Dad's stang...

crash2 · Sep 16, 2010

Thanks Brad I will try a heat gun. If anything I suspect I can add some material to the affected areas evenly on both sides to help push the cover out--as the cushion material may be flattened out from over time.

CHOP SHOP · Sep 16, 2010

crash said:
Thanks Brad I will try a heat gun. If anything I suspect I can add some material to the affected areas evenly on both sides to help push the cover out--as the cushion material may be flattened out from over time.

you would use cotton for fill padding.

I wouldnt tho. your cushions looked great and cotton is normally used as a sheet to flatten out a sagging or damaged cushion. Its like the trimmers bondo.

If you had a nasty hole chewed in the cushion you would patch/smooth it with cotton, then lay a thin cotton blanket over the whole seat cushion to cover any imperfections left after patching.

I think a heat gun will pull all those out just fine. :awesomework:
I have put on so many gm and ford muscle car seat covers. I have worked for my dad many times over the years. He hates putting on stock seat covers (he would rather do custom rigs) so if your working for him, YOU get to do them all!:redneck:

nick c · Sep 16, 2010

Mike it looks awesome, keep it going. Your dad has got to be very proud. :awesomework:

And hey someday that will make a sweet ride for Kyle to take a girl to Prom too as well...

crash2 · Sep 16, 2010

CHOP SHOP said:
you would use cotton for fill padding.

I wouldnt tho. your cushions looked great and cotton is normally used as a sheet to flatten out a sagging or damaged cushion. Its like the trimmers bondo.

If you had a nasty hole chewed in the cushion you would patch/smooth it with cotton, then lay a thin cotton blanket over the whole seat cushion to cover any imperfections left after patching.

I think a heat gun will pull all those out just fine. :awesomework:
I have put on so many gm and ford muscle car seat covers. I have worked for my dad many times over the years. He hates putting on stock seat covers (he would rather do custom rigs) so if your working for him, YOU get to do them all!:redneck:

What if the whobble/ruffle in the cover is due to a void behind the cover(nothing to push it outward) would you shove something behind it or still use the heat gun? I do allot of seat covers at work but those are simple remove/replace(J clips) and the replaced covers are made exactly to the ones being removed so this type of replacement I really have limited knowledge compared to what you probably know.

crash2 · Sep 16, 2010

nick c said:
Mike it looks awesome, keep it going. Your dad has got to be very proud. :awesomework:

And hey someday that will make a sweet ride for Kyle to take a girl to Prom too as well...

Thanks nick--I am pretty impressed with them so far and made sure my dad saw pictures last night of the 2 finished ones...

hwcurtice · Sep 16, 2010

Mike,

There's an ad on craigslist for some free 65-66 rear body parts.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/zip/1956217611.html

Not real sure if it's worth it to you or not. No pictures.
And for free, it's kinda far to go as well.

CHOP SHOP · Sep 16, 2010

crash said:
What if the whobble/ruffle in the cover is due to a void behind the cover(nothing to push it outward) would you shove something behind it or still use the heat gun? I do allot of seat covers at work but those are simple remove/replace(J clips) and the replaced covers are made exactly to the ones being removed so this type of replacement I really have limited knowledge compared to what you probably know.

The kit seat covers dont always fit like they should.

Olds seats are real seat foam. New seats are polyfoam. The replacement covers are usually made to fit over the same companies polyfoam replacement cushions.

If they made the replacement covers as tight as the factory ones they would not fit over the newer replacement cushions.

The boxing (white woven cloth around the edge where it is out of site) is fatter and more loose fitting on the new seats. The boxing and thread are not even close to stock quality. They are easy to rip. Since they are easy to rip the MFGer makes the cover a looser fit so guys dont tear the boxing or threads when trying to stretch it over the tighter fitting/bigger replacment cushions.

Did you put the edge wires into the new covers? The edge doesnt have to land where the stock one was. Hog rings are so the trimmer can pull it where it needs to be for a good fit then hogring it down. If it nees ot be tighter pull it over the edge a little and stick a hogring on it where its tight but pulling a new pucker in it further away.

