Re: Where to purchase seat covers

by pila Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:51 pm

I didn't use the buttons on mine. They look OK, but I can do without them, on the Malibu & Elco both, which are identical seats in front...

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 P1011085_zpsgo89avp9

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 P1011085_zpsgo89avp9

by clanceman427 Fri May 06, 2016 2:07 pm

I have a question on doing the actual hog-ringing on my swivel bucket recover project. I'm almost ready to install the new covers, but I'm wondering something. I found a white plastic piece installed on my new seat cover. I would refer to it as the "core" of piping for lack of a better term.

Shouldn't there be this plastic core inside the darker tan material "loop" that runs along the inside of the seat covers in all the areas where the hog rings get placed? I am guessing that the hog ring clamps around the metal wire framework in the seat, and also pierces that darker tan loop which should also have that plastic core inside it, so that the hog ring is not just piercing the fabric but it pierces the fabric that contains the plastic core, such that it helps strengthen the connection. I hope I am explaining this clearly.

I guess for guys who've done this yourself, did your new hog rings clamp around the attaching fabric loop of the new seat cover with a core inside it or just the loop? I'd think ther would be a risk of the loop without the plastic core tearing thru over time.

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1310

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1310

https://i.servimg.com/u/f86/19/28/02/70/imag1311.jpg

by clanceman427 Fri May 06, 2016 2:10 pm

sorry I missed attaching this photo, this shows the darker fabric loop that appears to be what gets hog-ringed to the metal wire frame, but notice it does not have the white plastic core:

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1312

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1312

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Sat May 07, 2016 12:20 am

The loop of tan fabric is the listing. All listings should have plastic piping inside them for attaching to the hog rings. Otherwise they would just rip out sooner than later. I would contact the company you bought your kit from and see if they can send you the piping you need. If not, you should be able to buy piping from a local upholstery shop or maybe even a hobby or fabric store. All the upholstery kits I've done to this point have already had the piping installed.

by clanceman427 Sat May 07, 2016 6:27 am

Glad I asked, I was thinking the same thing. Thanks fir your continued help g3chevy, much appreciated. I'll call them on Monday.

by clanceman427 Fri May 13, 2016 8:44 am

Well, it appears I'm going to need to source some type of piping myself. Or find wire (?) per the vendor's recommendations. I communicated with the vendor of the seat covers, showed them the 2 photos with the same explanation as above, and then received this response:

"Kevin

This is what came back from my production department. Let me know.

Larry

“Larry, my production manager says the tubing is in the listing but, it just slipped inside so we can’t see it. Can you check with the customer and see if he can slide the piece that’s sticking out inside the listing and see if that works. If not, let me know and I’ll send another piece of the tubing.

Thank you[/i]
[/i]

by clanceman427 Fri May 13, 2016 8:49 am

So after that response from the vendor, I explained there was no piping where needed, and I attached this image that I created to try to explain the issue:

https://i.servimg.com/u/f86/19/28/02/70/chevel10.jpg

To which the vendor responded with:

"Kevin,

See below from our production team. Hope this helps and makes sense.

Regards,

Larry

Larry, below is Greg’s note. The original seat comes factory with kind of a hard rubber tubing on the sides where your customer is talking. Sometimes this cracks over the years. Greg says normally people take our seat upholstery for the swivel buckets to a trim shop whereby the installer uses a heavy wire, like coat hanger wire, to replace the worn, cracked rubber that your customer is mentioning. If he’s installing this himself and the sides have cracked then Greg says he can go to Home Depot and buy some wire to put there. Hope that helps.

We have never add listing to that section as it needs wire the only area we put listing in is the where he show us the first picture the original covers had like hard rope inside the listing and using tubing will not work correctly it be too soft he needs wire in that area ok"

by clanceman427 Fri May 13, 2016 9:18 am

So in summary, I guess I'll just find some appropriate piping or wire to insert in those listings so I can hog ring the new covers on using the factory hog ring locations.

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Fri May 13, 2016 10:17 pm

Kevin, here's a pic of the original factory piping in the area they are claiming doesn't have any. I appears to be made of a paper cord of some sort. I know this is not a very good pic but I'll pull out some of my original seat covers I took off of my last project and take pics to send you so you can show your supplier. Also, the wire he is referring to is actually molded into the foam which is secured to the metal bucket with hog rings. Then the listing with the piping is attached to that wire in the foam. Where did you order this upholstery kit?

Original Seat Cover
Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Origin10

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Origin10

New Seat Cover
Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 New_se10

by clanceman427 Sat May 14, 2016 12:04 am

I ordered from Quality Car Interiors who actually source the seat covers from Acme in Long Beach, California.

