Time For Upholstery

[Joe Flanagan]

So now I have finished the back seat completely. The bottom of the back seat was a monumental job. Having done it once, though, I can probably do it again in much less time. I'm very happy with the way it turned out but there was a lot of frustration along the way. Here are some pics:

 

 

 

And here it is installed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now on to the front seat. For the first time I think I can say the end of this long project is in sight. 

[Don Coatney]

So now I have finished the back seat completely. Having done it once, though, I can probably do it again in much less time.  

That is great news as I shipped my back seat to you yesterday

[RobertKB]

Back seat looks great! Get the front seat done and maybe you can drive it a bit! You will love driving that car when it is done and officially on the road.

[Johnny S]

Looks really nice Joe .... really nice !!!!

[Jim Yergin]

Beautiful! Great work Joe. I look forward to seeing it in person.

Jim Yergin

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks guys. I've learned enough now to make the next set of seats easier, I think. It's like sitting on a sofa in someone's living room, an experience I've never had with this car since it was rotten and rusted from the beginning. I was always either sitting on the floor or kneeling in there as I worked. So now it's nice to just sit there and see what it's going to be like as it's rolling down the road.

 

 

Don, you shipped me WHAT?

[Niel Hoback]

He shipped you his back seat. Mine will be there next week. The fronts will follow.

[RobertKB]

Looks like you have a new source of income.

[Niel Hoback]

   Joe, get off the computer. You've got work to do.

[50desotocoupe]

Wow, that looks great.  My Desoto is in the shop getting the interior done as we speak.  I applaud you for taking the plunge and doing it yourself.  I am sure you saved a ton of dough.  My interior is going to be around $4k for headliner, seats, door panels, kick panels and carpet.  At least it will be done so when I decide to sell it I can hopefully get some $$ out of it..lol

[1940coupe]

That Craigslist tip also works for free furniture-grade leather from the backs of leather couches.

Actually those leather couches have vinyl backs and it is rather thin. The leather on those couches does not wear very long in a car.

[Barsteel]

Here's a link to the cloth I'm using for my '52 Cranbrook.  Not identical, but close to original.  Rated for 50,000+ double rubs.

 

Best part is, its $12.45 a yard.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400607780728?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

Already ordered a sample.  Nice stuff.

 

Chris

[greg g]

Go to Joe when you need a sew..... nice work sir.

[Dodgeb4ya]

You do beautiful work.

 

I have told all my friends about your quality upholstry work too...   so....!

 

My large Chesterfield has been shipped and is on it's way!   I'd like it recovered in lizard skin please.

Bob

[Don Coatney]

You do beautiful work.

 

I have told all my friends about your quality upholstry work too...   so....!

 

My large Chesterfield has been shipped and is on it's way!   I'd like it recovered in lizard skin please.

Bob

Bob;

Not sure if you are in a hurry but your Chesterfield might go up in smoke or the lizard remains may turn into crude before Joe finishes my car (I claim first dibbs) and the Hobacmobile as it is next in line after me

[Dodgeb4ya]

Don,

 I would not want Joe to rush on your job. First come first served..

 

I insured Aunty Gregory's  grand Chesterfield with a transport and out of state umbrella policy and I will wait as long as it takes.I was told it would take over 250  Armadillo Girdled Lizard skins to Re upholster it!

[Joe Flanagan]

I wonder how much lizard skin is per yard. I bet it's hell on the sewing machine, too. 

[Adrian41D-19]

I found the identical vinyl material at my local fabric store (can't even believe I'm saying that). I'm going to reproduce it as it was originally. I've already used it on the bottoms of the interior door panels and it looks fantastic.

sound interesting !!  i rebuild all the inerior of my 1948 dodge custom sedan and i never can't find the right  fabric for the car ... i choose a brown cotton, it's  beautiful but look like a chrysler.

 

i'm interesed by the link of kovi.

 

i make a cover for the top of the seat of my 41 dodge coup, cause the edges are cracked and it's the original upholstery and i don't wanna change it. I make the headliner myself with old bed wrap from the local hospital where my dad work, this wrap cam from a stock of the worldwar 2 ha ha, it's heavy duty wrap lol well i stained the wrap caus it was orinaly whit.

 

 

my mother was affraid for his sewing machin ha ha ha but it work fine

 

 

the interior of my 48 dodge. I keep the leather at the bottom of the doors and front seat, i only change the leather of rear seat cause it's cracked.  i make a two tone like the original but originaly, the brown pattern are grey and maroon striped and i never find one fabric like that.

 

 

this kind of fabric it's very hard to find in france ...  i search in all store in Bordeaux and i find this fabric on a web stie in germany ...

[Adrian41D-19]

I spent yesterday and today doing the back seat back rest and the arm rests for my Plymouth. Here's how it turned out:

 

 

 

 

I never posted pics of how my door panels turned out, so here are a couple of those:

 

[

 

 

 

Tomorrow I'll start on the back seat bottom but first I have to figure out how the pieces are shaped. I managed to salvage some of the original upholstery but what I have is so far gone that it's hard to tell how it all went together. If anyone has pictures of a back seat bottom that show how the pieces of upholstery are shaped, I'd like to see them. 

The seat bottom was very mushy. The springs seemed to go every which way whenever pressure was applied to them. I used zip ties to tie all the springs together. Each spring got 4 ties around the top, tying it to adjacent springs. I did the same thing at the middle of each spring, too, since they're kind of long (top to bottom) and they seemed to want to go sideways when compressed. In addition to that, I stuffed all the springs with foam rubber. As someone suggested in this thread, I found an old sofa someone had put out on the street and claimed the foam inside the cushions. This stuff is expensive if you buy it new:

 

 

beautiful fabric !!

Edited April 30, 2014 by Adrian41D-19

[Adrian41D-19]

it's a very good job !!  bravo !

[Adrian41D-19]

i also have a 1955 dodge hardtop coupe and i don't know where i can find a right fabric for redone the upholstery. it's ok for the vinyl but i want to find, if possible, the perfect match fabric

[Chester Brzostowski]

Nice Job Joe,

 

I know how hard this is to do but what a great feeling when you are done.  Your car is looking real nice.  Will you be rolling this summer ?

 

Chet...

[falconvan]

Looks great, Joe. Thanks for posting the pics, I need to do my seat and this will be a big help.

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks, everyone. Chet, I hope to be rolling this summer. I'm now working on the front seat frame, which looks pretty easy.

[Adrian41D-19]

i feel the front seat more easy too

 

the bottom of the upholstery (hiden pattern in coated hessian)  i rebuild that too, i use a heavy coton wrap and hessian, and dip the hessian in neopren (i don't know if you konw that kind of glue in USA )  i assembled the hessian with the wrap and let it dry.  after i cut it and it's like the original material.  it's very solid.

the old part

 

 

and when i make the new, if this can give some ideas for you.

 

1rst, i glue the hessian

2nd, put it on the wrap

3rd, another coat of glue on the hessian, i use glue in spay.