Seat Tilt Mechanisms

[nthomas1]

I've disassembled the seat frames on my S2 Coupe and I'm stripping the seat-base parts ahead of painting them.  The chrome-plated seat-back tilt mechanisms are quite heavily pitted, one in particular, so I'd like to disassemble them so that I can get a quote for re-chroming. I'd normally just start unscrewing the fastenings, getting ready to collect any parts that get ejected by springs becoming free! Then I'd reverse the process to reassemble.   Before I start I thought I'd ask if there any hints for taking them apart. As always, any advice would be gratefully received. 

[frankxhv773t]

I suspect many people will be interested as they seem to be basically the same as Flavia and Flaminia. It always strikes me as a shame that so much trim was stainless steel on Lancias of the period but these seat parts are poor chrome plating and things like rear lights and door handles are monkey metal.

[nthomas1]

I'm wondering if there's any strategy worth pursuing other than re-chroming.  A company at the Classic Car Restoration show at the NEC last weekend quoted me £280 to strip and re-chrome the tilt mechanisms.  That's the total for all 8 plates.  I don't know if that represents reasonable value for chroming but I'm not sure I want to invest that much in them, with so much still to spend to other aspects of the restoration.  I'm wondering whether an option would be to have them stripped (still a specialist function of course) and then have them powder coated in metallic silver.  I've seen some wheels done in this finish and they look impressive. I'd like to stay with original chrome but I'm not absolutely wedded to it.  Any thoughts?

I've just finished the clean up and painting of the seat frame components (see picture below), and I already have the newly re-trimmed backs and bases so only the seat tilt mechanisms have to be sorted before the seats can be reassembled.  I wish my bodywork was as advanced but I'll be blitzing that in June after my next stint away in Spain.

[fay66]

Norman,
Try a chrome paint, not the same as re-chroming but if done carefully it's passable.

Brian
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