JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Wiring (and old hoses... A/C? and windshield washer tubes) mostly shortened and cleaned up and nothing special sheathing (Alex Tech). I like it though. It works perfectly for my purposes.. for now.
69 Notch Barracuda - Rebirth
- Thread starter JAndrea
- Start date
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
I purchased a full replacement turn signal switch/harness from the wrong vendor (cheap copy) first, then from @slantsixdan.. wow, what a difference.
I was hoping to snake the wires down through the under-column channel without dropping the column yet again, but that hope was futile. Dropping and detaching that channel is the only sensible way to go with this, IMOP.
I was hoping to snake the wires down through the under-column channel without dropping the column yet again, but that hope was futile. Dropping and detaching that channel is the only sensible way to go with this, IMOP.
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slantsixdan
=..=
Glad you like the switch! I got in this to have/provide an alternative to the poor-quality Chinese dreck; always nice to hear that's how it worked out.
I don't agree that it's necessary to drop the column though; you can save yourself the trouble with a piece of string.
I don't agree that it's necessary to drop the column though; you can save yourself the trouble with a piece of string.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
I tried several ways to ‘pull wire’ it through, but my column support bracket was pinching the wire channel somehow... and I was having to put an uncomfortable amount of force on the pull wire, which would have led to gashed wires. Once I loosened/removed the channel, it was a dream.
It’s all hooked up, and a new steering wheel in place as well.
Also just received my new Legendary seat covers (not pictured obviously) and arm rest backing plates. Wow. These look great as well.
It’s all hooked up, and a new steering wheel in place as well.
Also just received my new Legendary seat covers (not pictured obviously) and arm rest backing plates. Wow. These look great as well.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Restoring the front seats now.. wow, what a pain tearing these seats apart. I can’t believe the time that must have went into building them... the weaving of the support wires, the rolled burlap edges looped into the ends of the wires? Crazy.
Dismantling
As far as dismantling, leave the two paper covered wires in place! The aim is to use these as a guide and hog ring point during reconstruction. Remove and save all the little support wires, including the two, long listing wires (running alongside the heavy, paper covered wires). The two listing wires can be immediately slid into the new sleeves on the inside of the new covers to keep track of them.
Dismantling
As far as dismantling, leave the two paper covered wires in place! The aim is to use these as a guide and hog ring point during reconstruction. Remove and save all the little support wires, including the two, long listing wires (running alongside the heavy, paper covered wires). The two listing wires can be immediately slid into the new sleeves on the inside of the new covers to keep track of them.
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Reconstruction - Phase 1
I ended up buying LOTS of hog rings, 3 yards of burlap, and one yard of black felt that served at padding for edges and corners. I also had some 3M Super 77 left over from another project, which works great.
First I measured and cut the size of the front burlap surface panels (with a couple of inches extra on all sides), then doubled it (hour glass shape). I also marked the fold point in the burlap. Next I laid half of the burlap into the sitting surface of the frame and traced a boundary in marker. This boundary served as a guide for all the little support wires. On the floor, I then laid all the little support wires in place, then spray-glued the entire burlap piece, then carefully folded the half without the wires over the top of the wires. I used my toes at the fold to keep the half on the floor from moving. You only have one shot here, so make your first fold count! You can see in the photo that one of my wires somehow got out of place. Then I walked all over everything to fully adhere the wires into place.
I then hog ringed the seat surface into place, then wrapped (glued) the edge with a long ribbon layer of felt (pictured), but I thought this to be overkill, so I didn’t do it again. I hog ringed most of the burlap in place first, since my padding also came with a similar fabric/support layer for hog ringing.
I then cut and glued enough extra burlap to the sides, front, and back to reach around the back for hog ringing.
Ignore the measure lines pictured on the seat burlap, these are not needed.
Also.. the Classic Industries hog ring pliers and rings kit says there are enough rings for both front seats and the rear.. but there will only be enough for one seat if you are really lashing the multiple layers down tight.