The new seat cover you reffered to doing at work are like most new auto parts. They have removed the need for a craftsman. Like a unit bearing. It just gets replaced and the tech need not know how to adjust the bearing. The seat covers in new rigs are the same way, you just replace them and snap on the plastic channels and the tech need not know how to adjust the cover to get a good fit.

Your old covers need adjusted unlike new car ones. Dont be afraid to hogring it down to the seat in a different spot that it was form the factory to get the same fit.

Your seams look good to. IDK if anyone told you about turning seams?

CHOP SHOP · Sep 16, 2010

crash said:
What if the whobble/ruffle in the cover is due to a void behind the cover(nothing to push it outward) would you shove something behind it or still use the heat gun?

If you get the cover pulled tight and the seams on the outer sides are no longer in the corner area but pulled all the way around the back before it gets tight then you need some filler.

Thats when a blanket of cotton layed over the cushion before installing the cover is needed.

TreeClimber · Sep 16, 2010

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/pts/1955792657.html

If these parts are desireable, I'll go check 'em out for you.

wkndtoy · Sep 17, 2010

TreeClimber said:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/pts/1955792657.html

If these parts are desireable, I'll go check 'em out for you.

That is a good price on doors if they are in good shape..

crash2 · Sep 19, 2010

Ok so I was informed we have hit just about the 2 week mark for the car to head to the bodyman for the body work/paint. So we have in our stash a new hood, both rear quarters, replacement decklid, filler panel between the rear window/deck lid and my dad got a pair of doors (thanks for the link tony).

So I am shifting up a gear or 2 to get it ready.

So I was wrong I started with the passenger front seat--doh..

So I got the seat back all stripped and frame cleaned and painted. Besides the rust it was in great shape.

The cushion was also in really good shape. To pull the seat face around inward around the material seam they use wire thats looped around a seam on the inside of the cover. I had to sand the wire smooth and it was still tough to work it into the new cover.

And here is how the seat back turned out. I was pretty happy with the outcome and I think I got it pulled just right.

boardbysled · Sep 19, 2010

For not being an upholstery man, it looks good!:awesomework:

crash2 · Sep 19, 2010

I got the seat base stripped down. The shop looks like a war zone with pieces of hop ring clips everywhere,lol...

Can you tell which one the new one is,lol. The drivers side was broken so we ordered a new one.

crash2 · Sep 19, 2010

So I changed gears and decided to get back to the floor since I need to get that done and sealed up.

Here was one of the damaged areas for the drivers seat mount(LH rear).

All fixed up.

The Rh front

All fixed up

The only access on the back side was like 1 1/2" thru hole under the car since the seat basicly sit on a riser off the floor. I ended up bringing my air hammer home from work and working the sheetmetal back up into place/working it flat and welding it up.

crash2 · Sep 19, 2010

And now some fun REALLY begins. You have to remember I am used to removing sheet metal and not putting it back--lol.. So this should be interesting and entertaining.

Here is the start of the mess---flinstone mobile...

And here is where I got tonight with it. With the understructure of the car and the fact the spot welds are kinda hidden by the deep rust its been slow and I have been removing the floor pan in sections.

So its up bright and early and back at it..

crash2 · Sep 19, 2010

boardbysled said:
For not being an upholstery man, it looks good!:awesomework:

Not too shabby huh. I guess when I set my mind to something I seem to pull it off :awesomework:

spidertoy · Sep 19, 2010

so that's what all that noise was about, what movie was playing in the background, I couldnt pick enough out of it to figure out the movie

Totalled · Sep 19, 2010

Go Mike Go! :cheer:

TreeClimber · Sep 19, 2010

You're welcome on the link to the doors, but it was really nothing. Glad to contribute towards the goal. Did you already pick them up? If so, you shoulda stopped by and let me buy you a cup of coffee...er, Dew...er, Rockstar or whatever.