seat cover replacement

[charger01]

Is this something I can do myself or is it best left to someone who knows what they are doing?

[Ghoste]

Depends how handy you are.  I haven't done it myself but I've watched it done enough times that I'd be willing to try it.  The right tools and lots of patience are key for first timers.  There are a couple of good books out there on doing auto upholstery that might be worth reading first as well.  If you're not hung up on the satisfaction of doing it yourself and can get a pro to do it cheaply, it's worth having them do.
The satisfaction of doing as much as you can yourself to these old cars is pretty big though.

[bill440rt]

I consider myself fairly handy when it comes to restoration/body work. However, I leave the seats & upholstery & vinyl top work to the pros. Don't forget, the covers not only have to go on straight, but now you'll be poking holes by attaching the hog rings, seat levers, side bolt holes where the backs bolt on to, etc.
One wrong poke and your done. (That doesn't only apply just to seat covers, BTW...  )

It's not that expensive to have a pro do it for you, as opposed to other areas in a resto. Money well spent, IMHO.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I have done both front & rear myself.....not hard at all

[bill440rt]

Chris, your HIRED!!!   

[RAWPWR]

some one told me once,  a trick to the front seats is to cover the foam with a plastic garbage bag and it will allow the cover to slide over easier. Once in place, reach up and rip the bag out. so I was told 

[MadScientist]

Man...I dont know.  I just spent the better part of the day today removing all of the hog rings and burlap from my seat frames andI'll tell ya, I cant imagine trying to redo that tangked mess!  I mean sure, the covers came off to the point where I could partially peel them back, but these things had inner sleeves that had smalll rods running through them that were connected through the foam to the springs with hog rings.  Cutting it our was easy (hog rings were tougher), but I still cant imagine tryng to do that from the frame up!

This is where I say leave it to the pros! Whew!  I'll take maximum pleasure in bolting them in! :-)

[Silver R/T]

how much it cost approximately to have them done in the upholstery shop?

[Mike DC]

        
Installing the repro covers (onto the original seat foam) isn't too bad if you take your time & buy the right tools.  But replacing the foam too is a more elaborate job, because you're in a position to really strip down & redo everything about the seats. 
(First you'll get the old foam off.  Then you'll start thinking about the seat frames themselves, and how much better off they'd be with a media-blast & some epoxy primer.  Then you'll start looking harder at the stretched-out springs in the seats . . . )


Either way if you're gonna do the covers at home, spend the time/money and get the right hog-ring pliers & supplies.  And get a decent hairdryer to heat up the vinyl when you need to (leaving the seatcovers in the sun for an hour ahead of time helps too).

     

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Man...I dont know. I just spent the better part of the day today removing all of the hog rings and burlap from my seat frames andI'll tell ya, I cant imagine trying to redo that tangked mess! I mean sure, the covers came off to the point where I could partially peel them back, but these things had inner sleeves that had smalll rods running through them that were connected through the foam to the springs with hog rings. Cutting it our was easy (hog rings were tougher), but I still cant imagine tryng to do that from the frame up!

This is where I say leave it to the pros! Whew! I'll take maximum pleasure in bolting them in! :-)

Uh oh!!   I hope Im not reading this right.....

Those wires running through the foam are called "listing wires"....they center the covers & give then support.....they are NOT supposed to be "cut out"    They are supposed to be slid out of the covers & reused!!
Gonna  have a heck of a time finding replacements as they are not reproduced & Legendary wont sell you any.  There is a member here that got something similar at I think McMaster-Carr or someplace like that.....do a search

As for a little front seat tip I learned & used with great results on my seats was to put a square of carpet (low pile or Berber style) between the foam & the springs.
Doing this prevents the foam from bleeding through the burlap & springs giving you a firmer seat.   It prevents that "sinking feeling"

[MadScientist]

Good point. I should rephrase that.  I cut the material that the listing wires were fed through.  I still have the listing wires intact and ready to go off to the upholsterer. I didnt cut any metal, just the rotten foam, burlap and vinyl.

I will make sure I have them all secured though!

MS

[Silver R/T]

I need someone in WA to redo mine

[phat69charger]

My friend said you can buy the wire rod they sell a Home Depot that's like a spring steel to replace the wire or use a heavy coat hanger if you can't find that, and yes the fabric sleeve the wire goes through is called listing, but most upholstery guy's call them a "pull" for short and they hold the seam where there sewn to in a straight line and keep the cover in position, he also said when you put the covers back on start in the center and work your way left and right so you end up with the cover centered on the seat.

[MadScientist]

this is how my back seat turned out.  I like the way it looks and I hope it'll all line up right when they are in.  Cant wait to see the fronts!

MS