I ended up buying LOTS of hog rings, 3 yards of burlap, and one yard of black felt that served at padding for edges and corners. I also had some 3M Super 77 left over from another project, which works great.
First I measured and cut the size of the front burlap surface panels (with a couple of inches extra on all sides), then doubled it (hour glass shape). I also marked the fold point in the burlap. Next I laid half of the burlap into the sitting surface of the frame and traced a boundary in marker. This boundary served as a guide for all the little support wires. On the floor, I then laid all the little support wires in place, then spray-glued the entire burlap piece, then carefully folded the half without the wires over the top of the wires. I used my toes at the fold to keep the half on the floor from moving. You only have one shot here, so make your first fold count! You can see in the photo that one of my wires somehow got out of place. Then I walked all over everything to fully adhere the wires into place.
I then hog ringed the seat surface into place, then wrapped (glued) the edge with a long ribbon layer of felt (pictured), but I thought this to be overkill, so I didn’t do it again. I hog ringed most of the burlap in place first, since my padding also came with a similar fabric/support layer for hog ringing.
I then cut and glued enough extra burlap to the sides, front, and back to reach around the back for hog ringing.
Ignore the measure lines pictured on the seat burlap, these are not needed.
Also.. the Classic Industries hog ring pliers and rings kit says there are enough rings for both front seats and the rear.. but there will only be enough for one seat if you are really lashing the multiple layers down tight.
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Haha.. I have no idea if other people save it, but I figured it would add some support anyway!
I finally finished the bottom and back. OMG my hands and arms feel like jello!
luckily my Amazon purchased hog rings came the very next day (today). They weren’t quite the same heavy duty quality that came from classic Industries, but I got 500 in a bag, so I was able to use more than I would have otherwise.
The bottom turned out okay.. it was my first time, so not gonna let it bother me. The listing wire sleeve in the cover was much shorter than the wire (I probably did something wrong, actually), and you can see in the seat where the cover doesn’t get pulled down toward the rear. I think the heavier gauge hog rings made it more difficult to “catch” the “backbone” wire. The seat back went MUCH better, and the wire fit the sleeve perfectly.
I basically followed this video as a helper (there are a few others out on youtube).
Reconstruction - Phase 2
Measure the length of the listing wires that you slid into the sleeves of your cover. If the wires match the length of the sleeve, that’s ideal. The sleeve is the exact length of your cut down through the padding. The sleeve gets inserted down through the padding and the wire/sleeve gets hog ringed to the paper covered wire!
I measured multiple times before cutting. Hopefully your sleeves match up with the paper covered wire on the seat. There are also various guide marks on the surface of the pad.
Next lay your pad on the frame. Hopefully your cuts track well with the paper covered wire on the frame.
Push your cover inside out, then jam the sleeve and listing wire down through the cuts in the foam. Hopefully it all lines up. Next, line up your piping and side to side. Now just try to hog ring down through the cut in the pad and through the sleeve/listing wire and down and around the paper covered wire (or a nearby spring), which will give you the best anchor point, as well as keep you anchoring in a straight line with the hog rings. This can be very difficult, and is where the first bit of exhertion comes in
Try to get 4 or 5 hog rings attaching here.
Cut those long excess listing/piping pieces... and other edges and excesses. You don’t want those poking out from under the finished cover.
Now things ramp up physically. Next, push/stretch hard to get your cover right side out and around the pad and corners. Now line up your piping edges, etc. Now, just hog ring the cover, using the holes in the frame, bars, etc. Try to stretch, massage, grip.. bundle as much burlap, cover material.. as you can when you hog ring. Every few minutes, check to make sure your surface edges are exactly where you want them.
The rear flap hadn’t been hog ringed yet in the finished pic in this section.
I finally finished the bottom and back. OMG my hands and arms feel like jello!
luckily my Amazon purchased hog rings came the very next day (today). They weren’t quite the same heavy duty quality that came from classic Industries, but I got 500 in a bag, so I was able to use more than I would have otherwise.
