horsehair smell

[2002Targa]

I know that many of you have posted about the distinct smell that results from the old horsehair padding in the seats. I was wondering if anyone as tried to retain that smell by maybe stuffing a couple of pounds of bulk horsehair under the backseat after having their seats redone.

I wrote to this place:

http://store.mmhorsehair.com/info.html

and they said they could supply a pound of body hair for about $10.00. I'm thinking that would be quite a bit of hair.

Is there any curing process that was done to the padding before original installation??

[SteveJ]

Funny you should mention this.

Loosing the familiar "odor" is one thing I think about for when I redo the seats in my car. Perhaps we could sell little sachets, an 02potpourri if you will. Put the FAQ logo on 'em and hang those instead of pine trees from our mirrors.

Along those line, I was poking around an old Alfa Berlina on the Alpine. The old Alfas also have a distinct odor. Similar to our 02's, but distictly different.

[Craig74tii]

I've read it's coconut fibers. Maybe I'm wrong. hmmmmm.

Craig74tii

[InkaSteve]

Along those line, I was poking around an old Alfa Berlina on the Alpine. The old Alfas also have a distinct odor. Similar to our 02's, but distictly different.

I know...when I looked at all those great Alpine 500 pics, I could almost smell those wonderful old cars. Took me back many many years when we used to mess around those cars when they were much newer.

[02fanatic]

It wasn't too long ago the front seat bottoms were still available...maybe not any longer. But a few years ago they were.

My '73tii is mostly stock/original with full gummihar (sp?) padding and that car smells awesome every time I get in the cabin! :-)

[Craig74tii]

(nt)

[TMK-001]

All I smell in my car is freakin petrol! I love it though... most people who ride along say that is the most unique thing about the car.

My mate has a Austin Mini and his smells almost as good - both have weber carbs, maybe there is a direct correlation between that.

[Beaner7102]

Todd, I thought your car would smell of drying paint, or is that still in a few weeks. Beaner7102

PS. I beleve the smell is from rubbercoated coconut husks not horse hair.

[TMK-001]

Drying paint... I wish!! :-(

Sitting in the shed with the left front guard off waiting for them to repair one of the dents we found when they couldnt get it back for a test fit with the new nose. There was about 80mm of bog in a small sharp dent about 150mm long - bogged straight over it.. when we stripped the paint off, we found there was a weird dent on the left side behind the door and a nice dent up the bum... previous repairs left little to be desired - in one part, there was dirt between the paint layers.

That is why it is taking so long to get back on the road - dents - not rust luckily!!!

Todd

[Mike Self]

a combination of the hair and the rubberized coating that it's dipped in once the seat buns are formed.

The German word for the product is "gummihaar" which translates to "rubberized hair."

And yeah, it is distinctive. My E30 has the same seat padding, and thus a similar smell.

cheers

mike

[Biscuit3]

I wonder what the dealyo is with using horse hair in the first place. Perhaps BMW had an aliance with farmers at the time? I guess in the long run it was a good idea because unlike polyurethane padding or something similar, it does stand the test of time and has got us talking about how much we love the smell that results.