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Seat Cover Replacement
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Riff Raff
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 28, 2019 8:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Major Woody wrote:


Understand that the seat frames are always under compression when the upholstery is on. You will need to mash the seats down just to get the covers on, and that's the way it's supposed to be. .


When I recovered the seat of the Single cab, I compressed the springs with a whack of zip ties. Made it real easy to fit the cover over the compressed springs, then snipped the zip ties one by one to ensure the seams were all in just the right place.
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Thanks for the info guys! I'm soaking it up, and drinking it in. I'm going to re-read all of this info again and again, because I'll be up to the covering stage on the passenger seat soon.

Had to take a break on this project due to the power outages around here, it caused my work to keep me scrambling for a couple of days.

The last thing I was able to get completed was spraying the frames and leftover surface rust with Rustoleum converter, this is where I left off:

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The enamel is next, that should make the frames look more like metal, than chalk.

Thanks again for the excellent info!
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 7:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Enamel painted frames:

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Felt spring covers - replacing burlap:

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These are the 'coconut' pads, they smell more like Prop 65 than coconut:

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The passenger walkthru seat pad fits well with these covers, but the backrest pad is way too lumpy and over sized:

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Backrest pad will need to be shaped with a DA, or not used at all, and the jute and cotton used instead:

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Seat bottom pad is close:

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Backrest - no:

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Will wait until tomorrow to decide about the pad or no-pad on the backrest.
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EverettB Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

On my '63 the passenger walk-thru backrest was padding only.
No "coconut" pad at all.
AFAIK this is true through 1967
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 11:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Excellent news!! Thanks EB! I'll seriously sleep better tonight knowing that's the correct way to do it.

Would you happen to know if your driver side walkthru backrest had the coconut pad?
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hitest
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:49 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

EverettB wrote:
On my '63 the passenger walk-thru backrest was padding only.
No "coconut" pad at all.
AFAIK this is true through 1967


This is what I've found too. But technically, there are jute(ish) and cotton(ey) materials that go between the hair pad and the upholstery- on all seat surfaces. I believe it gives the seat it's softness- and the hair pad gives the long wearing support. There should be a layer of the jute (looks like thin carpet pad) and the cotton batting over it- finally the upholstery. It also allows the upholstery to expand, contract and swim around jus ta bit whenever a person squishes themselves into the seat.

The pad is the thin stuff shipped with your MM covers. It also allows a little shaping to the corners.

Thirdly, part of why the backrests tend to be baggy and loose is because the springs simply wear down and get weak- therefore they compress far too easily. My camper's driver's seat had the front of the spring pack pressed against the round tube of the backrest! Typical.
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EverettB wrote:

I wonder what the nut looks like.



'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181

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EverettB Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:35 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Split 66' wrote:
Excellent news!! Thanks EB! I'll seriously sleep better tonight knowing that's the correct way to do it.

Would you happen to know if your driver side walkthru backrest had the coconut pad?


Yes, it did.

Everything that hitest said is correct AFAIK
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:40 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

The 'coconut' pad only goes on the seat bottom portion of the walkthru seats, and on the backrest of the driver side walkthru, is now my understanding of how the seats came from the factory.

The directions that came with the seat cover kit, are confusing when it comes to the 'coconut' pad.

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The kit came with no burlap, only gray felt. The jute won't fit under the coconut pad, there's no room. It makes mention of all 4 coconut pads??

This is why all of your input has been the most helpful to me.

Now that I know for certain that the original backrests for walkthru didn't have any coconut pad on passenger side backrest, but did on the driver side backrest, that will get me back on the road here.

Thanks!


EDIT: Adding the cotton padding instructions that came with the kit, this is for installation without the coconut pads -

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 3:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

I spoke with Corey today about the correct order of covering the walkthru passenger backrest and seat.

Backrest Order:
Burlap
Jute
Cotton
Felt
Cover

Lay these in reverse order on your work surface, as shown:
Felt
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Cotton
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Jute
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Burlap
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Put the frame in the middle and turn it over:
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Cover:
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This has not been barbed at all yet, getting the cover stretched out first.


