Help! - Seat Cushion Install
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville TN
Help! - Seat Cushion Install
There has got to be a trick to this!! I've purchased new leather seat covers installed on new foam and I'm having the hardest time getting them to lock into the clamshell seat backs. I've gotten one of the backs to lock in on the bottom but the two headrest locks and the passenger side bottom of the seat back are literally kickin' my butt!
Anyone have any advice on a specialized tool or some other trick to getting this done? My '84 Crossfire needs a new dress but she doesn't seem to want to put it on!!! 
Anyone have any advice on a specialized tool or some other trick to getting this done? My '84 Crossfire needs a new dress but she doesn't seem to want to put it on!!!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville TN
Sorry, they are standard seats...they have two clips at the headrest and two at the lumbar area mounted into the clamshell backs. The rods in the foam are supposed to lock into these clips but I can't seem to compress the seat foam enough to get them close enough to lock in. Can't get any standard tools into the back to push with and obviously, I don't want to use a tool on the new leather to push from the front. You see my dilemma I hope!! 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 920
Likes: 1
From: Shelby Township Michigan
Had the same problem when I did my '89 coupe. After an hour of fighting with the seat, I realized something. The rear clips on the new foam did not have enough clearance to let the clips slide in. I compared it to the original seats and cut away about 1/2" of foam for clearance on all the clips. This made the installatio 10 times easier.
Good luck.
Dino
Good luck.
Dino
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I was helping a friend on Friday night do the same thing and I had a horrible time with the clips. The foam even covered the clip rod on the seat back so we cut some away just to make it to where we could see it. The side bolsters were spread out so far that we wound up using some small ratcheting tie-downs to pull teh "ears" in. Once I did that, I was able to get the lower inside clip in place and the outside one went in much easier. The top clips were tough too.
I suggested to my friend that the seats should probably go in the house overnight to warm them up to see if that would help.
I suggested to my friend that the seats should probably go in the house overnight to warm them up to see if that would help.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
I used an old large flat blade screwdriver and it worked like a charm. As stated previously, make sure that the rods in the foam are clear of any excess foam and that the clips are clearly exposed. Next get an old screwdriver and grind a "V" notch in the center of the blade. Just clip the inner clips by hand since you can see them with the cushion pulled away. Next place the metal rods in the "V" groove and push the screwdriver towards the center of the car and the clip should engage and spring back towards you. It takes a little practice but works like a charm. Send me an IM if you need any assistance. Good Luck!
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
Originally Posted by CG77VETTE
I used an old large flat blade screwdriver and it worked like a charm. As stated previously, make sure that the rods in the foam are clear of any excess foam and that the clips are clearly exposed. Next get an old screwdriver and grind a "V" notch in the center of the blade. Just clip the inner clips by hand since you can see them with the cushion pulled away. Next place the metal rods in the "V" groove and push the screwdriver towards the center of the car and the clip should engage and spring back towards you. It takes a little practice but works like a charm. Send me an IM if you need any assistance. Good Luck!
I did the same thing but I threaded some wire throught the rod. I pushed on the rod with the screwdriver and my wife pulled on the wire to get the rod to engage the clip. Hope this helps. Tim
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by dino89vette
Had the same problem when I did my '89 coupe. After an hour of fighting with the seat, I realized something. The rear clips on the new foam did not have enough clearance to let the clips slide in. I compared it to the original seats and cut away about 1/2" of foam for clearance on all the clips. This made the installatio 10 times easier.
Good luck.
Dino
Good luck.
Dino
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Clearing away some foam and a big flat head screwdriver does the trick if you need to push the metal bar into the seat tabs.
This is a problem to reinstall the stock seat cushions as well and the screwdriver push usually did the trick for me.
