Searching for walk through seat back vinyl

[flemcadiddlehopper]

I am looking for some examples of what people have done when replacing the walk through seat back vinyl wrap around.

I remember that someone had once posted an actual pattern for it. And there was a gentleman from I believe Belgium? I think he was a doctor, or that was part of his username, that replaced his and did some exquisite stitching on it that matched the stitching on the wrapped steering wheel.

Whatever you've got regarding this topic, please send it this way. I've ordered my material and would like to have a good plan for it when it arrives.

Thanks, Gordo.
_________________
Everybody Dies....Some Never Live.

Retrograde Garage. Vintage Aircooled, and others.

[Krustybus]

I don’t have a pattern, but maybe try contacting this person:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=917161
The ad was deleted a few years back, but it could get you closer to what
you’re looking for.
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Tim

[flemcadiddlehopper]

I should mention that I do have what was removed from my bus when the complete resto/mod began. So I have a a bit of a template to work with and know how the stock vinyl was wrapped and sewn.

I also know where I could buy it already made for me, but I am choosing VW interior colours that are not the stock or usual choices, so making my own will be the path I'm headed down. I am also looking for that next level of craftsmanship and wanted to see what others have done.

No one out there remembers the Belgian metal Doctor Bus Build?...everything was absolutely meticulously done to the finest detail.

Gordo.
_________________
Everybody Dies....Some Never Live.

Retrograde Garage. Vintage Aircooled, and others.

[Bulli Klinik]

I don't remember a Bus build, but are you referring to Metal Master Seppe? Belgian, works or worked at BBT. Built the Berlin-Rome racer and the Dannenhaur coupe.
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I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[flemcadiddlehopper]

[volkswagenator]

Reviving this thread, which seems to have never been definitively addressed. In searching, I've found no other thread that answers the question originally posed in this one. I've also found no classified ads selling original seat back vinyl that could in theory be used as a template for the new material.

Does anyone have any information regarding possible templates for the vinyl that's applied to the front seat backs in a walk through?:

I'm looking to apply my vinyl exactly as it had been done from the factory, and it's been frustratingly difficult to find info on how this is done. Simply glued to the metal? Sewing is involved? Does it cover the entire seat back, or just visible areas?

Would greatly appreciate additional insight from anyone familiar with how this is correctly installed. Thanks, all!
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1963 Standard Bus (Original Spec: I'll never hack mine into a Deluxe)

1964 Bug Convertible (Dad's): Working on various repairs as time/$$$ permits.

[zehbeh]

I got ,my bus with the original vinyl. It was glued onto the metal.
I used them as templates. The result looks great imho. Each is made of 3 parts which are sewed together.
The templates should still be here somewhere.
Here are some older pics

[zozo]

Not sure if this is of any value, but this is the passenger side of my walk-through. May give you some insight as to how the vinyl wrap "ended" behind/beside the seat.

[ronjonlasvegas]

Sewfine sells these, look on page 16 of the online catalog for buses.

http://online.publicationprinters.com/html5/reader...087ac458e0
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September 1964 Standard Sunroof walk through SWR/BG original paint.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

[volkswagenator]

Ah, this is great info-- I really appreciate everyone's insight. I have half a dozen mostly interior things to attend to yet before I'm finally done with my restore work, but expect to have our bus wrapped up by the arrival of Summer. This was my dad's bus, and I grew up with it, so I have many reasons for wanting to do these jobs right.

Hope to perhaps see some of you out there at shows/cruises in the Northwest, as time carries onward.

Thanks again to one and all...
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1963 Standard Bus (Original Spec: I'll never hack mine into a Deluxe)

1964 Bug Convertible (Dad's): Working on various repairs as time/$$$ permits.

[flemcadiddlehopper]

So, I have gone ahead and made my own vinyl wraps for the walk-thru seat backs. As I mentioned before I am not dealing with a factory color combo so this is what I ended up doing.

I started by making a pattern by wrapping the area with masking tape, marked it where the seams would be and cut them.
I then used the pattern to cut out my material. I did not add for any seam allowances as these are to be top stitched (more on that later).

Then I found the corner where all three pieces meet and marked them for where the stitching needs to line up.

Once that was marked I began to punch the cuts for the stitching. I bought a set of awls for this. They cut the holes at an angle so that the stitching has a slope to it.

Once all the hole were cut , ensuring that all of the hole lined up with the opposing piece's holes, I began the stitching on each piece.

Then I glued the pieces onto the seat-back pedestals, taking care to align them with each other. Once glued I just laced the pieces together, just like a steering wheel wrap.

You might notice that the front section of the wrap does not come down very far. I cut that edge off just where the pipe transitions into the sheet metal pedestal back. I think it gives it a cleaner look.

The thread colour may not be for everyone. I chose contrasting colours to show off the stitching. If colour matched thread was used this could be a much more hidden feature, yet still look hand crafted.

Gordo.
_________________
Everybody Dies....Some Never Live.

Retrograde Garage. Vintage Aircooled, and others.