Recovering seats at home

[Ghoste]

I am going to be doing my interior this winter and I'm getting a lot of differing opinions on doing it myself.  People say it's not a job for a novice and others say it's like any other first time job, take your time and be careful.
The one thing I haven't been able to find, is anybody who can say from experience that they did it themselves and it was good or bad.  I can only seem to get secondhand opinions.
Any of you recover your own seats with no prior experience?

[JimShine]

I have done one and am getting ready to do the next one. Never did anything like that before, so I was really nervous. The most time consuming parts was removinbg each hog ring so I could reuse it (it was a Sunday and all the hardware stores were closed).

I suggest buying a sheet of burlap to replace the original burlap that goes between the springs and the foam. I used my old foams and the new burlap really helped the old foam spongy again (the foam was squashing between the springs where the old burlap gave out), but because the foam was old and crushed a little, the cover fit kind of loose on the seat bottom. I would buy all new foam even if the old foam seems fine. The bottom section was the easiest to recover. That took about 15 minutes to get stretched and rings installed. The back was tricky around the area the seat back goes on. What I did there was start at the top centerand worked my way to the sides. Then I alternated down each side installing rings bouncing back and forth having my brother pulling the cover tight as I installed the rings. The back took about 20 minutes to get attached.

[Blown70]

I am going to be doing my interior this winter and I'm getting a lot of differing opinions on doing it myself.   People say it's not a job for a novice and others say it's like any other first time job, take your time and be careful.
The one thing I haven't been able to find, is anybody who can say from experience that they did it themselves and it was good or bad.   I can only seem to get secondhand opinions.
Any of you recover your own seats with no prior experience?

I would say take your time to make sure they are straight and put them on yourself.  I did a set for a friend and took an hour but I was being very cautious as they were not my own. 

[Ghoste]

I'll definitely be replacing the foam, it's beat down pretty bad.

[4402tuff4u]

I did both of mine last winter and it's not hard at all. I was nervous as hell, but once I got into it, it really was not hard at all. Suggetsions: 1. Buy everything new if you can swing the cost of new foams. It's ludacris to go through all that trouble of putting new skins over old and matted down foams. I replaced everything that came in the new Legendary Seat box/kit. My Charger came with a new complete interior in boxes so the cost was included in the purchase price. 2. Leave the skins out in the sun and let them soak up the sun for several hours before starting. 3. Sandblast and/or sand down the seat frames, wipe with acetone, prime the seats and coat them with semi-gloss paint. 4. Buy or burrow hog ring pliers and buy some hog rings (if you were closer, you could burrow mine). 5. Follow instructions to the "T". 6. Take one seat apart at a time. Use the other as a guide. If you can, get yourself pliers with flat 1" - 1.5" jaws. 7. I forgot to mention, if the wires ("listing" wires) are rotted/rusted/broken, try to get replacements. If you cant, PM me I might have shorter ones I ordered extras (you can have them) because some of mine were broken and I could'nt get the correct length - but the ones I have work fine.
The skins will be soft and very manageable once they been heated up with the sun. ***DO NOT USE A HEAT GUN!!! You'll be tempted, but dont! I did mine in the winter and I had to let the skins sit by the base boards to let them heat up!

[694spdRT]

Last year I did my Charger, my Trans Am, and a friends AMX...not that hard of a job really once you get the hang of it. Like 4402tuff4u says do one at a time so you have a reference. Although, I did my Charger's in the winter as well and did use a heat gun without any problems...not saying it is the best method but, I tried leaving them by the heat registers and it did not help. I made sure not to get close to the covers and kept the gun moving at all times.  By far the preferable method is the sun technique though.

I will be doing my brother in laws '70 Hi back buckets and that might be a litte more challenging from the looks of them...have to wait and see.

[Ghoste]

Any advice on installing the medallion that goes on the seat back of the 67's?

[AKcharger]

Before you blow $$ on new foam take them to an upholstry shop and have them "steamed". I had my foam repaired and the shop "steamed" the foam which made if puff right out like new. It's been two years and they're still fine, I'm doing hte same with the bench seat in my '72 now.Oh and spend the extra $2.95 and buy new hog rings

You'll do fine!...good luck

[Dale The Bold]

I suggest buying a sheet of burlap to replace the original burlap that goes between the springs and the foam. I used my old foams and the new burlap really helped the old foam spongy again (the foam was squashing between the springs where the old burlap gave out), but because the foam was old and crushed a little, the cover fit kind of loose on the seat bottom.

I actually cut up an outgrown pair of jeans and used the denim as the replacement for the burlap.  I felt it was stronger and would last longer.

[2Gunz]

I looked at the price of the kits and decided just to save myslef the fustration and sent them to the shop.

You could spend $900 in covers and foam and all that stuff if you need to do all the seats.

Another factor for me was my front seats are from a 70 something Dodge and didnt know what the hell to order.

I thought about replacing the front seat to the correct ones, however I like the ones in it way better than the 69's.

Anyway..........

I took the charger to the shop and told the guy  I wanted the front seats to match the pattern of the back.  And he
said not a problem. I was a little worried as I walked away. My only comfort was the guy seemed to be anally retentive and the
fact he had a Porsche and a Ferrari in being worked on.

I come back a week later....... and BAM!!!  My seats are done and look AMAZING to say the least. Perfect tight seams, pefect matching
front pattern. And he managed to find material that looked exactly like the old stuff. Anyway these seats beat the hell out of the kits I have seen.

I think I spent $1200 at the shop and it was a GREAT investment. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

If you live in southern California I have the perfect upholstery guy should you be interested. Hes not cheap but worth every penny.
Hes also honest and blunt about stuff.  I talked to him about doing my upper door panels. Instead of saying yes and take my money, his reply was "I can do a great job of them, but because of the design they wont look factory, I would rather not do them".  If your lookin let me know.

Anyway Good luck with your seats.

[JimShine]

My materials ran $375. New foams were available for an extra $275. If you shop around you will find better prices.

[Ghoste]

No deals on the 67.  Four buckets with four medallions to be installed.  Labore and parts run more.

[Needa68]

Ghoste,

You are probably finished with this project by now. Just incase check out the link to see who we redid ours. We were first timers as well.

SEAT REPAIR: http://www.geocities.com/robertmitchell32000/seatrepair/index.html

HomePage: www.geocities.com/robertmitchell32000

[71charger_fan]

I did mine myself with no previous experience. It wasn't too difficult. Locating where to put the screws through the new covers was probably the hardest part. I did quickly learn that the hog ring pliers are worth the investment. It's so much easier to put on a hog ring with the correct tool than trying to coax it with regular pliers. Removing the old covers, I shattered one jaw of a pair of Craftsman cutters cutting through an old hog ring. Scared the crap out of me. I'm just glad it didn't hit me in the eye.