Sprung Seats

[Bradley66]

Would anyone know roughly in what year the internally sprung seats were replaced with the foam seats?

[diffwhine]

I always thought it was 1964. My 1965 has foam bases, but we have an anomaly here. We have a 1966 (D Reg) Suffix C 109 pickup on a friend's farm locally which has been in the family from new. I've known it personally since 1981 and its totally original. That has sprung seats...

[GHOBHW]

I also had a 66 with sprung seats. not sure how original, but they matched the rugged-ness of the rest of the vehicle

[JohnR2]

While we're on sprung seats - who is recommended to repair them? I don't want them completely re-covered, I'd like to preserve as much of the original as possible.

[Craig T]

My foam seats were even date stamped....   

Craig.

[Mycroft]

April 1965 was when the change was announced. See our comprehensive timeline on the club homepage. We also have the relevant Service Newsletter section introducing the change (newsletter 48):

https://landrover.series2club.co.uk/series2-vehicle-timeline/

https://landrover.series2club.co.uk/land-rover-service-newsletters/

[diffwhine]

Thanks for that bulletin - I note that doesn't tally surely either as mine is a February 1965 build with foam seats? 

[Mycroft]

If you're sure they're original, then it's possible that it's another change that Land Rover only announced after having already made the change on the production line.

I often ask people who submit their trucks' details to the Database service if a change that happened around the time of their build is incorporated on their particular LR and usually the answer is yes. Just not always.

[2DieselMan]

Does anyone know the history & Sequence of the Land Rover Series Elephant Hide Seats?

As from my SII Land Rovers, 58, 60 & 61 & what I have seen and collected my own info. is below & see Photos.

Also note whatever the Style of Seat Base, they come in 2 Types Flat (Standard) & Rear Angled for the Adjustable Seat Frames.

1. SII - 58 - Has Elephant Hide Metal Spring Seats - Bases are Metal Framed, Metal Springs, with Hessian Covered Seat Bottoms & Seat Backs are Metal Spring & Fully Covered

2. SII - 60/61 - Has Elephant Hide Metal Spring Seats - Bases have Metal Springs with Pressed Metal Bottoms & Seat Backs are Metal Spring & Fully Covered

NOTE: IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SEAT BASES WITH METAL FRAMES/HESSIAN COVERED BOTTOMS & THE SEAT BASES WITH PRESSED METAL BOTTOMS WERE ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIERS AT THE SAME TIME?

3. SII/IIA - May be Military ?? - Has Elephant Hide Bases have Solid Flat Plywood Bottoms, Foam Filled & Seat Backs are Metal Spring & Fully Covered

4. SIIA - Sometime After 62 (Not Sure When) - Elephant Hide Metal Spring Seats - Bases have Formed Chipboard Bottoms, with Metal Springs & Seat Backs are Metal Spring & Fully Covered.

Note: THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE SEAT BASE METAL SPRINGS WITH THE FORMED CHIPBOARD BOTTOMS ARE ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN BOTH THE METAL SPRINGS IN THE METAL FRAMED/HESSIAN BOTTOM BASES AND THE METAL SPRINGS IN THE PRESSED METAL BASES.

5. SIIA - MID 1960'S - Elephant Hide seat bases & backs changed to Foam - Bases had Formed Chipboard Bottoms, 2x Formed Ridges & Seat Backs with Foam had exposed Metal backs.

6. SIIA - Late 1960'S - Elephant Hide seat bases Foam Filled - Bases had Ply Wood with 2 Plywood Ridges & Seat Backs with Foam had exposed Metal backs.

[Craig T]

There may have been some additional versions for 109" station wagons as well.
These are the original seats and trim in my one and the seat backs are foam cushions on a metal frame but they have an additional panel fitted at the back. It is a hardboard panel painted or covered in a light textured grey colour, the panels are not covered in elephant hide material.
Not sure if the seats were different for 109" SW's or if it was an extra panel they slotted into standard seats but I haven't seen any mention of them in parts catalogues.

All my seat bases are moulded chipboard with foam cushions, 25th of April 1967 completion date but as the date stamp photo shows above, seats were made a few weeks previous to that.

Craig.

[Bradley66]

April 1965 was when the change was announced. See our comprehensive timeline on the club homepage. We also have the relevant Service Newsletter section introducing the change (newsletter 48):

https://landrover.series2club.co.uk/series2-vehicle-timeline/

https://landrover.series2club.co.uk/land-rover-service-newsletters/

My 2A was registered in the 2nd April 1965 so they are age correct .