Dave's Orange Betty EK Sedan

[Orange Betty]

This is where the years of toll show their head retired at 57 now 71 boy how the years have flown cant do a lot anymore but not ready to push up roses yet

Hang in there Billy, over those years you've accumulated lots of knowledge that you still need to share, particularly with peeps like me where this is my first go at a vehicle restoration. This forum is important and fantastic for knowledge sharing, advice and encouragement. I try to read everyone's posts, and while I don't understand half of the technical content I get lots of useful tips and ideas.



Dave

[Orange Betty]

Thanks all for the support, some more slow progress on the right hand rear seat pan all but finshed

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I thought with more original metal remaining on this side it would be easier but I was wrong. Lots more smaller patches made for more work. And this corner was tricky

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But mostly done, just have to finish grinding welds and checking for pinholes. But what is the purpose of this raised tab and the large hole?

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There was a plastic bung in the hole. The other side was so rotten I couldn't tell if it was the same. Any thoughts appreciated.

Onto the dogleg next

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Cheers

Dave

[Brett027]

Very neat work Dave.
There is a hole on each side of the rear pans hopefully worked out to be the lowest point ( but the pressings make them less effective). I reckon they are next to useless. And yes, they have bungs that come with the rubber kits but they are nothing special.

[Orange Betty]

Betty now has a complete floor! Nothing exciting, took me ages, just used 4 full Rares pans, made the left rear seat pan, fabbed up the tunnels and about 50 other patches... Also put seat belt mounts in the B pillars.

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Which brings me to test fitting the front seat for front mount placement - the rear mounts were preserved. The front 'feet' all sit on their 'heel' as per the picture.

Front seat mt R.jpg (71.99 KiB) Viewed 1075 times

I assume they should sit more or less flat. I think I can achieve that by belting the pan around a bit but just checking I'm not missing anything. Would spacers under the rear feet to tilt the seat up be an option?

Also, how does the seat sliding mechanism work? The drivers side lever pushes down which pulls the inside arm where the connecting rod goes to the right. But the passenger side inside lever seems to need to be pushed down, not pulled across??

Cheers

Dave

[Brett027]

Looks terrific Dave. Very neat work as always. Betty is looking fantastic now with the floors, roof and sills sorted. (I know cause I grabbed a look this week).

[Blacky]

Nice work mate , you may not be as fast at Brett when it comes to progress but you are miles in front of me ........

[ardiesse]

Dave,

Bloody good work on the floors, especially considering how approximate the Rares floor pans are.

The four flat areas on the floors where the front seat sits should all be at the same height. If you preserved the longitudinal members with the captive nuts, then the seat mounting pads should be at the right heights. Putting spacers under the rear feet is probably the simplest, but check that it doesn't make the driving position too upright.

And if your front seat has the pull rod between the driver's and passenger's seat adjusters, it'll all work as designed.

Rob

[Errol62]

Great job Dave. If you don't have the pull rod it is just a piece of tensile wire. You can use anything that won't stretch as long g as you take out the slack. I've seen a stainless cable used with turnbuckle for tensioning.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

[FireKraka]

Well done Dave, I know your pain, I have just started floor work on my wagon project and have almost identical rot in same areas many hours of welding and grinding to come, great to see you have gotten to the end of it.

[Orange Betty]

Ok, got the sliding mechanism working with the rod between driver and passenger side. The passenger side mechanism just needed a little lubrication and persuasion.

Bashed the floor around a bit where the front seat feet go and now have them pretty flat. Which brings me to the question of why are the front feet secured with a 'saddle'? Excuse my dodgy'd up one in the picture. Why not just weld a bracket to each side?

IMG_20221212_152233.jpg (94.24 KiB) Viewed 1009 times

Cheers

Dave

[ardiesse]

Dave,

The front seat's front feet (like the sixth sheik's sick sheep) are secured by a saddle to make removing the front seat easier: four, easily accessible bolts at the rear, then you "just" unhook the front seat . . .

a doddle compared to removing EJ-HG front seats.

Rob

[Orange Betty]

Dave,

The front seat's front feet (like the sixth sheik's sick sheep) are secured by a saddle to make removing the front seat easier: four, easily accessible bolts at the rear, then you "just" unhook the front seat . . .

a doddle compared to removing EJ-HG front seats.

Rob

Thanks Rob, I thought as much. I guess the seats side trim piece gets in the way of undoing those front mounting bolts. Fair enough then. Someone on ebay wants $140 for a set of front saddle brackets and hardware - think I'll make my own!

Cheers

Dave

[Blacky]

Better deal here rather than that Greedybitz POS ..........

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/22403905709 ... R9jBht2gYQ

[FireKraka]

That's Pete Mallaby on eBay great guy and makes some good bits even though he is an FC guy

[BILLY BLACKARROW]

I have "one" front saddle as you call it. I am in Newcastle its yours if you want it just PM me your address. Maybe EK mart or someone else may be able to help with the other.