The bottom turned out okay.. it was my first time, so not gonna let it bother me. The listing wire sleeve in the cover was much shorter than the wire (I probably did something wrong, actually), and you can see in the seat where the cover doesn’t get pulled down toward the rear. I think the heavier gauge hog rings made it more difficult to “catch” the “backbone” wire. The seat back went MUCH better, and the wire fit the sleeve perfectly.
I basically followed this video as a helper (there are a few others out on youtube).
Reconstruction - Phase 2
Measure the length of the listing wires that you slid into the sleeves of your cover. If the wires match the length of the sleeve, that’s ideal. The sleeve is the exact length of your cut down through the padding. The sleeve gets inserted down through the padding and the wire/sleeve gets hog ringed to the paper covered wire!
I measured multiple times before cutting. Hopefully your sleeves match up with the paper covered wire on the seat. There are also various guide marks on the surface of the pad.
Next lay your pad on the frame. Hopefully your cuts track well with the paper covered wire on the frame.
Push your cover inside out, then jam the sleeve and listing wire down through the cuts in the foam. Hopefully it all lines up. Next, line up your piping and side to side. Now just try to hog ring down through the cut in the pad and through the sleeve/listing wire and down and around the paper covered wire (or a nearby spring), which will give you the best anchor point, as well as keep you anchoring in a straight line with the hog rings. This can be very difficult, and is where the first bit of exhertion comes in
Try to get 4 or 5 hog rings attaching here.Cut those long excess listing/piping pieces... and other edges and excesses. You don’t want those poking out from under the finished cover.
Now things ramp up physically. Next, push/stretch hard to get your cover right side out and around the pad and corners. Now line up your piping edges, etc. Now, just hog ring the cover, using the holes in the frame, bars, etc. Try to stretch, massage, grip.. bundle as much burlap, cover material.. as you can when you hog ring. Every few minutes, check to make sure your surface edges are exactly where you want them.
The rear flap hadn’t been hog ringed yet in the finished pic in this section.
I'm supposed to save all that!
Great write up! I just did the same thing but only on the tear down.....
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Here is the seat back. The back side view.. doesn’t look so great, but I had to pull like hale to get the front tight, which really turned out good IMO.
I have to rebuild/cover the backing piece as well. New boards are on the way.
I still have to do the passenger seat
I have to rebuild/cover the backing piece as well. New boards are on the way.
I still have to do the passenger seat
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Oh... damn. I just realized.. in my haste to finish the seat back, I forgot to install the headrest hardware! Always getting ahead of myself! Oh well... I’ll put those in when I tear it all down again for a paint job several years from now!
Actually, I might just locate the holes somehow and slide the head rest down into the seat frame. I never did remove the locking tab, and that thing grabs hard.
Actually, I might just locate the holes somehow and slide the head rest down into the seat frame. I never did remove the locking tab, and that thing grabs hard.
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
And I forgot this backing board.. wow. I think I had a bad case of white line fever.
It’s only 1/16” flimsy tag board material, and thankfully there is plenty of support from the thick pad that came with my padding kit.
It’s only 1/16” flimsy tag board material, and thankfully there is plenty of support from the thick pad that came with my padding kit.
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JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Driver seat is in... minus some minor details head rest, back panel, broken and unpainted plastic trim moldings, front seat belt buckle holder? etc..
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1969cuda
Well-Known Member
Nice work.
I am sure I missed it, but what Foam did you go with?
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Good question, and one I’ve been trying to figure out myself, since it had been a while. Your question made me search for a confirmation email containing “foam” instead of “padding,” which I was originally looking for.
So... both the foam and covers were ordered from Classic Industries. The covers were a recent purchase and the box said “Legendary.” But not sure what the foam box said, as these were purchased last Fall. the foam looks exactly like the Classic foam (compared to website pics), however. Ideally, you’d get the covers and foam from the same place.
