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Seat Upholstery


Joe Flanagan

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I'm now at the stage where I have to have my seats re-upholstered. I had been planning to do it myself, inspired by Chet's experience but then realized that I really don't want to do this. I'd rather play with wrenches and I'm sure I'd make a mess of it. So I went to an auto upholstery place with the seats and got an estimate of between 2200 and 2600. I then went to two general upholsterers who said they don't do car seats. There's another car place I'm going to call, but it's starting to look like this might be way more expensive than I bargained for. I'm in the DC area and things are comparatively expensive here. Maybe I ought to search a little further out. 

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I'm now at the stage where I have to have my seats re-upholstered. I had been planning to do it myself, inspired by Chet's experience but then realized that I really don't want to do this. I'd rather play with wrenches and I'm sure I'd make a mess of it. So I went to an auto upholstery place with the seats and got an estimate of between 2200 and 2600. I then went to two general upholsterers who said they don't do car seats. There's another car place I'm going to call, but it's starting to look like this might be way more expensive than I bargained for. I'm in the DC area and things are comparatively expensive here. Maybe I ought to search a little further out. 

Joe.  Is this price including the material?  Also does it include all four door panels, seats, panel between the doors and any other area such as the  hand pulls that are near the rear doors.  Does it also include the kick panel at the bottom of the doors. and also the foot rest at the bottom of the front seat?  Are they using a wool mohair or broadcloth from a major supplier.  I have seen material from LB go any where from $40-90 a running yard. This is based on if you are using their material that is the correct sytle for your car.  So for a four door sedan you are figuring at least 10-12 yards.  ALso need to have the door panel boards cut to size  figure about 12 each.  Does this include fixing any broken springs ans also reting the springs and recovering the springs in burlap like they did inthe old days.

So based on what I know and if they are providing all of the material and doing all repairs like they should then 2200-2600 is not a bad price.  This is detailed work and no onw really has patterns for our cars so this will all be custom work.

 

JUst take a paint job for an old car is now running 7-10K for a complete strip down to bare metal.

Just addeding in my $5.00 woth of input.

 

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

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On my Dart wagon, I kept my eye on J.C. Whitney sales. Got a front and back custom made set for $110. I had to do a little repair work to the foam and springs but the covers fit well and look great. Came with cheapo hog rings pliers and hog rings.

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Joe...for that price you should get loop pile carpet, front and rear seats in cloth cushion and vinly sides combination, new door panels front and rear that are combination vinyl at top for weather protection, arm rests covered to match,  matching cloth for the mid section and carpet at the bottom..should include also the headliner custom sewn and installed by them, windlacce made and installed to match the headliner..package tray and kick panels and this is good quality material I am talking about...tweed..I got all this in the price range you mentioned and guaranteed turn around time of 14 days..this was from the area's top notch upholstery shop might I add...in other words, this should include a complete interior makeover..

 

the seat picture is before bolting the seat lower panel back in place...

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Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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I am getting closer to upholstery on my suburban. Rich makes a very valid case for a complete job in a coupe or sedan. I have two very good bucket seats out of my 87 T-Bird. All the padding is solid, what is not is the fabric and that is only on the driver's seat. I will carefully remove the fabric from the better seat and make patterns from that fabric. I have a friend who has a commercial sewing machine and my wife and I will then buy fabric and sew new covers. A local shop bid the seats at $350 / seat with comparable materials that came with the seats.

 

Just what I'm learning. 

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That's beautiful PA

Thanks..the folks were great  and allow me to add such things as the buttons in the seat, cloth seat backs instead of vinyl...and host of other little things...the hardest part for me was chosing my materials and trying to get a good feel for how they will look all sewn together...3 inch swatches don't make for as good as visual as you would think...I am very pleased with my trimmer all around.  He did a similar car in all vinyl and two tone vinyl at that for about 400.00 less that was the difference in material...

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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This may be just a tad off subject but in reality does follow along...most shops will work with the material you provide....material can be found at good prices via a remnant table at the local sewing supply house..JoAnns or the likes.  I also frequent some thrift stores for material....day before yesterday I found just the fabric for one of my cars..the car is HUGE compared to a Plymouth...got 57 yards of tweed upholstery material for 7.50 yes..you read that right...7.50...I bought 4 roils of material in bulk like that same day..28.00 for well over 150 yards..color were great and will do a number of the cars I have here...look around, beat the bushes...good luck

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SMS Auto Upholstery in Oregon sells lots of material for antique cars but they are expensive like LaBaron and Boney. I think they have patterns for our cars and can make upholstery for all the inside of your car and you can install using the material you select. Do not know what they would charge for this. A headliner is around $350. Check out their web site

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Just as an addition to this thread

 

Was just talking about this very thing on a different site.  Guys were saying how expensive foam rubber for the cushions were,,,and how hard it was to find.

 

My guess is they drove right past all they needed and then some 20 times last year,,,and for free..

 

Ever saw a curb couch or even a freebee add on craigs list.  Unzip the cushion and see whats inside or the stuffing inside a kids or cheapee mattress

 

Putting seat cover in new upholstery is as easy as using the old cover for a 'pattern',,,or make a pattern.  Cutting fabric and sewing the corners.

