Type 64 Lounge Chair

[Fixer]

I'm designing a lounge inspired by the most early Porsche cars for myself.

There are so many elements to these cars.. but I'm resisting taking them literally. I'm trying to create a lounge Professor Porsche would approve of. It's to be 1930s simple but Porsche too. It's a real challenge. I need critical opinions.

I'm going with the simplest type of chair I can think of in both shape and manufacture.

The early Porsche simplicity always appealed to me. It especially does these days.

This is a simple frame prototype and crappy sling in made to test future seat positions and use to sit down in my garage / shop. [I'm not much of an upholsterer]

I'm inspired by the tall narrow greenhouse of the Type 64 and how it was basically VW parts bin made fast by streamlining. Doing a lot with little is something I appreciate and can relate to in business and life.

Again the frame is a prototype, I like the big wheel sides radii, simple 1" tubing construction and simple attachment of the upholstery by rod/interference.

The pillow will be more an early 911 headrest shape cylinder and wider, the seat may end up molded in fiberglass and nicely padded with open breather rivets but I'm not sure. It will definitely be wider with more side support. Frame will be satin finish stainless steel as is the prototype in the picture. It's actually comfortable but ugly.

Anyway, here it is so far. Te frame revision drawings below make it lower and wider but adhered to the "golden ratio" The revised frame already looks better to me. The prototype does not employ the golden ratio but does have swing axles..

[nein14]

Very cool i want one!

[Fixer]

Probably a forum down the hall that this should be in sorry. Thanks nein14^ didn't see you there.

Here is Rev 3 on the frame. [Actually back to the original circular top concept. It needs a way to grab and move it and this creates a nice handle along with that 1930s rear window.

Aluminum shell supports heavily padded saddle leather with chrome or Alcantara w satin finish. Chrome with black or red leather would have a more period look.


I can't wait to find the time to move forward in 3D

[dianeandpablo]

Matt...you've surpassed yourself. This is Bauhaus crossed with the Arts and Crafts movement and propelled into the 21st century.

[Tom Elder]

Matt

Nice inspiration, for the theme of the chair! Great car! I do like the latest version, which, to my eyes, I make a connection to a single seater roll hoop. I was around single seaters a lot in years gone by, Formula Vees and Fords.

I like the idea of going with saddle leather which, some how seem more period correct to me, but black leather and alcantara is going to look awesome as well. I am currently trying to get a quote for BF Torino seats, done that way for my car.

Aluminum shell with louvers, very nice idea. The next million dollar lounge chair?

Marc Newson's Lockheed Lounge Sets $3.7M Auction Record - Auction - Curbed National

Nice work, hope to see the finish product soon!

[JT912]

Great design work. Maybe the side panels could pick up cues from either the wheel fairings, glass shape or 1/2 a wheel? The last version would be my choice. I think it's design vocabulary speaks more automobile than the others.

[McLaren-TAG]

the side support rails you're using to anchor the base of the sling should wrap around toward the back and integrate with the seatback. It would give it a lot more support (relief from potential stress fractures) and visually the seat together a lot more IMO.

Good execution on your prototype though.

Grab hold of this book if you'd like some additional inspiration. http://www.amazon.com/1000-Chairs-Charlotte-Peter-Fiell/dp/3836546744

[Fixer]

Pablo your too kind. Thanks for the kinds words.
Tom, your opinion carries real weight with me, i could use some advice in manufacturing in real time. JT912 thank you for the inspiration and good advice on the wheel panels, I think rolling their edges would be the ticket. Mclaren-Tag thanks, I will look into what your saying it makes sense to me. I was going for the simplest of chassis for this. No decreasing radii, simple true radius bends and 1" tubing which is a standard in furniture manufacture and easily bent. The least amount of parts the better. The way Ferdinand Porsche might approach it.

Did the latest revision of the Rear View i had in my head this afternoon. Porsches seem to be designed from the rear end, so will this.

I'd like to mold the bucket in fiber glass i think and have it drop onto the chassis.
Also, I've noticed the big radius legs flex a little too much when sitting down hard. The side wheel cover serve to stiffen.
The vertical slats cut into seat bucket serve to allow air to escape as one plops down and compresses the foam.
I want this seat to look like an SC / 930 seat. Simple and honest.

[Fixer]

Forgot the sketch..

[Bob Kontak]

Wheel covers? No.

The large radius is the chair.

Flex must be dealt with in another manner.

[Fixer]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Wheel covers? No.

The large radius is the chair.

Flex must be dealt with in another manner.

You're 100% right Bob. That is a big element of the chair. I don't take them for granted. You'll see them but from the inside. They're part of the chassis.

I woke up thinking how nice the seat shell would be in steel and finished gloss black against a polished chrome frame and accents.
We've all seen the pictures of black pre A 356s.

I could shape the shell with a hammer on a large section of tree hollowed as necessary. Need that in the garage anyway.

[group911@aol.co]

Aluminum shell but with louvers

[Fixer]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

Aluminum shell but with louvers

Thanks, but i'm taking a new direction with this Porsche inspired lounge.

Made a model of what will be done in sheet aluminum and painted in glossy black lacquer. It will be very light. Front legs adjust pitch of chair.

I'll have to go to a full scale wooden buck and shape the aluminum panels on my English wheel and TIG all of the pieces. Should be a lot of work but rewarding in the end.

I'll call it "Ferdinand", that's all for now..

[JT912]

Have you seen this?

[Fixer]

[QUOTE=JT912;8811611]Have you seen this?

No, but that is funny.

Back to the Berlin to Rome car.

The more i research this Granddad of all Porsche cars, the more I admire it.

It was shaped in a wind tunnel. This was cutting edge stuff at that time. It's built in a very interesting way as well and very light.

There were 3 built.