67 seat reupholstering

[Bill M.]

I want to reupholster my 1967 seats I have never done this before. I watched a video on 1966 seat reupholstering. I then I looked at the 2 seat packages the instal kits are different. At least at al knock. Is the process different for both years ? Thanks Bill

[Joseph S.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Same process. Take your time and they will look great!

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Thanks joe I have all winter

[Stephen L.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

I've done this on my Corvette and a couple of Mopars.
Suggestions:
Take lots of photos for reference as you take the seats apart. Note where the "hog rings" are located as you dismantle.......
Purchase a "hog ring plier" and lots of hog rings.
Do one seat at a time so you have a good reference for reassembly.
Don't destroy the old covers, if possible, as you remove them.....they'll also be a good reference

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Thanks Steve for some reason the seat kit did not come with an installation kit have to call al now. Took 4 mos to get I ordered at Carlisle

[Patrick B.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

67 seat covers are more difficult to install than 65 covers and presumably 66 covers because they do not use hog rings on the bottoms. The long clips attach directly to the seat frame rather than just to the seat foam.

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Thanks Pat i will pay attention.

[Scott P.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Bill go rent or borrow a steamer for the seat covers. Get the covers really warm/hot as you stretch them for a good fit and wrinkle free product. A heat gun would work but is harder on the covers. If the covers you are removing are not the original ones try to not use them as a guide since Upholstery shops have their own way of doing things and that is different than the factory. Most of the videos use the factory methods. Pick a warm day to work or get your shop real warm or get the above steamer. Any large city has a upholstery shop supply house that you can get extra hog rings and a good set of angle tip hog ring pliers. Have fun, go slow and enjoy the process, seats are a special part of the car hobby. Make sure the seat pivot holes are threaded OK, the hocky stick holes are OK and the 67 seat back release linkage works before you install foam and covers. Some times the seat springs need replacement from big boys or rust. Make sure the seat travels on its rails OK, WD40 works good on smoothing their sliding. Watch the videos again and again. Scott

[Tim G.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

I've ended up redoing the first one after completing the second one as the learning curve sets in. On a survivor car when I acquired original seat covers I did the drivers seat bottom a number of times until I got it perfect.

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Thanks Scott Tim
I stripped one seat yesterday.The covers are not original but the foam seems to be. It looks like it will be a riot pulling the clips through the ne w foam. The foam is already notched for the clips. There were many hog rings on the seat back but just clips on the bottoms. ill get back at them this evening when i get home from work.

[Gary C.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Bill,

Worked at an upholstery shop when in high school and we had a heat oven to warm up the seat covers in. Heated the new covers in the kitchen oven, on the Corvette's I've reupholstered and that worked okay. Sorry, can't recall the temp used. but wasn't very high, haven't done a seat in 25 year.

Gary
....

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Does heating go for leater as well?

[Patrick B.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Bill-- The Corvette America video shows someone just plunging their clip tool into the foam and pulling it out with the clip for attaching to the wavey wire. I can't imaging how anyone can do that. I looped some thin wires around the end of each clip on the seat bottom to make about a 6 inch extension. I then poked each wire extension through the hole in the foam. With the seat cover and foam on the seat frame, I was able to pull the wire extensions up to where I could see the end of the clip and grab it with the clip tool. Even then, I had to have a helper compress the seat springs and foam by stepping on the seat springs so that I could pull the clip up with the wire extensions enough to grab it with the clip tool. I was reusing my original foam. This would be more difficult with reproduction foam if it is thicker than the original.

I would think twice about using new foam. Besides the difficulty of assembly with thicker foam, it changes the shape of the seat. I had the seat covers on a 70 Corvette installed by a shop over new foam. When I sat in the seat my head now hit the roof. I had the shop redo the drivers seat with the old foam, and I am in the process of redoing the passenger seat with the old foam myself since I learned a little bit on the 67 seats.

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Pat i thought the same thing in the video its like he sticks his hand in the ice and pulls up a Salmon. I figured i would wrap saftey wire around each clip and feed it through. i will experimnent with the foam.

[Gary C.]

Re: 67 seat reupholstering

Bill, only did Vinyl on C1's. Gary....