1970 GS Seat Cover & Foam Question

This is very timely guys. I’m starting to refoam mine. I’m going to reuse my covers as they are “new”. My upholstery guy added zero padding and need fixed.
Troy

 

Troy.. not terribly bad… wear cotton gloves! My fingers are throbbing and raw as hell!!! Per Duane, I used coat hanger wire in places where my old covers didn’t have listing wire…
I used extra burlap in an attempt to provide more support between the springs and foam. good luck!!!

 

Thanks George! Per Duane’s tips I’ve found a few metal hangers in preparation of missing or rusted listing.
I’ve watched the Legendary chevelle front seat video. Is there anything similar for the rear seat? I’ve watched other bench seat videos on YouTube but nothing A body or Buick specific
Troy

 

No… I have done 3 rear seats and 1 front bench. I went to Joann Fabrics for burlap (3.50/ yard). I also bought a roll of foam to provide more “cushion” for the rear seat. Cotton batting is a good material as it can be shaped…

 

Hi Troy

I replaced the foam on my seats two years ago. While it looks like a daunting job, it really is not that bad. I replaced the old burlap and used new felt edging. My foams were ACI and they fit well. The seat backs needed to have a horizontal channel cut into them. Overall, it was a one day job, that I stretched into two days, as I was not rushing.

A proper work surface is important. I used my pool table, with suitable protection applied.

Be prepared for sore fingers when you are done.

I have included pictures of the old foam and the seats after completion.

 

I likely could have found stuff from the kit if I went shopping. But I live 30-45 minutes from any stores.
I bought a kit for the front and another for the rear seat from Legendary. Ordered it this past Sunday and received it Thursday even though the email said 25 days for delivery.
Troy

 

Finished! The upper bucket seat backs were in excellent shape, so I reused the foam and burlap... I still need a steamer or a heat gun/blow dryer to get out some of the small wrinkles...

Some points to consider....

1. Get a friend
2. Wear cotton gloves to save your fingers and hands- when it comes time to "shape" the seat cover and foam
3. As Duane pointed out, replace the supplied "paper" listing inserts with metal coat hangers.. Use the friend to push the wire through, as you guide and shape the wire as it goes along
4. Getting the channel hog rings through the seat cover listing, into the channel, through the seat back, through the burlap, and around the listing wire in the springs is a B*TCH!!! I think I went through 50-100 hog rings trying to catch all of that...
5. Lots of hand stretching, pulling, shaping...

I used 3/4" hog rings. I think for the center listing wire channels I would have gone with longer ones, or ones with longer "legs".

The bench seats were "easier"...

 

Good read. Thanks for the info. Doing my 71 buckets currently. Kinda glad I have solid foams and don’t have to deal with the channels. That’s sounds challenging.
I’m having to repair/replace the springs in my seat bottom so stripping a donor 70 bucket seat to get those pieces. I bought a new seat bottom spring assembly a while back but after reading the comments here and elsewhere sounds like those are more rigid than original. So gonna do my best to rebuild with what I have. New or rebuild….additional thoughts or experience?

 

Took some "working" of the vinyl to get the upper piping to be evenly spaced with the bottom cushion piping. This is massaging the vinyl and cushion with your hands.

Take note- if one looks at the lower seat cushion, toward the front of the seat, one could see where I was able to get a hog ring through the lower cushion left (right side of screen) list wire, through the foam, through the burlap, and around the lower frame listing wire This is why it is "tucked" in)... However, if you look at the other side, I was not able to catch the lower frame listing wire.. I was able to grad a spring, just not the wire.

I honestly feel that if I had longer hog rings- maybe 1", or hog rings that had longer "legs", going through all of the material and catching that wire may have been easier.