So I'm redoing the seats in my 67 ragtop.... The back seat went perfect. I swear a high-priced pro couldn't have done a nicer job. I'm very proud of how nice it turned out. (In case you didn't catch that, I'm tooting my own horn there) :laugh: p The bucket seats however, are giving me some troubles.... In the picture below, you can see an old seat and my newly covered one. I couldn't figure a way to put the hog rings on the "rods" that are under the blue lines that I drew. They are supposed to go through the foam padding and into the springs underneath. But the "rods" are pretty much out of reach once you slip the covers on... and the covers have to be on before you can put the hog rings on. I put them both together without clamping those 3 rods at all, but I'm not happy with it. The covers aren't stretched correctly without those rods clamped. I want to redo them! (but I'll probably wait until after Norwalk - June 4th) If anyone has done this before... you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. What's the trick? What am I overlooking? How do you get in there? I don't want to risk popping a hole in my new covers with a stray hog ring because I'd be working blind inside there. :eek2: Thanks! :beer
Rick, Here are a couple of things, 1. If you don't hook the listing wires onto the wires in the seat cushion channels you will end up with the baggy look that you have now. 2. The 67 seats often had a thin layer of cotton on the bottoms, so you may need to add that to the seat cushions before you install the covers. (Without having the listings pulled in, it's hard to say if you need the extra cotton.) Here are a few tricks, I always run a wire in the listing that is sewn into the seat covers themselves. If there is a cord in there, I remove it, and install my own wires. (I also bend the ends back over themselves so they do not stab the covers.) This helps average out the spots where the hog rings go and makes for a smoother install. Now here is the "big trick"; I understand how hard it is to "find" the wire at the bottom of the listing channels of the seat cushions, so I run another wire on the seatcover facing side of the listing channels in the seat cushion. I then hog ring the two wires together, one at the bottom of the channel and the other on the underneath of the cushion. This way it's easier to find when you install the cover, and it gives you more places for attachment. If you follow these "tricks" those front seat covers will look like a million dollars. Hope this helps. Duane
Thanks Duane! Should I be at all worried about the hog rings poking through my covers? I've noticed that they don't always "crimp" the same. Sometimes they make nice little circles, other time they are kinda oval shaped... etc... I was actually thinking about using actual wire that I could poke through the foam and tie together under the seat. That way I KNOW that there isn't any sharp edges right under my new covers. I'll try your trick and see how it turns out. The more I look at them, the more I want to fix them before Norwalk. Not so much because of looks, but more because I'm worried about sitting in them while they aren't stretched correctly and screwing them up permanently. Thanks again for your reply. :TU:
Rick, nice job!!! I tried on a set of seats on my 68 Corvette and wound up senting them out to Corvette America. There is a art to doing them this is for sure and it looks like you may have it!!! :TU: AL.
I do these all the time. What I have found to work great is to use typical household wiring you can get at Home Depot called Romex. It has a black conductor, white conductor and the ground wire. Remove the "el cheapo" rolled paper cord as Duane stated. Insert the Romex wire (insulated copper wire) and then you won't have to worry about the ends cutting into the seat. For me the easiest way to get the wire "hogged" to the seat springs was to have an assistant press the seat cover towards the springs while I used a small hook like the letter j made from a HD coat hanger to pull the romex to be "hogged" Works for me!
Thanks Al. But just like the rest of the car... they look better in pictures than in person. :laugh: Duane and George... thanks for the tips. I redid the drivers seat bottom tonight. It took about an hour and a half and it looks MUCH better. Those inside ones are definately the hardest part! :TU:
Rick, I also use the regular plastic covered household wire like George. I like to bend the last 1/2" back upon itself so I have no pointy ends. If you are worried about being able to do them correctly I will make you a deal. If you are going to either Indy or Salem I can help you install them there. Just let me know so I can bring my tool kit and supplies with me. Duane
Rick Did you see my budget interior resto thread? A few tips. On my first try I looped 10" sections of wire through the sleeve over the listing wire in your blue line locations and fed them through the foam and springs to be able to do these hog rings after I did the perimeter. Seemed like it would be easier to do the perimeter first, then back track to these. Well, even with the "pull wires" I couldn't get these sleeves down to the springs so I re-did everything an did these first, then the perimeter. No problem.
Nicholas Sloop.... I'll check out your thread. Thanks. :TU: Duane.. I'm floored by your offer! Buick guys are the best! I will be at Norwalk and Salem, but won't make Indy. I really appreciate your offer, but I think I got it taken care of thanks to everyones help in this thread. Thanks again for the offer though. :TU:
Rick, Glad you have it "covered", pun intended. I will PM you my number so if you have any problems with the install you can call me. Duane