 

If I may be allowed to ask a question is when it comes to interior door panels,,,where do you get the stiff cardboard type board??  AND has anyone ever tried using 'kemlight' panels?  Kemlight aka dairy barn liner is a fiberglass/ plastic panel they line refrigerated reefer trailers.  Its white orange peel texture on one side and smooth white on the other.  When you cut it you itch a little like installing insulation.  Easy to shape and cut/trim and durable.  it wont suck up moisture or delam rot like the real cardboard type

 

I would surely agree with OP as that price would instill sticker shock  here.  I realize it is prob a real good price for a custom job,,,,wish I had taken up that hobby in my younger years.

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A while back I was resting on my shop chair and realized it could be the donor for leather seat covers. So one evening I sourced CL and found all kinds and colors of leather furniture for practically nothing. The backs of those chairs and couches are nice large flat pieces just crying out for a better life. That is where I'm going for my seat covers, etc. Find me a nice large sectional and I'll have all the leather I need. Like several before me noted, got to be creative. It makes for good conversation down the road.

 

 

 

ShopChair_zps3fb899dc.jpg

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This place has a lot of "do it yourself supplies" including door panel material.

http://www.perfectfit.com

 

quick link within the link to the actual panel material...

 

http://www.perfectfit.com/15347/154533/Chipboard-Car-Panelboard/Black-Treated-Waterproof-Panelboard.html

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Guys, the price I was quoted was to do the seats ONLY. And that is with me providing the material. They do need to be stripped back to the springs and have all new foam, etc. Since I started this thread, I visited three more places. One, a general upholstery shop wouldn't touch the job. The second, an auto upholsterer, also wouldn't touch it. The third wanted somewhere around 2800-3000. And that is if I supply the material. Right now, I'm thinking along the same lines as pflaming: Remove the existing upholstery and cut patterns out of new material. Then try my hand at sewing. I think what I would do is get my hands on some really cheap material and see if I can make a mockup, just to see if I can do it and so I can make my mistakes and learn using a material that I don't care about. After going through a few dry runs I might be able to do the real thing. 

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Good plan Joe.You can do it!!!  

 

There us a commercial sewing machine about 10 feet west of where I sit right now.  bring your fabric and stop by and sew away. 

 

Actually stop by your thrift shops and see if they have a cheap heavy duty or commercial sew machine.  A regular machine CAN work,,,I will ask the expert sleeping in the next chair when she wakes up.  I watched them do several but was 40 to 50 years ago. P was a little younger then. A heavier machine feeds a little better with heavier fabric

 

IF you have a few extra hands to get straight and pulled tight enough.  Think hog rings and cheap pliers for them is still available

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Grandpa, if I weren't hundreds of miles away from you, I'd definitely stop by. I forget what kind of sewing machine my wife has but it's all metal, which apparently they aren't anymore. Can't recall if it has the vertical bobbin or not. It was made in the 70s and weighs a ton. There's a fabric pace near here that is pretty good about giving advice on sewing machines, materials, and all that, so I'll probably drop in on them. 

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Joe Flanagan said his first bid was $2600.00 on the high side.  The Plymouthy Adams said he got all his done for about the same amount.  If it was done in 14 days as he said, (about 80 hours) that comes out to $32.50 an hour just for labor.  I don't think I could find anyone to cut my grass for $32.00 an hour.  The fabric must have been free.

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no the fabric was not free....the shop is large...they have multiple layout stations in a large work area...they have one guy doing seats..one does headliner. other makes door panels etc etc...they can knock a car out very very quick this way....the sewing room has four machines going at any time...they just one of the largest and best known in the area......

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no the fabric was not free....the shop is large...they have multiple layout stations in a large work area...they have one guy doing seats..one does headliner. other makes door panels etc etc...they can knock a car out very very quick this way....the sewing room has four machines going at any time...they just one of the largest and best known in the area......

That's great, but it is still man hours.  

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yes man hours for sure..but I do not know the actual time in hours they spent on my car..only that it was ready in the two weeks as promised....I've seen them knock out a set of panels so fast it makes you dizzy watching them....they have this tuff down to a science for sure...am amazed at how fast they run them sewing machines and whip out seat covers etc...

 

as with most everything, location location location....

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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yes man hours for sure..but I do not know the actual time in hours they spent on my car..only that it was ready in the two weeks as promised....I've seen them knock out a set of panels so fast it makes you dizzy watching them....they have this tuff down to a science for sure...am amazed at how fast they run them sewing machines and whip out seat covers etc...

They sure did a great job.  You should give them a plug here and maybe others could use them.  They do great work.

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I too soon found I would have to spend a fortune  with upholsters to do my car interiors. So I bought an industrial Pfaff sewing machine and some attachments to do bindings ect.

The quality machines are pricey but if you can do all of your own work you will have fun and the pride of doing it yourself. Plus it will pay for itself too.

Just my way of being free to keep more$$ in my pocket and do more fun things cheap !

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