My Willys 3A and 3B Community
3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: macrisel on September 26, 2014, 11:08:00 AM
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So after an exhausting search for a 3A back seat, I finally found one.� About a month ago, my Dad sent me an email with a link to a back seat on ebay.� The reason I mention this, is because if you know my Dad that fact that he sent me an email.......with a link..........that actually works.......to something he found on ebay............is a story worth sharing.
Anyway, he had found a reproduction back seat on ebay that was listed for $140.� I thought there was no way it would stay at that price, but low and behold a week later I won the auction.� Plus shipping and handling and I'm in this seat for under $180.� Having remembered Randy's post with his reproduction back seat I knew there would be some small tweeks I would probably have to make...
When I received the seat, I quickly unpackaged it and tried to fit it in.� No go.� After looking things over, I figured out all I had to do was bend the front legs out about 1" for everything to fit.� Like Randy, I will also probably add a weld bead to the front legs to make the feet a little stiffer.� Also, I plan on stripping it down to bare metal and painting everything from scratch.� However, all in all I was pretty satisfied with Dad's ebay find!
(http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy138/macrisel/89C4ACF1-A7FC-4E4F-953A-4F738C3234D1_zpskecpqds9.jpg)
Now, the real issue.� When I called Beachwood Canvas for cushins and covers, when I told them it was a reproduction seat, they asked me what my seat pans measured.� The CORRECT measurments should be 13" for the bottom seat pan and 15" for the back pan....
Bottom pan..
(http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy138/macrisel/D6FF8081-64C9-4035-86FB-82A5C239D32F_zpsfynegdg6.jpg)
Back pan..
(http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy138/macrisel/2765C763-10EA-499F-8D13-7300CDB3F12D_zpswe7nye5s.jpg)
Turns out, MD Juan had an issue for a while with someone in the plant using bottom pans for both the bottom and the back (probably explains why I found this one so cheap).� Beachwood found the issue and let MD Juan know, but I'm sure there are more incorrect seats out there.� While it is not a big issue for Beachwood to make cushins and covers to fit this smaller pan, they have to know about it up front.
Just another reason why I'm a big fan of Beachwood Canvas and their quality products and excellent service! [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif]
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Just another reason why I'm a big fan of Beachwood Canvas and their quality products and excellent service!
I agree Mark....Dan at Beachwood has taken the extra steps to carefully go over my orders and to make sure they would work correctly on my jeep...and to explain the options. Two weeks ago I ordered a winter enclosure for the 3a, without doors.. Dan said at that time that they were only about two weeks out...
I did not see that seat on ebay but I saw an original 2a seat that went for over 300 plus 85 shipping.....I think you got a deal......The back on my repro seat looks too high anyway!
Randy
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Wouldn't you know it - the seat I just got from NDJ is also 13" back and bottom. I'm glad you brought attention to this detail. I may have purchased the wrong back cushion.
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That stinks. I wish I could have posted this sooner to help someone else out. Make sure to pass this along to anyone else trying to find the elusive back seat!
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Now I'll have to measure mine....I know that when I ordered the cushions from Beachwood Dan asked a lot of questions and he may have had me measure the bottom and back...
Tumbleweed, did you already order cushions?
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I just realized that I never updated the results on my back seat. I am pleased to say that it is covered and installed.........but it did provide some more headaches to get it accomplished.
(http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy138/macrisel/ADE9E0A8-B5AD-4344-9225-00FB7E9E703E_zps3zipvfq4.jpg)
One other issue I ran into was the bend radius on the top of the frame was not the same on both sides. This resulted in a very slight wrinkle in one corner that I hope will work itself out as the material relaxes to the frame.
Overall I'm happy with how it turned out. I still need to take it apart and paint it, but now my girls have a place to ride in the back!
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No I have not purchased any seat covers yet. When I found out about the dimensional issues I called Beachwood and they did ask a lot of questions - so glad.
The seats look great!
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I finally got around to measuring mine....sure enough, a 14" or so seat back, but the cushions I got must be 15" as they hang down beyond the metal seat back, and nearly touch the bottom cushion...looks fine, works fine.....but I'm not sure what they are really supposed to look like....