Nabeaquam
BoTM Winner
This is my third seat I’ve rebuilt like this. 1910-30s long spring seats look cool. Some of the original Mount Tam klunkers had seats like that. The problem is that the tops and horsehair or felt padding is crumbling. I buy a $39 Chinese leather seat and take off all the cheap springs and other hardware. The stretch bolt on the nose of these are no good, the nut is too thin and strips. The rear bolts in the leather seat support don’t use a locking head bolt or the bolts aren’t welded to the seat leather support so they twist when you try and work with them. But, the leather is very thick. You used to be able to buy just the leather for $20 but that was quite a few years ago. I weld a standard modern rail to the long spring rail and springs and weld on a mounting tab for the nose that fits the mount for the stretch bolt in front. The seat post is a 5/8 inch solid rod and the only thing that’s steel that won’t bend is cold rolled. I weld on a cap on the 5/8 rod from a modern post so new guts work. After it’s all done to your satisfaction I wax harden the seat by submerging it in melted paraffin for about 3 minutes. It now won’t stretch and is waterproof.
It has the look and so far no one has noticed that it’s fake. The ride is comfortable.
It has the look and so far no one has noticed that it’s fake. The ride is comfortable.
