81 seat cover install
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Colorado City Texas
81 seat cover install
I am about ready to install new seat covers in my 81 Corvette. Anyone have any pics of the "during" installation? All I can find is before and after pics. Any advice? Also about the installation kit... Which one? What will I need? Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
MidAmerica Corvette has a free on-line video showing how to install seat covers showing the tools you will need. I did this a couple of years ago. Be sure and buy new foam is all I can recommend. I used a hair dryer to heat the material making it easier to stretch over the seat foam.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 261
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery TX
Thegazman makes a great point, spend the $ and replace the foam or the new covers will not look good over the old wore out foam. Even if it looks solid after you removed the old covers it has lost a lot of it resiliency and some thickness. If you can lay the covers in the sun to warm them up, makes installation much easier.
I will warn you, I hope you have strong hands becuase recovering seat is really tough on the hands. When you're done you'll know what arthritis feels like!
I will warn you, I hope you have strong hands becuase recovering seat is really tough on the hands. When you're done you'll know what arthritis feels like!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Colorado City Texas
MidAmerica Corvette has a free on-line video showing how to install seat covers showing the tools you will need. I did this a couple of years ago. Be sure and buy new foam is all I can recommend. I used a hair dryer to heat the material making it easier to stretch over the seat foam.
Thanks! That video was exactly what I was looking for.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Colorado City Texas
Thegazman makes a great point, spend the $ and replace the foam or the new covers will not look good over the old wore out foam. Even if it looks solid after you removed the old covers it has lost a lot of it resiliency and some thickness. If you can lay the covers in the sun to warm them up, makes installation much easier.
I will warn you, I hope you have strong hands becuase recovering seat is really tough on the hands. When you're done you'll know what arthritis feels like!
I will warn you, I hope you have strong hands becuase recovering seat is really tough on the hands. When you're done you'll know what arthritis feels like!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 2
From: Lewisburg WV
thegazman
I read on here about someone who used plastic wire-ties to pull the wires into the foam creases. Could work very well as you could tighten them a little at time while you heated the material. This is one of the hardest part of installing seat covers and could be helpful. I haven't tried it myself. Just an idea.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 350
From: No Where USA
I read on here about someone who used plastic wire-ties to pull the wires into the foam creases. Could work very well as you could tighten them a little at time while you heated the material. This is one of the hardest part of installing seat covers and could be helpful. I haven't tried it myself. Just an idea.
I replaced the seat covers on my C5 and used wire ties. They worked great because they did all the work pulling the material tight.
