I'm stupid seat upholstery

[dfink]

Well once again mostly because I don't know anybetter I am going to attempt something that requires skill and knowledge neither of which I posses for this project.
Having aquired a really rotten set of sport seats I find myself in the delema of too expensive to ship to someone and just too good to toss. I could have them recovered locally for around $300 ea but the where's the adventure in that. So armed with nothing but blind ignorance here we go.
I have decided to use vinyl because wasting a dead cow just does not seem right. There was great sale on marine vinyl at Hancock Fabrics so I go 4 yards. For those that don't know a roll is 52" wide and a yard is 36" of this roll so it is more than 1 square yard.
The first thing I did was take the existing seat apart. Pictures will come tomorrow I don't have any of the pieces parts. There is more to a seat than it appears. The foam was suprisingly in good shape so will reuse that. I found that some of the seat is just glued on, some is put on with Hog rings, (wire clips) and some is sewn on.
Anyhow after removeing the existing covers. I cut the parts into their individual pieces to use as a pattern. I found there a lot of pieces. Also because I am stupid I decided to make my own welting. Welting is the round bead that goes around seam at the bottom and the back. This is for decoration as well as providing some strength to the seam. Since I got 4 yards of fabric I cut a 2" wide strip down the side for a 12' X 2" piece. I then wrapped this around welting cord. (very heavy string) in this case 4/32" yes that is 1/8" but it is sold by the 32nd measurement. The using the wifes sewing machine I made some welting strips. This works much better if the sewing machine has a welting foot. The foot has a groove in the bottom that guides and helps form the welting strip. Anyhow that is where I am at tonight. I have one welting strip 9 feet long. I stopped at 9 feet to conserve material. The length needed to go around the seat back is somewhere between 7 and 9 feet. The left over would not be long enough to do a seat bottom so instead of wasting 3 feet of welting cord I just stopped short.

[porschenut]

Are ya daft, man?? Just buy a seat cover kit from autos int'l!

[SteveinTO]

I once heard of a fellow who made a pair of seat covers out of his wife's leather boots.

Now that I think about it, it may have been his ex-wife's leather boots.

I think we'll be needing pictures on this one......

[dfink]

Originally Posted by porschenut

Are ya daft, man?? Just buy a seat cover kit from autos int'l!

Well as I often say "i'm not cheap if I had money I would spend it" cheapest seat covers I could find were $175 they gotta be crap cause I see the amount work involved. Minus labor this should cost somewhere around $50 for the vinyl cause it was 40% off. This is a pretty decent weight marine vinyl. Looks like leather is very nice to the touch should be able to take the UV for a cab since it is Marine grade.
Oh and did I mention I am stupid.
I will try to provide pictures as I go along. I am only doing one seat at a time so I can compare to the other seat. Believe me a coat of paint on a bare frame would be better than what was there. Or shall we say used to be there.
I thought the welting would be the hardest part but turned out to be fairly easy to make. I am sure the ***t will hit the fan at the first curve I have to make.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by dfink

I have decided to use vinyl because wasting a dead cow just does not seem right.

[

May I just add, by way of observation, that much of the world eats beef daily, and that leather is a by-product of this consumption cycle.

So you are not "wasting a dead cow" by using leather. You are actually recycling it— and giving that cows life an extra measure of meaning.

I mean if I were a dead cow, I would take some comfort from the notion that someone would be hurtling through the countryside, sitting on my hide, a fine woman at his side, in a fast Porsche, the scenery a blur and their butts comfortable on my former skin.

At least that is what I would like to think.

[dfink]

Originally Posted by Dottore

May I just add, by way of observation, that much of the world eats beef daily, and that leather is a by-product of this consumption cycle.

So you are not "wasting a dead cow" by using leather. You are actually recycling it— and giving that cows life an extra measure of meaning.

I mean if I were a dead cow, I would take some comfort from the notion that someone would be hurtling through the countryside, sitting on my hide, a fine woman at his side, in a fast Porsche, the scenery a blur and their butts comfortable on my former skin.

At least that is what I would like to think.

I think the phrasing was wrong. If I screw up the seats and ruin the upholstery I didn't ruin a perfectly good piece of leather. Now if the come out great and I get some experience then maybe I will cut them back apart and use leather. Of find another set and use leather. I just don't want to practice on leather........

[Porsche_monkey]

This should be fun. And educational. Possibly in a 'I can do that' sort of way. Or perhaps 'don't try this at home'.

If nothing else I admire your willingness to try. Subscribed.

[Rich Lambert]

Originally Posted by porsche_monkey

this should be fun. And educational. Possibly in a 'i can do that' sort of way. Or perhaps 'don't try this at home'.

