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clubarsky91
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2014
Posts: 7
Location: United States
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 Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:48 pm Post subject: Tips for upholstering rear bench back? |
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I bought a TMI vinyl upholstery kit and a foam kit from jbugs for my '71 square. I was able to upholster everything pretty easily except the top part of the rear bench. Tried stretching and it just seems like its not even close the same sort of fit as the other seats. Any tips? Perhaps it is easier to start from one side than the other?
Thank you! |
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Nate M.
Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2003
Posts: 1306
Location: Anacortes, WA U.S.A.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 6:58 am Post subject: |
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When i install upholstery, I use a heat gun to warm the fabric so it stretches really nice lots of folks use a hair drier for the same effect. You can also lay them out in the sun for an hour or pop them in a clothes drier on med heat for a few minutes.
_________________
Regards,
Nate M.
Squarsche build
Heavy Metal Affliction feature
For heaven's sake, put a type4 and a Porsche 5-speed in there. . . It's the right thing to do!! |
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EasternNotch
Samba Member
Joined: January 19, 2006
Posts: 633
Location: Boston Metro West
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| Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:11 am Post subject: Re: Tips for upholstering rear bench back? |
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| clubarsky91 wrote: |
I bought a TMI vinyl upholstery kit and a foam kit from jbugs for my '71 square. I was able to upholster everything pretty easily except the top part of the rear bench. Tried stretching and it just seems like its not even close the same sort of fit as the other seats. Any tips? Perhaps it is easier to start from one side than the other?
Thank you! |
The rear seat back is the hardest part by far- I have only done Notchback ones and I am not sure if the square is the same. I hope you still have the little triangle barbs on the frame as these are vital.
I start on the lower part and finish on the top and work the plastic support piece in the Chanel using heat. (sorry if the squareback seat is different and this is useless info) - use a heat gun or other techniques to soften it up like Nate M. suggested. The arm rest is what gets me both times I have done it.
_________________
1964 Notchback
1966 Squareback
1969 Type 34 Ghia
1969 Fastback
1989 Doka AFN TDI |
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68vwfasty
Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2014
Posts: 277
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, I remember the rear back. Thought I was going to have a heart attack wrestling to get it on. Warming it up is a necessity. I ended up having my wife help me. I compressed the springs while she got the fabric on the hooks and bent them down. Get a helper if you can!! |
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grandpa pete
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2008
Posts: 6426
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
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clubarsky91
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2014
Posts: 7
Location: United States
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| Thank you everyone for the tips. Squareback project put on hold while I get my regular truck (2002 Pathfinder) back up and running. Was working on the square yesterday and when I went to leave the pathfinder was totally dead. Hope it was just the battery, as I couldn't even get it going with a jump. |
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Bobnotch
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003
Posts: 22410
Location: Kimball, Mi
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:49 am Post subject: Re: Tips for upholstering rear bench back? |
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| EasternNotch wrote: |
| clubarsky91 wrote: |
I bought a TMI vinyl upholstery kit and a foam kit from jbugs for my '71 square. I was able to upholster everything pretty easily except the top part of the rear bench. Tried stretching and it just seems like its not even close the same sort of fit as the other seats. Any tips? Perhaps it is easier to start from one side than the other?
Thank you! |
The rear seat back is the hardest part by far- I have only done Notchback ones and I am not sure if the square is the same. I hope you still have the little triangle barbs on the frame as these are vital.
I start on the lower part and finish on the top and work the plastic support piece in the Chanel using heat. (sorry if the squareback seat is different and this is useless info) - use a heat gun or other techniques to soften it up like Nate M. suggested. The arm rest is what gets me both times I have done it. |
Yeah, all 3 of the rear seat backs (2 Notch and 1 Fastback) I've done have been a royal PIA. The plastic strip TMI uses isn't really wide enough to get a good attachment to the seat back. The OE VW piece might have been thick cardboard, but it was wider.
I'd do like Nate suggested and warm it up. Start from the top, and work your way down. You might want to use gloves (on 1 hand) and work on a solid flat surface, so you can compress the springs in the seat. Then it's just a matter of bending the tabs over to lock the cover in place.
If you take the cover off, pay attention to how it comes off, as that'll help you on assembly.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
| Tram wrote: |
| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
| People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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clubarsky91
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2014
Posts: 7
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Tips for upholstering rear bench back? |
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| Bobnotch wrote: |
| EasternNotch wrote: |
| clubarsky91 wrote: |
I bought a TMI vinyl upholstery kit and a foam kit from jbugs for my '71 square. I was able to upholster everything pretty easily except the top part of the rear bench. Tried stretching and it just seems like its not even close the same sort of fit as the other seats. Any tips? Perhaps it is easier to start from one side than the other?
Thank you! |
The rear seat back is the hardest part by far- I have only done Notchback ones and I am not sure if the square is the same. I hope you still have the little triangle barbs on the frame as these are vital.
I start on the lower part and finish on the top and work the plastic support piece in the Chanel using heat. (sorry if the squareback seat is different and this is useless info) - use a heat gun or other techniques to soften it up like Nate M. suggested. The arm rest is what gets me both times I have done it. |
Yeah, all 3 of the rear seat backs (2 Notch and 1 Fastback) I've done have been a royal PIA. The plastic strip TMI uses isn't really wide enough to get a good attachment to the seat back. The OE VW piece might have been thick cardboard, but it was wider.
I'd do like Nate suggested and warm it up. Start from the top, and work your way down. You might want to use gloves (on 1 hand) and work on a solid flat surface, so you can compress the springs in the seat. Then it's just a matter of bending the tabs over to lock the cover in place.
If you take the cover off, pay attention to how it comes off, as that'll help you on assembly. |
I ended up putting the top portion on first and stretched it as much as I could. Left it out in the sun for a few hours and the rest stretched over pretty easily! Thanks guys. |
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