Seat foam replacement.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Okeechobee Florida
Seat foam replacement.
Anyone replaced the seat foam in there car. I am about to tackle the job and just wanted to know if I should consider having someone do it or do it myself. Is there anything I should know or any weird tools I should get. Thanks guys
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
From: Winston-Salem NC
I just picked my seats up from the shop on Friday. I had planned on trying it myself, but just ran out of time and had to farm it out. The guy said they were a real pain, and that it took two of them to get them on. I asked a lot of people this question - about half of them said you can do it, just take your time. The other half said let somebody else do it. I think the only special tool you need is a set of hog-ring pliers, which you can get from whoever sells you the foam.
Good luck!
Jeff
Good luck!
Jeff
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 176
From: Hillsborough NC
Both of the above are truisms. I just did this over the winter on mine (replace seat foam and keep covers).
You can do it, but it is really frustrating and an extra set of hands will help alot. Next time, I will farm it out to the pros.
If you are keeping your old covers, be very careful when you do the uprights. When you pull the covers on the new foam, the corners of the cutouts for the seat release button will tear VERY easily (don't ask).
On the brighter side, the new foam made a world of difference in how the car feels.
Good luck
You can do it, but it is really frustrating and an extra set of hands will help alot. Next time, I will farm it out to the pros.
If you are keeping your old covers, be very careful when you do the uprights. When you pull the covers on the new foam, the corners of the cutouts for the seat release button will tear VERY easily (don't ask).
On the brighter side, the new foam made a world of difference in how the car feels.
Good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 3
From: belle plaine ks
recovering
I farmed mine out to a pro. Never regretted the decision. I rebuilt the frames [sandblast, repaint, and re-enforcement plates from MAD] and he did the rest. He let me watch him do it and the years of upholstery work that he knew showed me that I made the right decision. He used a kit I bought for installation and showed me how to use the hook to pull the wires through the foam. Before that I did not have a clue. And he showed me how judicious use of a heat gun shrinking material in different areas gave a better fit and got rid of wrinkles. When he was done I knew more about it, but I also knew mine would have never been that nice. 
Last edited by tigers123; May 9, 2005 at 11:29 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I did mine 2 winters ago. It is tough on your fingers and you will need hog ring pliers. I am happy with the way mine turned out but I know they could have been better.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 511
Likes: 4
From: Phoenix AZ
I just re-skinned the seats on my 82 
, which has a different seat design, but similar construction I believe. I reused the old foam since it wasn't to bad. if you do it yourself, a few suggestions:
Before(and during) taking the old covers off I used a marker and noted where all the old hog rings were. There were outside ones and interior ones. I marked them different.
When removing the old hog rings I used a pair of vise-grips to grab the hog ring and then a needle nose pliers to grab one side and used the leverage of the vise grips to bend open the hog ring. I repeated on the other side of the ring and the rings come out real easy.
When installing, use a decent set of hog ring pliers. The cheap ones have a weak pivot pin that sheared off on me after 1 covered pad. ebay has pliers and hog rings pretty cheap. I skipped the 20-30 install kit that comes with wires, hog rings and cheap pliers. I reused the wires after cleaning the rust off them. I got a bag of bulk 3/4 hog rings, and should have gotten better pliers.
When putting the covers on, be careful of where your fingers are. It would be real bad to hog ring one of your digits to your seats.
, which has a different seat design, but similar construction I believe. I reused the old foam since it wasn't to bad. if you do it yourself, a few suggestions: Before(and during) taking the old covers off I used a marker and noted where all the old hog rings were. There were outside ones and interior ones. I marked them different.
When removing the old hog rings I used a pair of vise-grips to grab the hog ring and then a needle nose pliers to grab one side and used the leverage of the vise grips to bend open the hog ring. I repeated on the other side of the ring and the rings come out real easy.
When installing, use a decent set of hog ring pliers. The cheap ones have a weak pivot pin that sheared off on me after 1 covered pad. ebay has pliers and hog rings pretty cheap. I skipped the 20-30 install kit that comes with wires, hog rings and cheap pliers. I reused the wires after cleaning the rust off them. I got a bag of bulk 3/4 hog rings, and should have gotten better pliers.
When putting the covers on, be careful of where your fingers are. It would be real bad to hog ring one of your digits to your seats.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
While I didn't use new foam I completley took my seats apart , everything apart and put them back together. I used long pieces of wire through the foam and passed these wires through the foam, added the steel rods then pulled everything down tight.
I can see a problem but with using pieces of wire it was easy to get the rods pulled down into the foam.
I would not hesitate to do it.
I can see a problem but with using pieces of wire it was easy to get the rods pulled down into the foam.
I would not hesitate to do it.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 402
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
Originally Posted by jbroughton
68BLUEVETTE, local shop charged me $140. That was labor only - I provided all materials.
Jeff
Jeff
As mentioned before on another thread, I've completed install of new leather/foam on one seat (one down...one to go). Total PITA! $140/ea. is a great price for labor. Knowing what I know now, I would have paid up to $300/ea. and will NEVER, when completed, tackle this job again.
I salute those of you who found the job easy.
My advice: You better have strong hands if you plan to use new foam. It's not a technically difficult job, but it is labor intensive. My back and hands are still healing ;-)
Best,
James
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
did it myself, can't handle paying somebody to do what i can figure out to do myself. used new foam and leather. used new hog rings and old everything else, hog pliers a must. it took a weekend in front of the TV and it was a PITA but i did it myself and i did right. Go for it, surprise yourself
