Dismantled BX seat squab

[Vanny]

Ever wondered what a dismantled BX seat squab looks like?

Wonder no more!





This is my 'gaming chair' for Gran Tourismo 5. It had been 'exposed to the elements' for a while so i took it apart and put the fabric through the washing machine. I'd discovered I had never seen a clean BX 16v seat squab before, and i didn't realise what a nice shade of blue they where! Sitting in this seat does make me think how much comfort im missing out on in the BX with leather seats!

[electrokid]

That's interesting Vanny.

The bones in my bum are too close together and it tends to destroy the driver's seat - so I'm familiar with seat construction / squab modification on minis and Granadas - and the BX will need to be done soon.

Has anyone fitted an adjustable lumbar support to a BX seat ? Or fitted seats from another car with full electrics / heating / lumbar etc.

[mds141]

The valver is fitted with adjustable lumbar support. Well mine is.

[electrokid]

Is that standard or retrofitted ?

[Tim Leech]

All valvers had lumbar support on the drivers side only (unless it had leather)

[Mike E (uk)]

Do put some more pics up of the finished chair.

How easy is it to reassemble the seat so it looks OK?

I like the idea of washing the covers after 20 years of use, (wether they need it or not).

Mike

[mds141]

Any one got a spare drivers side squab for a phase 1 valver? The squab itself is fine, but the material on the bolsters is a bit worn.

[Vanny]

Do put some more pics up of the finished chair.

How easy is it to reassemble the seat so it looks OK?

My previous BX (which had a valver interior) used to get cleaned using a wet vac/carpet shampooer machine, and while it gave an improvement, sticking the covers through the washing machine is infinitely better.

I'll try and get some pics of the chair but its back in the loft.

Reassembly is easy, easier than taking it apart tbh. I also took the opportunity to make some running repairs, straightening the metal bars that pull the fabric to make the ballooned bits in the squab, and repairing some damaged stitching underneath. While it wasn't in terrible condition to begin with, it looked much better afterwards.

[frog]

All valvers had lumbar support on the drivers side only (unless it had leather)

How does it work?

[toddao]

Mark asked

Any one got a spare drivers side squab for a phase 1 valver? The squab itself is fine, but the material on the bolsters is a bit worn.

Is it the same material as Vanny's above? If so, there was a passenger side 16v seat on ebay here in good nick, which of course would be driver's side for you lot on 'the wrong' side of the road I can't see it at the moment but he keeps on re-listing it, I think it was €10. He said that the driver' seat was finished. Time for some inter-continental accord re these worn out seats!

[mat_fenwick]

The squabs themselves are identical side to side, so a good UK passenger one would be fine. Still, any excuse for a trip over...

[Vanny]

All valvers had lumbar support on the drivers side only (unless it had leather)

How does it work?

There is a u shaped metal bar about 10" up the back. There is a knob on the side of the seat that rotates the bar . Normally the bottom of the U points down and hinges around the top points of the U, when you turn the bar, the bottom of the U sticks out. Obviously it is only a very shallow U.

From memory the knob also controls the side bolsters which move in and out to 'hug' the body. They are damn good seats tbh and i work with some pretty fancy seats!

[mds141]

Thanks Todd and Mat. Vanny they are indeed good seats. Did Citroen make them in house or did Recaro have a hand in the design. Not a single ache on the challenge, and we were in the seats all day long.

[Vanny]

I've no idea who made them, there aren't any obvious branding marks that i've ever found, but they have all ways been described to me as 'Recarro' seats. But this could just be because they are very similar to the Recarro seat designs of the era.

This is the sort of thing i've phoned Citroen UK about before, and they've always been able to find out. There is a guy who works in the office who worked in the factory making BX's and seems to be a rather useful wealth of information.

[Tim Leech]

Its worth sticking some oxy-action stuff in with the wash when you do as it really shifts the grime!