Passenger walkthru seat order:

Burlap
Coconut pad
Thin carpet
Cover

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I'm definitely going to need to reshape the coconut pad with a DA sander. I'll be cleaning up the 2/3 seat frame and reshaping the coconut pad tomorrow hopefully.
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Since my last post, I spoke with Matt Miller regarding the finer points of the walkthru seat cover installation, he was very patient and helpful, and I'm certain that I have all the details correct now, including the padding order.

With that, I summoned the courage to barb the front of the passenger walkthru seat bottom:
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But as you guys warned me, trying to compress the spring-pack and put the barbs in, is next to impossible. The front went on easy, the rear needed about 6" of travel for the cover to reach the barbs.

Thanks to Riff Raff's zip tie idea, I was able to get this going again. These ties are 1/2" wide, and 12" long - and were a perfect fit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W3NF5R8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00

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With the zip ties compressing the spring-pack, I finally got the rear portion of the cover on:
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The sides of the seat cover are not barbed yet, that's why it's got a weird angle to it still, and the corners need some stuffing, none of the passenger backrest is barbed yet, but the faces of the seat surfaces are really clean and uniform so far:
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Matt Miller recommended an angle grinder with flap discs to shape the coconut pad, but I have not had to do that yet. I will barb the rest of the cover, and see if shaping the coconut pad is necessary.

I'm still of the opinion that installing the covers looks harder than it really is. It is strenuous physically, and nerve racking, but these covers/seams, and hem wire are so strong, that I'm not worried about having to re-barb them if it has to be done. Now if I had to sew the covers myself, no, I wouldn't even attempt it. More to come, slowly but surely.
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hitest
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Looking good sir. I've never tried the zip tie trick. But with every seat base I've compressed with my body weight, while tugging those wires with pliers, I've had great success. I'm certain you can pull at least 4" of wire out the bead. I wrap the excess wire under and around the nearest spring- then twist it off like factory. I leave the excess on there just in case I need to do a future R&R on the cover.
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EverettB wrote:

I wonder what the nut looks like.



'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181

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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:03 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

I was wondering how I was supposed to tie the wire off, that would've been my next question. Thanks, hitest, I may try to finish the seat bottom today.
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

All barbs are through, the cover is on, but not cinched tight with the bailing wire yet:

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I don't think I'm going to need to shape the coconut pad, it's not perfect, just not that bad either. I'll see how it turns out after cinching the cover. Waiting until tomorrow to get it out in the sun.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 9:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Make sure you check out this thread too for the wires on the side by the channel:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=670428
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Thanks for that link EB! The driver seat looks to be a bit trickier to do, I had forgotten about the seat rails and how they interact with the seat cover, and never even thought about the wire and how that ties in to it all. Fascinating.

I figured I'd do the middle next, and then the rear. But now that I know the driver seat will be the most difficult to do, maybe I will go after it next just to be done with the coconut pads.

Thanks again!
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:47 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

The passenger seat bottom is completed, with some heat from the sun, and time, this should work out right:

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I've barbed most of the passenger seat backrest:

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But there is no metal rod in the cover's hem, where the backrest connects to the chassis - I do have that rod from the OG cover, luckily it was stuck in the frame still:

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My plan is to slice the hemmed portion and insert this bar so that the top half of the cover is properly secured to the frame, like the original:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I don't see any other way to do this properly.
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 5:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

Had to make a small cut in the rear of the upper hem, to add the OG rod:
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Inserted:
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Hidden:
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One last shot at it:
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Passenger seat completed:
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Passenger view:
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Driver view:
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Top:
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The heat and vibration should get the cover to further settle and smooth out once it's in the Bus.

Still can't decide which seat to do next.
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MrPolak
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

I posted mine here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=100

They turned out well.
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

MrPolak wrote:
I posted mine here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=100

They turned out well.


Yours did turn out nice, clean install. Did you do all of your seats, or just the one pictured? Did you sand your coconut pads at all?
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Split 66'
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:37 am    Post subject: Re: Seat Cover Replacement Reply with quote

I decided to do the drivers seat next. I traded for this seat in the mid-90's, never saw what I was actually getting, until now...

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The frame is actually rotted through in this spot:
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Wish I'd waited until tomorrow to discover this mess. This is going to give me nightmares.
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