I’m thinking the slack (caused by pulling hard to take up front slack) in the fabric that had to be taken up in the back might be due to insufficient foam thickness at the sides and coming around the back. As I pulled apart the passenger seat last night, I noticed that the foam was generally MUCH thicker from the original factory construction. That goes for the front of the seat as well. The lack of backer board may have also contributed to too much slack at the top. I’ll find out with the passenger seat. The beauty of this construction is that you can pull them apart and add padding, etc to fix anything.
So... both the foam and covers were ordered from Classic Industries. The covers were a recent purchase and the box said “Legendary.” But not sure what the foam box said, as these were purchased last Fall. the foam looks exactly like the Classic foam (compared to website pics), however. Ideally, you’d get the covers and foam from the same place.
I’m thinking the slack (caused by pulling hard to take up front slack) in the fabric that had to be taken up in the back might be due to insufficient foam thickness at the sides and coming around the back. As I pulled apart the passenger seat last night, I noticed that the foam was generally MUCH thicker from the original factory construction. That goes for the front of the seat as well. The lack of backer board may have also contributed to too much slack at the top. I’ll find out with the passenger seat. The beauty of this construction is that you can pull them apart and add padding, etc to fix anything.
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Mineallmine
Well-Known Member
It seems that many replacement foams are thinner than original. I had the same issue with a set I did years ago. A little trick I learned years ago from an upholstery guy I knew when I was restoring a volkwagen beetle I had was to add an additional layer of foam under the new replacement foam to give it a little more cushion and build it up to keep the cover nice and tight and avoid wrinkles. He also told me to put the covers in the hot sun or in the dryer for a bit to heat them up (not too long obviously, just long enough to make them more pliable). This really helps pull them around the base and stretch them out to fit nice and tight. I was impressed at how well it worked on my car and made the normally rock hard uncomfortable bug seats actually pretty nice. Seats came out nice though. Excuse the non mopar picture.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Beautiful! And thanks for the tips... they make perfect sense. I’m starting in on the passenger seat now.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
More precise instructions:
- Mark the backbone wires on the burlap/frame where the listing wires will attach (this will tell you exactly where they are when looking down through the slot). Make sure these run approximately with step #3 below, the listing wire sleeve measurements.
- Insert listing wires into seat cover sleeves and measure the length of the wires (this is the length of your foam cut).
- Measure separation of listing wire sleeves at top and bottom of cover
- Transfer top and bottom separation/distance measurements to the foam (Center the separation measurements between guidelines if needed) and make dots.
- Draw a straight line between the dots and cut!
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Legendary foam it seems. I used it, and had to modify the bolsters heavily. This Foam is perfect for Deluxe interiors, but not for the standard interiors. Like you and I share.
The PG Classic Foam for 68/69 was the ticket that I missed! But I learned from it and will not repeat!
I see you had the interwoven wires and they looked pretty decent. Did you weave them back in? It does appear that you did. They make a huge difference in the feel of the seat.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
I simply sandwiched them between two layers of burlap with spray adhesive. Seemed to work great. Simple, and I don’t think they’ll move over time, but we’ll see. I agree... they seem to provide significant support... good spring steel.
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
JAndrea
Well-Known Member
Hahaha.. omg... exactly how I feel. My hands feel like I’ve sawn down an oak tree with a coping saw. On top of that, I got my first covid shot today, then had to get the last seat half done before the arm pain set in.
And now I’m contemplating tearing the other seats apart because I like how the extra padding looks compared to the “flat” seat look. But I’m NOT going to!!
i also added a slim foam strip (not pictured) that butts up to where the sleeve goes down through the slot.
When my daughter left the house today she said, “Dad, you might want to think about spending some time with Ma.”
And now I’m contemplating tearing the other seats apart because I like how the extra padding looks compared to the “flat” seat look. But I’m NOT going to!!
i also added a slim foam strip (not pictured) that butts up to where the sleeve goes down through the slot.
When my daughter left the house today she said, “Dad, you might want to think about spending some time with Ma.”
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