Jessie The Jeep Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) After that, I did a quick trial fit of the child seat again, and then it was time to pack up and do the school run again! The next step will probably be the seatbelt slots and Isofix seat fittings. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) July 16th Time for the Isofix fittings next. Some 6mm bar was heated and formed into two 'U' shapes that the isofix fittings would attach to. The car seat was placed on a flat board to work out the height of the fittings, and an MDF jig was made to test the height of the loops. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) The MDF template was then used as a drilling jig to position the hoops at the correct height in the base of the seat bucket. A flat steel plate was welded on the reverse side of the seat to spread the load of thr fittings into the metal seat bucket. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) Yet another test fit showed the yellow seat fittings were lining up perfectly with my Isofix attachments. With that done, it was time to move on to the seat belts. The shoulder straps go either side of the child seat head rest, placing them right in line with the back of the seat. This meant that the seat back had to be cut to allow the belts to pass through. After marking out, I drilled a chain of holes until the centre part came out. The hole was then cleaned up with a file. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) To stop the seat belt from fraying, I edged the hole with copper brake pipe, slotted with a hacksaw so it fitted over the sharp edge of the hole. The corners were bevelled so they fitted together and the side pieces formed to match the swaging. It was a fiddly job, but worked well. The second picture shows the two lined holes from the rear. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) Here's the two lined holes from the front, still needing soft soldering together. The holes had to be wide enough to allow the adjusting buckle to pass through. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) July 21st After a morning of childminding, the little monster went out for a play date, so I was able to continue with the seat. The rough cut sides and back rest were measured and trimmed more accurately, using a template to match the curve on each side. Since I didn't have any rolling equipment to edge the metal, I had an alternative method for putting a safe edge on the seat bucket - slitted copper pipe. Now I thought it was going to be a hard job to slit the copper fuel pipe. I started with it in a vice and using a hacksaw, but I wasn't getting anywhere fast. Then I had a brain wave of using my bandsaw. Not exactly the safest method, but you've got to live on the wild side every so often! So with the blade swapped to a 13tpi fine tooth one, I began slitting the tube on the outside of the coil. It just needed a little opening out with a steel rule to fit over the edge of the seat. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) After the edge of the seat was cleaned up, the tube was pushed over, starting at the bottom. Because it was so springy, I was going to have to work around a bit at a time, soldering the tube before moving on to the next area. I just used soft solder to attach it, as it wasn't under any great load and I didn't want excess heat from brazing to distort the seat sides. Slowly I worked my way around. I got a little kinking over the top corners, but some extra slits across the tube helped around there. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) The edge is now nice and rounded and perfectly safe for little fingers. I'll probably give the soldered edge a thin skim of filler to tidy it up before painting. Other than some filler and paint, I think the observers seat is complete. I still need to work out where the four point harness will attach, and make the mounting in the floor of the Dodge which will support the seat while driving and also the pedestal when it is mounted in the observers position. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) July 22nd To simulate the wrapped edging on the seat, I turned to a technique I've used in modelling to simulate overlapping metal panels. Two layers of electricians tape were stuck down where I wanted the panel edge to be, and then the area between the tube and tape was filled with P38 body filler. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) The filler was sanded flush with the tape and then the tape was pulled away, leaving a nice edge. I may yet simulate some rivets around this edge. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) In addition to the tube edge, there was quite a lot of other filling to do. All of the welds in the bottom of the seat bucket were filleted, around the seat belt holes and around the tube the belts wrap over. The edges of the flat reinforcing plate for the isofixings was also filleted to tidy up its appearance. The whole seat was also sanded down as it had a light coating of rust where the flux had been. The rest of the metal surfaces were also sanded to clean them off to bare metal ready for paint. It was a long day of filling, sanding and filling again. The inside surface doesn't need to be perfect, as it will be hidden with a yellow U.S. Air Corps seat cushion and back rest eventually, which will be fitted for display when the child seat comes out. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) July 23rd After further sanding and filling on the seat, it was time for some rivets around the edge. Fake rivets were added with blobs of waterproof PVA glue, applied with a syringe. The surface was force dried with a heat gun so that the rivet would hold its shape against gravity as the seat was turned to work on different areas. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Hammerite Smooth Dark Green was a good match for Boeing cockpit Dull Dark Green. I had 1/3 of a tin left over from a previous project and used that first, but needed a second tin to be able to paint the seat and the framework that will be built into the floor of the Dodge. The side frames were given a coat of paint first and left out in the sun to bake. I then started on the inside of the seat bucket. The old paint was a bit thick, so was thinned for brushing, though the first coat was a bit streaky. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) The inside was painted up to, but not over the rivets, giving them more time for the glue to harden up. It baked outside for a little while before being brought back inside and turned on its front. The bottom and back were then painted before the first tin ran out and the seat was then left to dry overnight. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) July 24th I finished off the painting on the seat and transit frames today. Next job will be to bring the truck home and work out the framework for the Dodge floor that the seat will fasten to. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) July 25th Seat harness fitting today. The four point harness fittings were clamped in place to work out the strap length and best fixing positions with the childseat in place. Child wasn't available this afternoon while I was doing this, but there's plenty of adjustment in each of the four straps. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) The shoulder straps are anchored on the rear inside of the frame while the waist is on the outside. In the picture below, those just need the excess length of bolt trimming down. To maintain pressure on the isofix fittings, I have two layers of wood with an 1/8 inch strip of rubber clamped between. Pushed in behind the seat, it keeps positive pressure on the fixings and stops the seat from swinging side to side. It could do with some matching paint. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 (edited) The seat harness is all done! I just need the truck home for the floor mountings. When the side transit frames are removed, so the seat can mount in the observers position, the belts go with them. The last picture shows the boss giving her approval! Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Just tell her if she gets to stroppy, you'll fit a rocket on the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 I was thinking of a black and yellow striped handle to pull in case my driving scares her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I was thinking of a black and yellow striped handle to pull in case my driving scares her! You'd be THE MAN to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) July 27th Despite heavy rain, the Dodge was brought home from storage today, so I could start planning the seat mounting structure. After getting the rain cover over the Dodge, I lifted the seat into the back to work out the mounting location. As with the last seat, it is positioned behind the driver which gives the least restriction on my visibility when driving. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) With the passenger installed in the seat, there was plenty of leg room and still ample clearance to lift the seat headrest as she grows. Once I'd made a few measurements and notes on its position, I brought a few big chunks of wood from the workshop to pack up the seat to the correct height under the observers dome. Considering I hadn't had the truck at home though the whole of the planning and construction, it was fitting reasonably well. However, I didn't have much flexibility in the size of the metal seat, as this was dictated by the child seat it had to contain. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) After a few changes of height, I finalised the required position to put my head in the right place in the dome. At present, the rotation of the chair is limited by the back rest touching the edge of the dome cut out. This is enough movement for now, but should I want more rotation, I can enlarge the raised area that the dome sits on. Shopping for more steel tomorrow. Edited October 21, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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