TheSamba.com :: View topic - New '71 Front Seat Bottom Cushion Install

Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:04 pm

I tackled replacing the seat bottom cushion this evening. After removing the seat, I did the following:

Here is what the bottom looked like after removal of the front seat:

The new seat foam (bottom view):

Each side of the seat has a thin metal clamp that holds the seat cover material on the side. Carefully bend this to pull the seat cover material out.

Next bend the front pointed tabs out. There are also a set on the rear. They hold the seat cover front and rear. There is also a small metal rod through the material in the rear to provide additional reinforcement.

Once the front tabs are bent remove the front of the seat cover:

Removal of the seat cover from the rear tabs. The cover will come off easily, pulling it rear to front.

As you are pulling the cover away from the old cushion you will notice some heavy threads that tie through the old cushions to the springs. I believe they kept the old horse hair cushion in place. Cut them to remove the cover as you pull it rear to front:

The seat cover is shown removed in this photo. Notice the old cushion still on the frame. Notice how worn the driver's side is. The springs are coming through. If I ever had any doubts about saving these cushions, this convinced me to chuck them. The old cushion came right off of the frame.

I was constantly cleaning the inside of my car from the old cushion "shedding". Here is what came out after removing the seat. I am glad to be done with this:

There was some light surface rust and dirt on the frame and springs. After cleaning it up and removing the rust, I painted the frame with rust encapsulator and then a coat of John Deere Blitz Black. Here is the frame now ready for the new cushion. Basically you reverse the steps for removal. I found a 2X4 across the bottom of the frame helps compress the springs, making the reinstall of the cover easier. Also setting it out in the sun for 15 minutes helps as well.

Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:37 pm

COOL, you just saved me about an hour of wondering time.

Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:07 pm

I like your 2x4 idea. What I did was
1. wrap twine across and thru the springs.
2. Compress the springs by having my son sit on seat :)
3. Tie the twine off which hold in a compressed state
4. Installed cover using the steps you outlined.
5. Cut twine and pull out.

It worked great for me. The seat backs on my 71 were a little more difficult, because I chose not to use the plastic bag trick over the pad. I just warmed in the sun (thanks to Atlanta summer) and patience.

Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:17 pm

Great post, I was getting ready to try and fix my drivers seat. 8)

Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:56 am

Put the new padding in during lunch today. One thing I did not mention. I was not able to stretch the material back over the rear tabs. Even though I left the seats in the sun, its just was too much. I used some black plastic zip ties to secure it. Its not noticeable where they are at. At some point the foam should "seat" itself and compress enough so that I can stretch it back over the tabs.

Here are pics of the nylon ties and the finished seat.

Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:52 am

Where did you get your foam. It looks professionally cut.

EDIT: Never mind...found it in the other thread

Thanks,

Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:18 pm

OK... Stepping waaaaaaaay out on a limb here because dang you did a fine job of that seat covering and believe me when it comes time to do interiors in the shop I am like the proverbial ghost - invisible - or as quick as possible flip the welding helmet down and make busy so I don't get asked
BUT ... or perhaps BUTT is more appropriate here 8)

The seat frame or spring box if you will, on a replacement seat padding and covering job should normally be covered with another thing prior to the foam called "sisel" (I believe that is spelled correctly?).
Sisel is used to prevent the springs and wire framing from eating into the soft foam which it wouldn't have done so easily to the original "horse hair" (or whatever it actually was).
Sisel isn't very thick so it doesn't add any more stress to the already very snug/tight fit of everything above it.

Normally, the sisel is simply layed over the top of the springs/frame and then wrapped around the edges and hog-ringed into the middle to keep it in place.

Honestly, I don't actually know if that step is worth it or not but that's the way I've always seen it done and thought I should pass that along...

Still, no matter what, I have to applaud anyone willing to do interiors and upholstery work...

Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:43 pm

Jeff:

Thanks for the compliment. Its funny. I was thinking there should be something over those springs. Oh well. I am sure the original seat covers will go long before the springs come through the foam. At that time I will have the whole seat redone with new covers . I have a local shop that does good work.

Honestly, it was a tight squeeze getting that old cover over the new foam. Anything more between probably would have slipped or caused problems. I will see how long these last.

Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:45 pm

IIRC the strings going through the original padding and horse hair is how the lateral indentation was made in the seat cushions. (about 10" wide, 8-10" from the front edge of the seat).

Can anyone confirm this?

Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:40 am

Mike youve done a great job there, I had problems with those foam cushions, my upholsterer didnt uses them in the end as they were too thick by the time the sisal layer had been put in so he made his own foam inserts. I have 2 of those cushions lying around, I use them for kneeling on the garage floor, one is a bit grubby but if anyone wants them cheap (and preferably in the UK, I think shipping would be prohibitive!) let me know.

Airhead

Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:54 am

boleador wrote:

Quote: IIRC the strings going through the original padding and horse hair is how the lateral indentation was made in the seat cushions. (about 10" wide, 8-10" from the front edge of the seat).

Can anyone confirm this?

When I removed the covers from the horse hair pad it appeared that the strings did this. You lose that with the new cushions and as far as I know I don't think the new replacment covers have the strings. Even if they did, I am not sure they would work well with the foam.

Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:16 am

Great little tutorial. I also had problems getting the back pulled back enough to make the daggers on the rail (though I did manage to stab myself on them a few times) so I did the cable ties as well. However I noticed that after about a half hour the seat did 'set' enough to allow me to get them over the rail one by one.

Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:24 am

I did not find that but I figure it will set in after a bit. The seats are easy enough to remove so I could retighten it later.

Yeah, those little pointy things are pretty sharp.

When I was doing one of the seats a friend was over who is a Ford guy. He was very surprised there are no hog rings securing the covers.

Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:07 pm

I have a 73 super beetle as well and it does have hog rings and daggers, which I also managed to stab myself upon. The flap/tuck/whack system on the sides of the ghia seats is rather cool, though.