[ZephyrEFI]

So i got this kit from Late Model Restoration Supply for upholstering '87-93 Mustang GT style seats (yes, that is what I have). I started with the seat cushion, and that went pretty easily. Then I got to the seat back and found it pretty much impossible. What am I missing? It appears to me the replacement seat cover is quite a bit smaller than the original. I've stretched and pulled and contorted and wrestled with this thing until I was blue in the face, and it's just not going to happen. How do people do this?

[Poppy]

You might try contacting the supplier, if there is a trick, they should know about it. Maybe they shipped you the wrong size.

[Boghog]

If I tell you, you'll have to come to NH to get me a ride in it.

Take a plastic bag, with no holes in it. slide it over the seatback, fold the end over itself and tape it closed leaving enough of an opening to insert a vacuum hose from a pretty decent shop vac. As the bag collapses, the foam will compress evenly. Slide on the seat cover and position it. Release the vacuum, and hogring it. If it's sunny outside, leave it in the sun for an hour or two to stretch.


p/s you can leave the bag under the seat cover if it's thin enough and it won't effect anything.

[ZephyrEFI]

Originally Posted by Boghog

If I tell you, you'll have to come to NH to get me a ride in it. Take a plastic bag, with no holes in it. slide it over the seatback, fold the end over itself and tape it closed leaving enough of an opening to insert a vacuum hose from a pretty decent shop vac. As the bag collapses, the foam will compress evenly. Slide on the seat cover and position it. Release the vacuum, and hogring it. If it's sunny outside, leave it in the sun for an hour or two to stretch. p/s you can leave the bag under the seat cover if it's thin enough and it won't effect anything.

That is a REALLY good idea! Thanks! I doubt the thing would make it to New Hampshire as it is, but I'll let you know.

I doubt it could be the wrong size. The kit is intended for these specific seats.

[Canuck623]

That's a good one Bog. I have always warmed up the vinyl covers in a drier then roll them up like a sock or a pillow case and put them on like that. The last seats I did were cloth for my hotrod so I didn't have that issue.

[ZephyrEFI]

Here's an update. I put the new covers in the dryer and warmed them up to aid in stretching and pliability, and put a bag around the padding and sucked all the air out to shrink it down. Using this method I was able to get the covers on the seats, but only without having installed the rods and hog rings. I left the covers on the seats in the hope they would stretch out. Today I tried installing the rods and hog rings and found it to be just as impossible as it was the first time. Take a look. Urge to kill... rising.

[ZephyrEFI]

If you have the plastic bag on there, you can't see where to put the hog rings, and they just end up putting holes in the bag anyway. Argh.

[ZephyrEFI]

Well, my friends, I've learned some things. Let me share them with you. Mustang GT seats used the same frames from 1984 to 1989. These seats had a 26" backrest. In 1990, they changed them. In 1993 they changed them again, and these seats had a 24" backrest. I haven't been able to determine for sure if the '90 to '92 seats had the 24" or 26" backrest. But I know for a fact the '93 ones were 24". The upholstery kit that I have is for a '93. My seats are '87-89 style. That's my problem. I feel much less retarded now.

My plan, if you're curious, is to sell the upholstery kit I have and get black vinyl upholstery to match my back seat.

[autoguy87]

That's a great idea boghog! When in doubt call the car dealership though. I recently put a big slice in the upholstery of my car and thought that I would have to re-do the entire seat but I took it in and they made it magically disappear. It was amazing.