The mixing begins. Once this starts you can't be interrupted. It is "time sensitive". Mix the big container contents until they are black, pour in the catalyst from the small container, mix for 15-20 seconds and you have about 20 seconds to get it poured! Make sure the driver is ready and is wearing all the safety gear.
LET THE POURING BEGIN
OK, everything is glued in place and the driver likes the position he is sitting in. Now is the time for any final adjustments.
 Notice how the bag is pulled up much higher than the top of the seat. This prevents the foam from bubbling over and making a mess. |
Open both containers and get some cardboard or paper on the floor where you are going to do the mixing. Once the mixing starts you CANNOT STOP, so double-check everything. Got the bag taped up above the driver’s shoulders? Driver is ready to lift himself off the seat for a second or two to let some of the foam get under him? You have someone ready to help you hold the bag open so you can pour in the liquid foam without any problems? GOOD! Let’s DO IT!
One last thing, tie off the lower corners of the bag down by the driver’s leg. If you don’t the foam will just be wasted in that area as the corner will bubble up and stick up. We used a wire tie and grabbed about 5” of each corner and wadded it up and tied it off.
 You can see where the foam is expanding around the shoulders. Filling these gaps will eliminate driver movement and wiggling around trying to get comfortable. |
Mix the large container first until it turns black, about 30 seconds. Then pour the smaller container into the larger bucket. Stir with the drill attachment for about 15 seconds and try to get it thoroughly mixed. DO NOT DELAY at this point.
Go to the car and pour about half the contents in from the left side and then pour the rest in from the other side. Quickly work it down and under the driver and have the driver wiggle around for several seconds trying to get the foam spread out evenly. The driver NEEDS TO SIT STILL IN A POSITION THEY LIKE. The foam will heat up and start expanding. (I know what you’re thinking, and yes, it feels weird). In about 5 minutes it will be finished taking its shape. You can get out when it feels pretty solid. Our garage was a bit cool so we stayed in the seat for about 10 minutes.
FINAL TRIMMING
 This is a "glob" of foam above the shoulder we are trimming off. We cut our foam down to the shoulder bar. How you trim it is a personal preference. It's about comfort and fit. |
As soon as the foam is pretty firm, about 25 minutes in our shop, we removed the poured seat, pulled the plastic bag of the foam and started trimming off the big chunks with the electric knife. It cuts easily and was a simple process getting it smooth and shaped up. Don’t forget to cut out the seat belt slots. We trimmed and messed around with it for about 30 minutes, then we let it cure overnight. The next day the final fitting process and smoothing can be done. We used 80-grit sandpaper on an air-powered orbital sander to smooth the foam out. It will not be perfectly smooth, as folds in the fire jacket and pants and creases from the plastic bag will be visible.
 Not a piece of beauty yet but the shaping is about done. We have to send our seat to ISP to get it covered. The retail kits will have the Carbon-X fabric included and instructions on how to properly glue it in place. |
Trial fit the poured seat as often as you find necessary to get the trimming done. At this point, because we have a prototype, we have to send our seat to the ISP shop to have it covered with Carbon-X material. Production “Poured Seat Kits” will come with the fabric and instructions on how to glue it in place on your seat.
Now you can have a poured seat like the Pros use. The shoulder stability and support in the rib cage area is excellent. Now when you climb into your racecar you will be in the same position every time. I think these seats will improve my driving just by being more comfortable and they will definitely give me support for my body during the acceleration and stopping process. I’ll keep you informed how it works next season.
Source: |
| ISP Innovative Safety Solutions 5540 Morehead Rd. / Bldg 1 Harrisburg, NC 28075 (704) 455-3060 www.ispseats.com |
