Adventures in amateur auto upholstery--5kcstq leather seat (kinda long)

[MSV96@aol.com]

I alluded to an adventure in amateur auto upholstery yesterday. A number of
folks have asked questions about how it went and I intended to post my
experiences anyway.

First off, the materials used were from a donor car. I had the person I bought
the seat covers from remove them from the old seat to make it possible to ship
the "skins" without shipping the entire seat. Since my old (driver's side)
seat only had a couple holes (one in the seat back) I kept the old materials
as well in case I need the leather and/or pattern someday for other repairs. I
used a passenger's side set for my driver's side seat. The covers are the same
except that there is a hole cut for the seat controls. You can't see it next
to the center console. You could stitch it but I didn't feel the need to.

Removing the seat from the car is just a matter of two small (13mm head) bolts
in front and two screws and trim pieces in back...the seat slides out the back
and then comes out the front door.

To start with you need to remove the seat back from the cushion. This is not
too tough but you will need to disconnect seat heater wiring to the seat back
from the connector (or cut and splice later). The seat back is secured with
two clips and two screws. You will need to pry the pivot off of the pins.
Removing the headrest is done by removing the two retaining clips inside the
black plastic escutcheons on the top of the seat back. Be careful as one
really shot out and stuck in my wall. I was unable to figure out how to remove
the escutcheons (there are locks that you can reach underneath but I was
unable to get them to free up). The seat cover is held on with some clips and
the hog rings. I stretched the leather over these...tore on removal, and was
very careful not to repeat that installing the new cover.

The seat cushion is held on with some plastic pins in front and two wires in
the back (wrapped around the rear). Once free the hole thing comes off, foam
and all. Hog rings secure the cover to the foam.

Based on past list posts I opted to use tie wraps instead of hog rings. I can
now see if I was doing a seat with many tucks (like an ur-q seat) that it
would be well worth the investment in the hog ring pliers and rings. I used
needle-nose pliers to grip the tie-wrap and punch it through the seat back
straw stuff. Once through from the backside, loop the tie around the securing
wire. Punch the needle nose back through and grab the tie with the jaws and
pull it back through. Repeat for each location that had a hog ring.

All in all the job was not too bad. I am not 100% pleased with the seat
back...some looseness on the side bolsters that I will take another stab at
tightening up. Overall though it looks great. The cushion looks factory. The
back is close.

Oh yeah, and I forgot how nice working seat heaters really are...

If anyone has specific questions drop me a note.

Mike Veglia
87 5kcstq