Glen-L Hot Rod

Seat tracks from a GM van are mounted to a set of custom fabricated brackets. One side bolts trough a sole support and the other bolts to the side of the motor stringer.

1. Normally we'd build the seat frames with 3/4" marine grade plywood. We had several leftover pieces of 1/4" plywood, so we chose to create a template, cut multiple pieces and laminate 3 layers to the required thickness.

2. Rotating the 'C' shaped corner pieces 90 degrees for each layer produces a very rigid rectangular frame free of fasteners.

3. The 3 layers were epoxied and clamped.

4. Here's the top layer after curing.

1. Rubber webbing will ultimately suspend the seat foam. The webbing slots were laid out on the stock. A 1/4" drill bit was used to drill the slot end points. Most of the material was removed with a jigsaw.

2. Jigging a hand-held plunge router was too complex, so we mounted a 1/4" straight-cut router bit in the drill press. Moving the stock back and forth while lowering the router bit 1/8" at a time did the trick.

3. Here's the finished piece. No, we won't be using regular lawn chair webbing ! We've ordered a stretchy UV-resistant rubber webbing commonly used in the upholstery trade.

4–5. Since we're trying to launch ASAP, a local upholstery shop will be commisionned to produce removable slip-on cushions. They'll be fastened to the seats with straps and snaps. More traditionnal full uphostery can be completed over the winter months.

One of many trial fits.

1. The second layer was built up from 4 laminations of 1/4" marine grade plywood. A template similar to the one employed in the first layer was produced.

2. The second layer was epoxied to the first layer.

3–4. We splurged on a 5"x6" industrial duty dual-swivel metal bandsaw. It walks through 1/4" steel or aluminum plate with ease. What a difference a tool makes !

5. These aluminum corner plates will bolt to the seat rails.

6. We fabricated a steel backing plate to which we've bolted the seat back tilt mechanism.

7. Here's a close-up view of the tilt mechanism.

8–9. The seat rails provide 6" of horizontal travel, 3" of vertical travel at the front of the seat and reclining backrest.

Front corners were radiused and the top edges were rounded-over before applying the first coat of epoxy.