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Tips
Tips

Hog-ring pliers

Sometimes you can get an El Cheapo set with rings at an parts store. Check a real parts store, they may be able to help. Got mine on ebay, nice heavy right-angle type for little $.
 
Probably both of those options would work, I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding them. I bought a cheap set a long time ago, it may have been at an upholstery shop.

You could always do an internet purchase, here is one possibility (nfi):
upholstery link

Randy
 
This reminds me, I plan on doing my seats this summer. Is there a walk through somewhere that could take me through the process?

I helped a buddy a few years ago redo his seats in his mustang but it was a few years ago and I wasn't much help outside of handing him fresh beers.
 
Make sure that the padding is not rotted and crumbling and that your seat "bladders" or the plastic support panels that are suspended under the bottom seat cushion are not cracked or broken.
 
Just another thought. This idea will vary with guys who do and do not like to do upholstery work. I loved engine, carb and body work, but hated electrical and upholstery, so I stayed away from them at all costs.

When I discovered that my headrests had gone soft and the powder that I kept vacuuming from the floor was not dust, but rather crumbled padding from the headrests and seats. I priced the various padding kits at the big 3 and went to a local upholstery shop for an estimate. I also took into consideration that if I ripped or tore the chestnut upholstery in my car taking the covers on or off, that getting a match would be tough, if not impossible.

In the end, I was able to pay a local $150 for the complete job, including all new padding and the headrests rebuilt, as long as I carried the seats in and carried them out. That was cheaper than the kit and they came out perfect. All seams are perfectly aligned and the padding is in all of the right spots in the correct amount for that area.

But if you want to do your own, that's fine as well. Maybe the price at a local shop for you will be less than the kit like mine was. That's a hard deal to pass up if you're lazy like me.
 
Brosky,
Is it necessary to use Hog Rings if your doing just the diaphragm or bladder sheet on both seats?
Can the existing rings not be salvaged? Not trying to be cheap but if I remember correctly on my 4A the rings are not closed.

Anyone know of a driver's side seat bottom, foam only that may be available? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif
 
Tomster said:
Brosky,
Is it necessary to use Hog Rings if your doing just the diaphragm or bladder sheet on both seats?
Can the existing rings not be salvaged? Not trying to be cheap but if I remember correctly on my 4A the rings are not closed.

Anyone know of a driver's side seat bottom, foam only that may be available? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif

When I replaced the foam in my seats and headrests I bought new rings, not much money. When I installed them I did not crimp them. Actually the ones I took out were not crimped either.

After doing it, Paul got a great deal and I don't think I would do it again either.
 
Tom's advice on the rings is solid.

I don't know of anyone who sells seat padding in individual pieces unless you go to a local. At that point, you may want to consider all of the padding because if one side is softened out, when you redo that seat, the other will look low in comparison, unless no one ever sat in it. Even then, the material may be dry rotting. After all, it could be 31-38 years old probably starting to slowly disintegrate.
 
I re-used the hog rings for my Spit seats. I had no hog ring pliers, so small vice grips and flat-nose pliers sufficed.

As for the foam, I bought one foam back for $85 and made the other one out of $20 worth of locally-acquired foam. Worked like a champ.
 
Hog ring pliers are available at TSC. They are cheap as are the hog rings themselves. If you've never done upholstery, then head for a local guy. It is an unfriendly job unless you have lots of patience. By the way, I never reuse hog rings when new ones are only a couple of bucks. Just one man's opinion Dave
 
I got mine years ago from a farm supply store.....seems they are also used for making rabbit cages and other wire cages.

Don
 
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