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Seat Air Cushions

Hello

How many Austin models were originally fitted with air cushions in the seats.
Was this limited to Austin or did other marques use them as well?

Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

Re: Seat Air Cushions

The original rear seat bases of 1934 to 1937 Series 1 Morris Eight Tourers were certainly Moseley Float-on-air cushions - I'm not so sure about the 1938 Series 2 Eight Tourers or the 1939 Series E Eight Tourer. I'm pretty certain the saloons had sprung rear seat bases. Saloons, Two-Seaters and Tourers all had sprung front seat squabs.

Very few if any Morris Eight Tourers retain their original rear Moseley air cushions, most have perished long ago and been replaced mainly by modern foam - my Series 1 M8 Tourer had foam in it when I bought it in 1973.

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Pretty certain Riley 9's used air cushions as well

Bill G

Location: Scottish Border

Re: Seat Air Cushions

The foam ones I have squash after about an hour and become uncomfortable. Is air cushions the only way to go or do I need different foam? Maybe I'll speak to some suppliers at Beaulieu this weekend.
Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Inflatable type far superior to foam but not cheap -- Brian Purves has them.

Charles

Location: Norfolk

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Chris Gould's Nippy book shows how to use inner tubes to do the job.

Location: The Pits,Leicester

Re: Seat Air Cushions

I spent quite a long time trying to recreate 'float on air' cushions using inner tubes, trying out a wide variety of different kinds, but with no success. What you need is a very thin-walled tube like a bicycle inner tube but with the diameter (c.2") of a motorbike (or A7) inner tube, and rather longer than both of these. Eventually I found that Putnam's Inflatable Stadium Seat Cushions were the closest I could get to recreate the feel of the original ones.

David

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Bryan Purves will make you a nice set using modern non-rubber material. Not cheap but they look asthough they will last.

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Adrian,

"The foam ones I have squash after about an hour and become uncomfortable. Is air cushions the only way to go or do I need different foam? Maybe I'll speak to some suppliers at Beaulieu this weekend."

From the days when we were getting seat cushions made for kitchen chairs there was a 'high density' foam which didn't squash- possibly similar still available.

Tony.

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Nicholas Boorman
Bryan Purves will make you a nice set using modern non-rubber material. Not cheap but they look asthough they will last.


I have a set like this for the Pearl that I bought about 4 years ago - as you say, they were very expensive but are superb, particularly over long distances. Not as much give in them as the original Moseley type but they work very well indeed.

Re: Seat Air Cushions


I agree, l've been using Purvis' replacement air cushions for the past 5 years in my RK and they are really good. No more sore bums!

Location: Staffs

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Adrian - If the air cushions prove too expensive for your taste, try Tony's high density foam. You only need an inch or 1/12" of it together with the cheaper ordinary foam you're using. Did a lot of mileage in New Zealand & Oz in a '25 Chummy (recall over 50 000 miles) with no sign of sag. Good Luck, Cheers, Bill in Oz

Location: Victoria, AUS.

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Bill Sheehan
Adrian - If the air cushions prove too expensive for your taste, try Tony's high density foam. You only need an inch or 1/12" of it together with the cheaper ordinary foam you're using. Did a lot of mileage in New Zealand & Oz in a '25 Chummy (recall over 50 000 miles) with no sign of sag. Good Luck, Cheers, Bill in Oz



Hello Bill -- are we talking about sag in the cushion?

Have good memories of meeting you in Melbourne a few years ago.

Charles

Location: Norfolk

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Charles - how stupid of me, your name before didn't ring a bell - if that's what names are supposed to do! Since our time together, have moved from the big smoke - is your daughter still there? Re your question - I've been quoted before as having done two trips to Adelaide (each over 1000 miles return) within a week and feeling fitter than when same trip done in a company Ford Falcon, due as much to the shape of the Chummy seats. A six footer may have a different theory! These days I know exactly where the sag will be. Cheers, Bill in Oz

Location: Victoria, AUS.

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Many thanks for all your suggestions. I may see Tony at Beaulieu.
Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Bill Gardner
Pretty certain Riley 9's used air cushions as well

Bill G


They did, as also did many more quality cars of the thirties - Lagonda (Ranalagh body) and Talbot (Van den Plas) to my certain knowledge.

Re: Seat Air Cushions

....and the trick with air cushions is not to over-inflate.

From page 64 of the August 1934 handbook;

Re: Seat Air Cushions

When I bought my cushions from Bryan Purves, his advice was to half inflate them. Otherwise they will be very uncomfortable, i.e. rock hard.

And at half inflation the sitting position will be much lower than with a full blown seat or with a normal foam/padding cushion.

Location: Horley

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Henry Harris
....and the trick with air cushions is not to over-inflate.

From page 64 of the August 1934 handbook;



Excellent advice -- seems to cover birth control as well as breath control?

Charles. Rural Norfolk

Location: Norfolk

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Well now, that goes a long way to explaining your family of 16 children. Or is that NFN ?(for those not familiar with this shorthand Normal For Norfolk, often found on medical records)

Location: Sunny Cotswolds

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Oxford Jack
Well now, that goes a long way to explaining your family of 16 children. Or is that NFN ?(for those not familiar with this shorthand Normal For Norfolk, often found on medical records)


Hmmm!
ice, treading, thin, on, 🤔
springs to mind 😃👍

Geoff - Compressor pressure switch FUBAR 😡

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Re: Seat Air Cushions

Oxford Jack
Well now, that goes a long way to explaining your family of 16 children. Or is that NFN ?(for those not familiar with this shorthand Normal For Norfolk, often found on medical records)


Hello Jack -- I ran out of breath after the third and am still trying to get second wind.

PS don't feel you have to respond to this, please!

Charles.

Location: Norfolk

Re: Seat Air Cushions

My '34 RP still has its original float-on-air cushions which show no signs of perishing. All still hold the air well, although I have had to replace the plugs as they went hard and brittle and I now use the rubber bungs as fitted to lilos. There's no question of them not being the originals, as the car's been in the family from new (me for 36 years, father for 20 years and prior to that his uncle owned it from new).

I am amazed that they have survived so well and have often wondered whether there are other cars are out there still with their original cushions in use.

Rod

Location: Flitwick, Beds