at Oshkosh I'm happy with my decision. They use three layers of different foam as you describe and they actually send me the foam after it's cut and before it's covered to test. Then I send it back and they cover it. They are even taking care of embroidering the Blue Angels logo on the top and adding the map pockets in the back.

They've made seats for the 750 previously so they are familiar with the frames and have the size patterns already.

I will say that Oregon Aero is very far from 'inexpensive' but I'm willing to pay the premium to get professionally made, comfortable seats. And I don't even have to visit the hood!

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on August 4, 2017 at 8:44am

Sounds like a good plan - especially if you can "trial sit" the seats prior to covering!

I feel your pain about local upholsterers - I used a small mom-and-pop shop that does a lot of custom auto and boat work.  Just happened to hit them at the right time and it took "only" about 2 months to get it done. I've referred friends and invariably they come back and say "They told me they have a 6 month's backlog!"  Ironically, I've dropped-in for minor projects such as just sewing a seam on a sunroof headliner (911SC, not my 750!) and they'll drop everything and do it on-the-spot ... usually "no charge!"  Guess that's why they're 6 month's behind! 

Oregon Aero is a quality outfit - you'll get what you paid for!  My locals weren't exactly inexpensive, either!

Now get back to building!  :>)

John

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Permalink Reply by Walt Snyder on August 3, 2017 at 11:47pm

Make sure you check to make sure the seat back clears the side post with plenty of clearance prior. On some that rubs, and will wear as time goes by. I tapered my  seat back frame to prevent that from happening.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Harrington on August 4, 2017 at 10:27am

If you are a little bit taller or like to be stretched out a bit, I suggest, if it is already not too late, to narrow the seat back as Walt suggested. I do not like to have my knees bent a lot so I cut the seat back frames and narrowed them up, but not enough. As you can see in the photo it still rubbed on the door post. I ended up tipping the seat inboard by putting spacers under the rear outboard portion of the seat base in order to gain clearance between the seats and door frames.

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Permalink Reply by Walt Snyder on August 7, 2017 at 11:43am

There was another thread that this was on, but here's the pictures of narrowing the top that Joe referred to. You can see where I cut the top, then the sides partway thru, then bent it out in the plane until I was satisfied and then welded it up with the gusset. 

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