If nothing else i admire your willingness to try. Subscribed.

+1

[bpp944]

Originally Posted by Dottore

May I just add, by way of observation, that much of the world eats beef daily, and that leather is a by-product of this consumption cycle.

So you are not "wasting a dead cow" by using leather. You are actually recycling it— and giving that cows life an extra measure of meaning.

I mean if I were a dead cow, I would take some comfort from the notion that someone would be hurtling through the countryside, sitting on my hide, a fine woman at his side, in a fast Porsche, the scenery a blur and their butts comfortable on my former skin.

At least that is what I would like to think.

Very well said, you should send that thought to PITA, I'd love to see they're response! -btw, I let Hannibal Lecter know you wanted to be put on his list...

[rick-l]

It looks like you did the welt with a walking foot upholstery machine.

I like to read through the help that DanTwoLakes gives in this forum.
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/interior/

It was a steering wheel cover, not seats with the boots.

[FrinkFrog]

dfink,

I think it is awesome that you are MAKING the seat covers, not just re-covering with purchased (fitted) skins. I've done that and it is tricky enough, but the costume maker/pattern maker in me is cheering you on. I think it wise to do this first time through with vinyl, then later, if you wish to apply the new skills to a more expensive material, go for it. Please post pics as you go through the pattern making process, I'm very curious.

Thanks also for your thread on the recently sold black SC. I would have bought that in a heartbeat if Nebraska were closer!

[dfink]

Never underestimate the complexity of a project. I am pretty sure I said I was stupid. Any how I laid out the pieces and it looks like it will take probably another 2 or 3 yards to get both seats. One dead cow equals 2 to 2.5 square yards. Would tough to get an entire seat out of one hamburger skin.
Any how after laying out the pieces I traced around with the old sewing lines turned under so I was only tracing the finished area. I then added 1/2 inch to the areas that would get sew. I picked the best pieces and then once cut out I used them to make mirror images for the other side.
There are 6 pieces for the seat back to the frame. Two that wrap the top and sides, two for the inner side bolsters, one for the head rest and one for the back. I started by joining the two top/side pieces. The I added the welting to that. Once the welting was on I added the head piece starting at the miiddle top and sewing around one side. I got to the end and figured out I needed to have the side bolsters attached to the head rest so I stopped a few inches short and added the side bolster. By joining the two inside corners and working out the side bolster lines up pretty good. Once the sides were attached to the headrest I continued with the first side and then went back to the top of the headrest and sewed the other side.. After a quick test fit I then attached the back. Again I started at the center of the top and worked down one side then went back to the top and worked the other side. I would compare them to cheap china seat covers but the will look better once they are hog tied to the frame and pulled tight..

So a couple of pictures. Not very many but I think you will get the idea.

[DanielDudley]

A heat gun may help you to stretch that in there. If you use one, don't get too close...

[DanielDudley]

Looks good BTW.

[RSTarga]

You must be stir crazy from all that snow in Nebraska. Good Luck

[dfink]

A couple more progress pictures. The dual row stiching on the seat back was probably one of the most time consuming parts of the entire deal. I had purchased a twin needle but it didn't work well. Was too close together so I wound up doing each row manually. It came out pretty good but was still a PITA. For the foam I used headliner material as it already has cloth on one side. Keep in mind that the cover is still just slip fitted it has not been tied down yet. I am not realy pleased with the side bolsters. The should have had a more sweeping curve. But still not too bad for the time ever tring upholstery of this extent.

Pictures



The white marker washes off.

[Porsche_monkey]

The seat factories use steam. Lots of steam and manual prodding. Just a suggestion...

[dfink]

Steam probably won't work on vinyl. But manual labor gets the job done. After re-installing the seat mechanism which by the way has to be done with the foam off. The glueing on the foam the attaching the seat back to the head rest and sewing in the pockets for the tensioning wire I think I have something resembleing a seat top.
This one may have to go into the things I am proud of thread.

[dfink]

Preliminary results on the seat bottom. So far the seat has taken pretty 3 yards and I really have very little waste. A lot more material than I expected.

I have to cut some new tensioning wires. The old one after I got them out of the leather were pretty badly deteriorated. I am planning on using some filler rod for the torch. I think will be stiff enough.

Again keep in mind that I have not stretched this on yet so it nor have I cleaned off the white marker for the stripes. But again you will get the general idea. I have found that as long as it is close you can just keep pulling till it fits.

[Canada Kev]

OK, I am officially impressed. Good on ya. I don't know if I would have attempted a project like that. You should feel proud of yourself.