Basic DIY Fiberglass Seat Questions

[jstrain]

Just picked up a '72 CB450 that is going to be a winter project. Was going to pick up a tank / seat combo from BCR, but I'd like to try the seat myself.

I've read up on a bunch of homemade seat threads on the net, but not completely sure how to tackle it.

My goal is to get a single seat with a cafe style hump tail to house the battery in. From what I can tell, I need to start by taping the frame and getting some shaped foam on the tail to lay the fiberglass over. Once I do that, I'll have a single unit from tank to back that consists of a flat seat area and the hump tail.

Once I have that all trimmed and sanded, do I make a second pan that sits on the first one, and then get the second small pan upholstered? It looks like people are doing something along those lines, but it's tough to tell sometimes.

 

[Sonreir]

Having just completed my first seat, I would just go with the one pan and make it thick enough to suit your needs. Then you can upholster over it.

 

[jgoheen]

i am getting ready to do the same thing. the steps that yo describe sound like the way that i am going to tackle it.

 

[chenzzo]

I've been wondering about this too. Basic fabrication of the seat pan seems pretty straightforward, I just couldn't figure out how to attach the upholstery.

 

[Sonreir]

Industrial velcro. Seriously.

You need two types, adhesive backed for the pan and standard for the seat pad. You sew the standard-backed hooked end of the velcro to the bottom of the seat pad and put the adhesive-backed cloth end onto the seat pan.

You can also use rivets if you're going for the style of upholstery that will cover the edges and/or part of the hump.

 

[jstrain]

Thanks for the responses guys! I'm a ways off from that part of things (the damn thing doesn't really even run at this point), but I'm anxious to get to the cosmetic stuff.

The single pan sounds like the easiest way to tackle things. I guess if you're upholstering the pan as it sits on the frame, when you lay the fiberglass, you gotta have some sort of spacer so the fiberglass doesn't fit right up against the frame or whatever else is there. That way there is room for the upholstery.

 

[Sonreir]

Good idea to start the body work early. It's very time consuming to get it just right. Expect hours of repeated sanding and filling and glazing if you're aiming for a mirror finish. For preventing contact between the fiberglass pan and the frame, use neoprene or something similar. I actually wrapped parts of the tubing on my frame with foam some pipe insulation.

 

[jstrain]

I've got all winter to work on it. Also have a wrecked '10 Bonneville as of a few days ago If the insurance company doesn't total it, I'll have my hands full all winter. At least the Bonneville runs well