Thanks, Suncountry...the pic tells me I've got things right...I just don't have that tool!
Need another set of hands, I guess!
Hey! That's why I'm married! "Put your gloves on, Baby...we need to squeeze some foam!"

 

that tool didn't do crap for us....by the time we had enough tension on it to pull through the foam the funny clip would bend out of shape....we wound up using needle nose pliers and just barely slipped the ends over....one weekend per seat....

 

Sounds like what just happened to us...my wife(with gloves on her hand) actually just bent one of those hooks...I mean, she don't lift weights or any thing!
Any way...using the short hooks that come in those kits is tough...!

 

fjetb and suncountry........are you guys covering with leather, leatherlike, or vinly covers??..... looks like leather in the pics. I'm about to take on this project....haven't decided between leather or leatherlike yet. Where did you guys buy your foam and covers?
Thanks........good post and pics btw.

 

goinbroke...First, I must say that moniker is fitting when owning an old vette!!!
My covers are leather-like...$130.00, if I remember right...the foam was $110.00, I think. Both were from Willcox. The install kit was $23.95

Got one back cover attached to the foam this morning!
My wife and I worked out a system:
1. cut lasting on back of cover and insert wire
2. align cover and foam next to each other
3. mark foam where hole will go and mark lasting where hook will go so the two, hook and hole will be aligned and match up when the cover is on the foam
4. tie a 2 foot piece of twine to hook. Insert hook at marked spot on lasting. Do all hooks this way.
5. Put holes in foam at the marks I made earlier
6.With a spare wire push or pull twine through the appropriate hole in the foam. Do this for all hooks and twine and holes.
7. From the back of the foam pull all the twine so the foam sits flat against the cover. Make sure the lasting is in the groves in the foam. Lay it down on work surface so you are looking at the back of the foam
8. Wifey puts on glove, grabs one twine, puts foot on back of foam and pulls up on twine. This feeds the hook up through the foam.
8. I push backing wire through eye in hook.
Work your way around so all the hooks are hooked onto the backing wires so the foam and the cover are now one piece. It takes effort, but it is doable. It is much easier with a helper. You're now ready to put it on the frame. I'll post some pics later of the above, and tell you how it went getting it on the frame!

 

I went leather on my seats. I bought the seat covers and foam from Al Knoch. The foam all ready had the holes in it for the wires to go through. I did the seats by myself with the tool in the picture. I did have one or two of the wires bend on me thought. I would insert the tool through the foam and slip my other hand between the seat cover and foam to hook the wire to the tool. I would then place my foot next to the hole to compress the foam and draw the wire through. Sometimes the wire would hang up on the foam as it was coming through. Thats were the needle nose pliers come in handy.

 

fjetb and Suncountry....thanks very much for the replies. I plan to bookmark this thread for reference........I think once I have the recover in progress your descriptions will help alot. In the meantime I'll find the wife some gloves and perhaps some arm strengthening exercises.
Wilcox seems to have the best prices, but I've heard good things about Al Knoch also. I just need to get off the fence and decide between leather and leatherlike. I would prefer leather, but the price and durabality of leatherlike makes it a tough choice.
Thank you again