Mashby Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Need some advice. After much consideration I decided to take the plunge and try to re-upholster my car seats. After finding the correct kit from James Paddock (cheaper than Rimmers) it arrived this week Andre seat foam appears to be in three pieces (see pic) I assume the two smaller pieces are the "wings" to the seat to give it its "u" shape. Should I glue the wings to the base before I put the cover on or should I leave it loose? Any advice on this (or indeed anything else related to re covering the seat) very welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Yes glue wings on base first, but check the early seats do not need the wings , copy whats left of the original to ease refitting the new covers use a bin bag or old net curtains over the foams, use cable tyraps not hog rings , they make it far easier and easy to remove if you need to adjustany tension Wrinkles can be removed with a steamer , we used to have a steam wand to stuff up inside the covers to remove any wrinkles , dont use hot air guns , pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted February 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Many thanks Pete, I think they are Vitesse Mark 1 seats, the covers certainly were, just assumed the wings were needed but not sure how to check. I now need a squab strap as one failed today as I was making a start. The cable ties is a top tip, will remember to do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 The squab straps can be silly money, you can get the rubber from some places and rivet the old hooks into the new pireli rubbers with the old cover off its more obvious if there are side bolsters or a semi flat cushion dont try to add bolsters if the cover is not cut and stitched with the bolster contour, bear in mind the replacements may have this where as the old seat didnt pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Are you reusing the old covers? I put mine through the washing machine in a kill or cure operation. They came out far better than expected so I had to reuse them on the new foams. Shame, as I really wanted leather covers! I didn't need the bin bag/net curtain, possibly because my covers are part cloth, they slid on quite easily, but I did use cable ties. I also de-rusted and painted the frames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted February 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Thanks, no I have new covers as mine were torn, not just dirty. I think the foam is shaped and the new covers certainly have the extra panel on to accommodate the wings so I think I will use them. Frame not too bad but it was bent out of shape so had to be encouraged back to approximately where it originally should have been. I wasn't considering de rusting and painting but there is part of me that thinks I should Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Yes, I was going to ignore the rust, no ones going to see it after all but, I'd always know it was there, so the ghost of my old dad said "Do a proper job!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted February 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 Thanks all. Practical advice please. Seat cover on first then back cover on? I assume this is the easiest way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 My covers were one piece so it had to be back on first then seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 I just remembered the back has a sort of shirt tail that tucks in down the back of the seat. It was vinyl and quite a generous length so I cut a piece of to repair my arm rest. That set a dim bulb off in my head, so I checked my crib sheet from the foam suppliers and, I'm wrong! They WERE in two pieces and I did the seats first. How did I remember that wrong? Time for my medication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted February 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Thanks for the advice. Will get the seat on first and have already clocked the "shirt tail" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 One down one to go. Thanks for the advice, one thing I did discover was that the back straps that Rimmers sent me had a different fixing to the originals. I only needed to replace one so I had to adapt it somewhat. The cable ties and bin liner were top tips. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted March 5, 2016 Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 Looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rougeherald Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 One down one to go. Thanks for the advice, one thing I did discover was that the back straps that Rimmers sent me had a different fixing to the originals. I only needed to replace one so I had to adapt it somewhat. The cable ties and bin liner were top tips. Thanks again nice job, the seat looks really good. Aaron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Thanks again. For completeness see pic both seats compete and back in the car. Feeling very relieved. There is only one thing that I think I will do though. Now the seats are back, they do tend to sit slightly close to the door and when you lift them to allow access, they brush the pillar quite tightly. I think I will put some spacers in where the seat articulates with the runners to shift it to the left on the drivers side and right on the passenger side. I think this should work unless anyone else has any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 There are two sets of holes in the runner upstand and the seat base , to get the seat aligned so it drops onto the top of the runners and clear the sides you dont use pairs of holes for the pivot but offset holes so you use what looks wrong rather than what look right , so its pick another set of holes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Ok almost with you there but lost it on your last sentence. Are you saying that on one side of the seat, if you use the lower hole on the seat and the lower hole on the runner upstand, you then use upper hole on seat and runner upstand on the other side (or any combination thereof so long as they aren't the same ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 No not offset height holes , theres two horizontal holes in the seat base . In effect they pitch the seat to the left or the right keep the height ones paired or the base will be wonky the rear tube should land centrally on top of the back of the slide runner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted March 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 Ok almost there I think. So the same holes paired on the runner but different holes on the seat. Is that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 This may be unnecessarily complicated, but: Seat Fitting Problems can often be found with seats that have been incorrectly refitted after being removed. There are some minor variations in detail over the models and period of production but I believe the following should apply to all variations. Components and terminology: Seat runners - fitted to the floor, have holes for the adjuster to register in. Subframe - runs on runners, includes adjuster lever on one side only. Has two brackets on the front, each with two holes arranged one ABOVE the other. On one side the bracket is square and straight, and on the other side the holes are set forward, so the bracket is shaped like a B. Seat frame - on which seat is built. Brackets at the front have two holes arranged one BEHIND the other. Fitting: Seat runners should be fitted with holes to the rear, fixed with 5/16" UNF bolts, and with 1/2" spacers (thick washers) under each bolt. Captive nut on turret at the rear is FQ3406 (should be available from the usual suspects). The sub-frames are handed: you should have a pair. They should be fitted so that the adjuster lever and catch is nearest the transmission tunnel. This adjuster should mate with the holes in the seat runner (but won't if the seat runner has been fitted back to front). This ensures that the holes on the bracket on the door side are a smidgen further forward than the transmission tunnel side, i.e. the B shaped bracket is nearest the door. Choose between the high and the low hole on the seat sub-frame. This adjusts rake and/or height (with blocks). Use the foremost hole on the seat frame bracket for the door side (ie the side where the sub-frame holes are further forward) and the rearmost hole on the seat frame bracket on the tunnel side. This means that the seat sits square on the sub-frame. The fact that the pivot point is slightly angled, means that when the seat is tipped forward, the top moves inwards and does not hit the A post/windscreen surround. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 thats clearer ,, keep saying i need a secretary ,,,, Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashby Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Perfect! All clear now, thanks to both of you for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 If you need the height adjusting rubber blocks they are still available but you need to look on the moggie minor club , same as triumph fitted pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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