I'm pretty certain I need to add wire or piping to the empty listings that are on my seats, in order to hog ring those listings to the metal wire frame in the foam that is attached to the metal bucket. Thanks for the pics, my original covers had the same thing.

Just a little disheartening that they don't understand what I'm trying to tell them. They should have just installed the solid plastic piping in the listings. That solid plastic piping should be fine and give enough support, since there are about 50 hog rings that get applied around the seat perimeter. There's a hog ring every half inch or so. Each hog ring pierces the listing with the piping inside it, and encircles the piping-filled listing with the metal wire frame in the seat bucket. Why don't they understand that?

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Sat May 14, 2016 6:38 pm

They must have a new guy working over there that doesn't have experience working with these specific upholstery kits. When I ordered my ACME kit, they had the piping in all the appropriate places. For what its worth, I was just out in the garage and was looking at some weedeater line. I'm thinking that would be adequate if it was thick enough. Otherwise I'd stop by a local upholstery shop and see if they would sell you several feet of piping. I wouldn't install the covers without them. If you have any questions during the installation feel free to shoot me a message and I'll help anyway I can.

by clanceman427 Sat May 14, 2016 8:55 pm

g3chevy, thank you very much for all your support and your offer to help. I'd be lost on this job without ya, but I love learning new things like this, if I can do this then that would be great and not have to "farm it out" hehe

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Sat May 14, 2016 9:27 pm

I totally respect where you're coming from. Just want to try to give back to the group that has helped me out many times with my projects. Love to see yours when its done.

by clanceman427 Sat May 14, 2016 11:14 pm

G3chevy, following your lead with the extra padding for the seat back, I scrounged my basement and realized I had some left over floating floor underlayment. This stuff is resilient and is basically foam that goes under the snap-together hardwood simulation floors (we put this down in our basement, the quarter inch thick snap together wood flooring. The underlayment coves in a roll , and it takes about 6 layers to get to about a half inch thickness. So I cut some out to fill that seat back area like you did. I have some spray adhesive that I will use to glue the layers together before install. The cool thing is, you can dial in the thickness you need by adding or subtracting layers, instead of trying to guess at a foam thickness.

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1313

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1313

by Limey SE Sat May 14, 2016 11:33 pm

Now Clance I would have Never thought of that way cool idea

by g3chevy / Mr Pontiac Sun May 15, 2016 9:52 pm

Very cool, that should work out perfectly.

by clanceman427 Mon May 16, 2016 2:18 pm

As far as piping goes, I just went ahead and ordered this stuff off ebay, it was less than 10 bucks:

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Piping10

by Wallyuph Tue May 17, 2016 2:15 pm

The wire most Upholstery shop use is called Steak Wire. Its a paper wrapped wire. It come in large rolls. It will form to the curves way better than the plastic welt word you are talking about here. If you use the plastic stuff it will stretch and make the seat listing that is fastened with hog rings to get all wavy. You cut the wire to length of the listing pocket. Warp a small amount of masking tape around end of the wire and push it through. If its a curved listing it will follow it right around. Then you can hog ring it down to seat springs and foam.

Here is a place that sells it on line.
http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/sw46/upholstery-springs.html

I have a big box if you can't find it any where locally then let me know.

by clanceman427 Tue May 17, 2016 11:27 pm

Wallyuph, thank you so much! Great info and thank you for the link! I am ordering tonight.

by Wallyuph Wed May 18, 2016 5:56 am

clanceman427 wrote:Wallyuph, thank you so much! Great info and thank you for the link! I am ordering tonight.

No problem let me know if you have any questions.

Wally

by clanceman427 Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:04 pm

Wally, the seat wire is Woking out great! Why wouldn't those seat cover companies supply such a crucial item? Here are a few photos:

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1515

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1515

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1514

by clanceman427 Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:13 pm

Quick question:..when attaching the edge of the vinyl seat cover where it meets the metal edge of the seat back frame, do you just take the vinyl to the edge, like in the first photo, or do you wrap the vinyl around the metal edge like in the 2nd photo? Just trying to imagine the best way to get the trim piece to cover the vinyl and the plastic seat back edge with the metal frame.edge in the middle. Its different now since the new trim is not sewed to the seat cover like factory. Which way did you guys do it?

by clanceman427 Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:16 pm

by clanceman427 Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:17 pm

by clanceman427 Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:18 pm

2nd pic, wrapped around edge version

Where to purchase seat covers - Page 3 Imag1521

by Sponsored content