Next Project- 1972 Vampire FJ boat restoration thread.....

**Gordon02** · 12-08-2019, 09:02 PM

Tom, I'm very interested in your seats. I've got a 1971 Glastron GT150 boat that I'm rebuilding and want to mount light-weight bucket seats into and not follow those awful original back to back benches the factory used. My Allison has a pair of buckets that I can use as patterns - please post plenty of photos during this part of your layup and build. Thanks, Gordon

**Tom Smyth** · 12-09-2019, 05:00 PM

This was ( i guess) an old OPC seat mold i was given. Hoping the first seat turns out good

**Ron V** · 12-09-2019, 06:04 PM

Great project Tom and glad to see one being brought back to life. My dad still has his '78 Pacecraft (same boat with the cutout in the pad) that was bought new. That's the boat that I learned to drive a boat in, sitting on his lap steering when I was a tot. He also had a 13' version of the Vampire in '73.

**Tom Smyth** · 12-12-2019, 10:16 AM

Getting down to the fine rigging details. Motor is completely rigged. Neat cable dressing into it. Keller speedo pitot installed and hose routed.... Waiting on motor decals and to lay up the seat, determine its position then define final gauge layout on the dash.....

**Tom Smyth** · 12-13-2019, 12:47 PM

first attempt at laying up a bucket seat. Came out nice. too thin though. Have to add 3 more layers of mat or 2 layers of roving. Really light though...

**1954bmw** · 12-13-2019, 07:23 PM

That's pretty slick, any wood going into the bottom for mounting??

**Tom Smyth** · 12-13-2019, 07:53 PM

no wood but 3 layers of biaxial heavy mat will be added

**Tom Smyth** · 12-16-2019, 04:24 PM

getting close to stickin a fork inthis project.. few more detailed pics.....

**FUJIMO** · 12-17-2019, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

no wood but 3 layers of biaxial heavy mat will be added

Nice. You can cut with scissors, long narrow 1'' or 2'' wide pieces of matt to edge the biax with, to help blend/transition that pile of glass off to the sides. then just a light touch with the grinder/sander. coming along nice tom.

**DanUmbarger** · 12-17-2019, 03:25 PM

Since you have a seat handy you could make a mold and then the smooth part would be on the outside of the seat unless your going to cover the whole seat with material. I originally purchased a couple of plastic race seats that use some nice bag type cushioning that are pretty light. Yours look very nice though.

**Tom Smyth** · 12-17-2019, 05:05 PM

I have the mold and laid up the seat

**DanUmbarger** · 12-17-2019, 05:09 PM

I'm sorry Tom...I thought the pic I saw showed the smooth side on the inside of the seat and the layup side on the outside...my mistake.

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

I have the mold and laid up the seat

**Tom Smyth** · 12-18-2019, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by DanUmbarger

I'm sorry Tom...I thought the pic I saw showed the smooth side on the inside of the seat and the layup side on the outside...my mistake.

Hey Dan- the inside of the seat IS smooth. the outside is the layup side. that's the way the mold is made.

**1954bmw** · 12-18-2019, 04:55 PM

Any chance you could do the layup on the outer side of the mold, making the smooth side on the inside, the pic of your mold makes it look ambidextrus or however you spell it???

**DanUmbarger** · 12-18-2019, 06:07 PM

I think what your calling a mold is actually the plug that someone made to make a mold...at least that is how we used to make all of our seats/canopies/accessories etc. Just thought the outside being smooth looked nicer and whatever was being made could be made the same color as the boat (solid or flake).

Originally Posted by Tom Smyth

Hey Dan- the inside of the seat IS smooth. the outside is the layup side. that's the way the mold is made.