This is a problem to reinstall the stock seat cushions as well and the screwdriver push usually did the trick for me.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Washington
I finished up mine yesterday. C4cruiser is who helped me out durning the week. I ened up doing what was posted above. I cut more foam away, made the V notch in a screw driver and got the back on in the 3rd try. Now my bottoms are the problem. The foam is so think and dense that when there in I sit at least a inch higher. That puts me too tall to sit in the car. I'm going to take my new and old seats to a shop and have them switch out the new skin on the old foam. At least I'll have it look new and be able to put the top up when needed.
All in all, I'm still glad I did it, nice to have new again.
Vinnie
All in all, I'm still glad I did it, nice to have new again.
Vinnie
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
Originally Posted by vpunteney
I finished up mine yesterday. C4cruiser is who helped me out durning the week. I ened up doing what was posted above. I cut more foam away, made the V notch in a screw driver and got the back on in the 3rd try. Now my bottoms are the problem. The foam is so think and dense that when there in I sit at least a inch higher. That puts me too tall to sit in the car. I'm going to take my new and old seats to a shop and have them switch out the new skin on the old foam. At least I'll have it look new and be able to put the top up when needed.
All in all, I'm still glad I did it, nice to have new again.
Vinnie
All in all, I'm still glad I did it, nice to have new again.
Vinnie
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Good to hear you got the backs in place.
Did you get the wheels on??
You need to take some pics of the car and post them here! We all have to see the results of the 5 coats of Zaino on that black car!!
Did you get the wheels on??
You need to take some pics of the car and post them here! We all have to see the results of the 5 coats of Zaino on that black car!!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Washington
Yes in deed, the wheels went on yesterday, new exaust tips, the seat backs are in. Now a good cleaning and I'll be happy. It looks like it will be a nice day, I'll try to get a couple of pictures this afternoon. I have a big honey do list since I worked on the car all day Saturday.
Vinnie
Vinnie
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville TN
Success!! 
I didn't have a screw driver large enough that would work however, I used one of the small nail pry bars with the "V" already cut into it. The V combined with the 45 degree curve worked great...after removal of about a 1/2" thickness of the foam in the area between the mounting bars. Made it much easier to seat the foam deep enough to finally push the bars behind the clips. I figure that I would rarely be sitting on the headrests so they can do with a little less foam thickness!!
Thanks again all for the suggestions.
Tim
I didn't have a screw driver large enough that would work however, I used one of the small nail pry bars with the "V" already cut into it. The V combined with the 45 degree curve worked great...after removal of about a 1/2" thickness of the foam in the area between the mounting bars. Made it much easier to seat the foam deep enough to finally push the bars behind the clips. I figure that I would rarely be sitting on the headrests so they can do with a little less foam thickness!!
Thanks again all for the suggestions.
Tim
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,749
Likes: 776
From: Dadeville AL
Nine years later I'd like to add this thought. If there is a hell for engineers, I hope the one who designed this seat attachment system spends eternity there next to the one who designed the turn signal mechanism on the 63 Corvette. 
A little later:
Maybe I'm the only one who's slow figuring this thing out, but there is one step not mentioned earlier. Using the notched screwdriver to position the wire (on the seat) behind the opening of the clip is NOT enough. I expected the outward tension on the wire to drive it behind the clip once it was in position. Turns out I had to then push up on the handle of the screwdriver into the side of the new seat to force the wire all the way in to the clip. .... I still think a method that reduces the risk of damage to the new seat and freshly refinished shell would have been better. But then they were just trying to make the cars as cheaply as possible, not fix them.
A little later:
Maybe I'm the only one who's slow figuring this thing out, but there is one step not mentioned earlier. Using the notched screwdriver to position the wire (on the seat) behind the opening of the clip is NOT enough. I expected the outward tension on the wire to drive it behind the clip once it was in position. Turns out I had to then push up on the handle of the screwdriver into the side of the new seat to force the wire all the way in to the clip. .... I still think a method that reduces the risk of damage to the new seat and freshly refinished shell would have been better. But then they were just trying to make the cars as cheaply as possible, not fix them.
Last edited by kellsdad; Sep 28, 2014 at 10:25 AM.
