Front seats... it's time

[Honolulu]

My front seat covers have split along the seams; the seat pads are shot and the springs want to surface through the rips, like coily aliens.

I see that 52 1 01 825 199 front seat pads are NLA and from out here in the middle of the pond, I'm not enthusiastic about getting things from euro suppliers, though eventually it may come to that. Nor have I visited a local upholstery shop two blocks from where I work, being of the mind that anything I can do, or learn to do, I will do.

I've had numerous 2002 seats apart and repadded them with anything from scrounged foam rubber and old bits of carpet. Heck I even sewed myself a pair of two-tone corduroy covers once. They lasted about a day and a half, them split all to he11.

Maybe I should call some well known west coast suppliers...

What are we doing for seat pads nowadays? Any and all options welcome.

 

[Arde]

My E24 sport seat pads were injected with something to restore their shape and strength I think instead of looking for new pads. Botox for seats I guess.

 

[Honolulu]

World Upholstery says: "complete Front Seat cover kit in vinyl is $820. No pads are available for that car."

Further inquiries must be made, or I'm headed into the mancave for some creativity.

 

[bill]

I used upholstery foam bought at a fabric store...no different than regular foam, but easier to find in my area. Also batting works in places where you need to fill out voids, wrinkles, etc.

 

[Honolulu]

Thanks, I will look into that product. I've thought of all sorts of foam, but each will need to be protected from the springs or they will "saw" through. In the past I've done this several ways...

 

[CadillacGreen]

Isn't burlap generally used to cover the springs?

It's been a while since I recovered car seats, but back in the day, we would cover the springs with burlap to eliminate cut through and hog ring them to the frame and then buy new foam and use an electric knife to shave them to the correct shape and add batting when needed.

But these were old American cars....

 

[Arde]

Thanks, I will look into that product. I've thought of all sorts of foam, but each will need to be protected from the springs or they will "saw" through. In the past I've done this several ways...

One approach is to sit tight (terrible pun) and wait for DQ to produce his seat repair photoillustrated series.

 

[Honolulu]

I'm thinking layers of 2 lb. density polyethylene foam to replace the gummihaar seat pad. The lowest layer will be protected by... something... to keep the springs from cutting through and to spread the load.

Poly foam appears to be locally available in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" thicknesses so I can build up layers then smooth over with a single layer. This allows a little creativity and to re-contour the otherwise flat wide seats, possibly without having to mod the covers, so the cover reproducer simply uses the old covers for patterns.

I'd do this all myself in a flash but discovered long ago that the wife's little sewing machine can't handle stitching vinyl. Now I gotta outsource and it bugs my excessively frugal mentality.

 

[Stan]

You could buy your wife a new, larger sewing machine!

 

[Honolulu]

Yeah I could. Sometimes I scan the local craigslist for one.

But when she finds that I got it (used) for her so she could stitch up new seatcovers... the fit might hit the shan. She's in love with her C280 and it's a nice car. The coupe "jumps too much" when she releases the clutch.

 

[Markos]

Food for thought about the foam. There are dozens of 80's cars with lower seat foam similar to an E9. Take a Volvo 240 for example, or even e28 comfort seats. Take some measurements and go to a parts yard to investigate.