Hog heaven - reupholstering seats

[BlackVert]

Or rather hog ring hell! I am starting to work on replacing the seat covers ...

 

[MysteryMachine]

Fun stuff. My dad would be in heaven redoing stuff like that. I'll send ya a PM

 

[BlackVert]

man, there must have been 50 hog rings in just that one seat!

i am planning on painting it with some rustoleum rusty metal primer, that should protect it.

and i was thinking about replacing the burlap with canvas and taking some wire and reinforcing the structure a little. the original burlap had some wire sort of weaved into it to reinforce the skeleton

i think i should attach the inserts in the creases first, then the wires to the frame, and then around the edge. that seemed like the most straightforward to get the old ones off.

i don't know how i'm going to get the new ones on there nice and snug ... i've never done this before. any advice?

should i do do a couple rings on one side, then a couple on the other, and keep alternating, or do all of one side before going to the other side?

 

[MysteryMachine]

I'll try to remember to show your thread to my dad tomorrow and see what he says would be the best way. I'll get back to ya

 

[blksn955.o]

Use a heat gun to heat up the new covers this will make them expand a little and be a little less stiff/softer. Dont go ape on them just get them worm as if they were sitting outside in the sun for a few hours on a sunny hot summer day.

 

[MysteryMachine]

Chris sorry I'm just getting back to ya. I forgot to show this to my dad. I just showed it to him. He said that as far as attaching the creases first would be fine. Said it don't matter if you do all one side at a time or not. Basically whatever is easier for you. He said watch that you don't make it to where you can't turn the cover at the front and back edge though. Said you might have to attach the say back then as you lay the cover over attach the sides at the creases. I hope that makes sense.

He said he would definitely replace the burlap. whether you use burlap or something else it wouldn't matter but replace it with something.

He said the heating idea should help just be careful. Heating too much could cause it to rip easier so don't over do it.

He said don't get upset if you have to play around with it some. Said you might have to put some hog rings in and then take them out to make it fit just right. If you bought replacement covers they are probably to original spec and your poly is probably shrunk so you might have some issues here and there. You can go to a fabric store and buy this white stuff that you can glue onto it and fill it out more if needed. I forget the name of it off hand. Might have some laying around I'll try to see and get a pic so you know what I'm talking about.

He said if you have any more questions feel free to ask He'll try to help anyway he can

 

[BlackVert]

Use a heat gun to heat up the new covers this will make them expand a little and be a little less stiff/softer. Dont go ape on them just get them warm as if they were sitting outside in the sun for a few hours on a sunny hot summer day.

Thanks, I will try to heat them up a little ... but here you had a perfect opportunity ... "Don't go HOG WILD ..." that you didn't take!

Chris sorry I'm just getting back to ya. I forgot to show this to my dad. I just showed it to him. He said that as far as attaching the creases first would be fine. Said it don't matter if you do all one side at a time or not. Basically whatever is easier for you. He said watch that you don't make it to where you can't turn the cover at the front and back edge though. Said you might have to attach the say back then as you lay the cover over attach the sides at the creases. I hope that makes sense.

He said he would definitely replace the burlap. whether you use burlap or something else it wouldn't matter but replace it with something.

He said the heating idea should help just be careful. Heating too much could cause it to rip easier so don't over do it.

He said don't get upset if you have to play around with it some. Said you might have to put some hog rings in and then take them out to make it fit just right. If you bought replacement covers they are probably to original spec and your poly is probably shrunk so you might have some issues here and there. You can go to a fabric store and buy this white stuff that you can glue onto it and fill it out more if needed. I forget the name of it off hand. Might have some laying around I'll try to see and get a pic so you know what I'm talking about.

He said if you have any more questions feel free to ask He'll try to help anyway he can

Thanks, Mystery. I think I am following you, but you lost me with "say back" ... did you mean "way back"? I was also thinking about going to the ranger surplus store and seeing if they had some thin foam that I could glue on; I remember seeing some 3M spray on adhesive that looked good for that. If you could dig that stuff up and post it, that would be great.

As to other updates, I got a 200 foot roll of 16GA wire ($7 at Home Depot) and started reinforcing the skeleton. I have some Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer to paint it with. And I am going to an upholstery shop over lunch ... Custom Canvas and Upholstery.

 

[blksn955.o]

Thanks, I will try to heat them up a little ... but here you had a perfect opportunity ... "Don't go HOG WILD ..." that you didn't take!

LOL ...totally missed it.

 

[MysteryMachine]

Like in your 6th pic where it folds over the back. He said it might not be a problem but just watch that you don't make it to where you can't roll that edge around the back of the seat

 

[BlackVert]

The support system

This may or may not be a good idea, or help, but I felt the need to support the skeleton so I did this with some 16GA wire.

 

[blksn955.o]

you might want to test sit in it? You may find it too stiff and find the need to remove every other or every 2nd link you made with the 16ga wire.

Looks like you went hog wild with the 16ga...I am sure it helped but you dont want to overdo it in a car that is full framed and has a 40-50+yr old suspension design.

 

[BlackVert]

i think you are right, i did go hog wild with the wire i was thinking that the 40+ year old springs could use some help, but i may have made it too stiff now.

i have not test sat on it, that is a very good idea

i got a canvas drop cloth at home depot to replace the burlap. i think i will glue that to the underside of the foam because that is ready to fall apart and could use some help with its structural integrity.

 

[MysteryMachine]

you might want to test sit in it? You may find it too stiff and find the need to remove every other or every 2nd link you made with the 16ga wire.

Looks like you went hog wild with the 16ga...I am sure it helped but you dont want to overdo it in a car that is full framed and has a 40-50+yr old suspension design.

I was thinking the same thing. Them springs are pretty tough and will last a long time

 

[BlackVert]

I was thinking about it some more, and I think it will be OK because the burlap looking stuff had wires weaved into it that essentially served the same purpose. I am definately going to do a sitting test though too.

 

[BlackVert]

painted with rustoleum rusty metal primer

with the canvas glued to the bottom of the pad

attaching the pad to the cover

the pad is in!

the batting on the frame

this part was a bitch, but i finally got it on!
without the hog rings attached to the bottom

all done!

from below

 

[MysteryMachine]

Not bad for a first timer lol. Looks good man, good job

 

[NinJa_FLiP]

definitely not bad.. when u coming to vegas to do mine? lol jk

 

[BlackVert]

thanks!

if you send them to me with the new covers, i'll do them for free!

but i'm kinda slow ... i haven't finished the top part of the first seat yet

 

[NinJa_FLiP]

lol.. its a deal...