new guy w/ seat question
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
new guy w/ seat question
Hey all, I joined the forum a week or so ago. I bought an 80 C-3 a few months back & am planning on changing out the seat covers. I have done this kind of work before and am comfortable with it, but I was wondering if anyone knew (roughly) how many hog rings it takes to get the job done? I am usually very generous with them on regular GM seats, but these seats are different & I don't want to buy 300 hog rings when a bag of 50 will be fine.
DJL
DJL
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 67
From: Warrington PA
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Hey all, I joined the forum a week or so ago. I bought an 80 C-3 a few months back & am planning on changing out the seat covers. I have done this kind of work before and am comfortable with it, but I was wondering if anyone knew (roughly) how many hog rings it takes to get the job done? I am usually very generous with them on regular GM seats, but these seats are different & I don't want to buy 300 hog rings when a bag of 50 will be fine.
DJL
DJL
check them all out........
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
If you buy the new seat installation kit...they come in it...along with the new wires for the covers due to many that I have encountered needed to be replaced due to rust. I generally buy the covers already installed on new foams due to not wanting to hassle with adding padding and adding in my time in installing the covers (which I have done more than I can count)...can make it cost ineffective to my customers. But to answer your question 50 ( give or take) will get you by.
DUB
DUB
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
If the 80 seats are anything like the ones in Dads 78 then it doesn't take that many.
Also, if the frame is the same, then you might want to think about welding some bracing into the seat back to keep it from bending where the seat back bumpers mount. We bent the back to line up the bumpers on Dads car and then welded some small triangle wedges onto it and it's been good since.
Also, if the frame is the same, then you might want to think about welding some bracing into the seat back to keep it from bending where the seat back bumpers mount. We bent the back to line up the bumpers on Dads car and then welded some small triangle wedges onto it and it's been good since.
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Thanks for all the info. I also need to paint the seat backs and buckets. We usually use SEM interior paint on Firebirds & Trans Ams. I think the SEM "light buckskin" would closely match my corvette's doeskin. Then again, is there another vendor that matches the doeskin color? Sorry about my ignorance. I have tons of GM experience on Pontiacs & big cars, but never even drove a corvette until I bought this one at age 47. I did help a guy weld up a frame on a 69 back in the 80's, but that is the extent of it. I gotta say that the vette is fun to drive, but somewhat more difficult than an A-body or F-body to work on mechanically.
DJL
DJL
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Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Food For Thought: purchasing new covers already installed on new foam is worth the additional expense.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,886
Likes: 9
If the 80 seats are anything like the ones in Dads 78 then it doesn't take that many.
Also, if the frame is the same, then you might want to think about welding some bracing into the seat back to keep it from bending where the seat back bumpers mount. We bent the back to line up the bumpers on Dads car and then welded some small triangle wedges onto it and it's been good since.
Also, if the frame is the same, then you might want to think about welding some bracing into the seat back to keep it from bending where the seat back bumpers mount. We bent the back to line up the bumpers on Dads car and then welded some small triangle wedges onto it and it's been good since.
