Due to a request on another thread, this will attempt to show some steps to reupholster a stock Fiero seat w/ OEM type fabric.

You'll need access to the following items:
sewing machine
seam ripper
sharp scissors
wire cutters
hog ring pliers
marker (I used a roller ball pen)

One may still purchase grey ripple seat cloth for US$14.98/yd from
http://www.yourautotrim.com
They may still have saddle tan also.

Unbolt the seat w/ a 13mm wrench & remove.

Unzip the seat back at the bottom & pull up. Using the wire cutters, cut the hog rings on the left & right vertical rods & remove them. Don't damage the black material.

Pull the upholstery up until the horizontal rod is exposed. Cut the five hog rings.
Remove the rod from the upholstery.
Remove the upholstery from the seat.

With the seam ripper, cut the stitches at one end of any seam in the upholstery.
If done at the proper end, grab the loose stitching and remove it for the entire seam. If it doesn't want to cooperate, try the other end of the seam.
Repeat until all panels are separated.

Next separate the foam from the fabric without damaging anything except the thread holding them together.
Then layout the fabric panels on the material.

(PS If nobody finds this thread useful, I'll just let it die & not waste time writing & posting pics.)

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-02-2006).]

Keep goin i am about to do this myself actually. Thanks Austin

quote Originally posted by Vendetta: Keep goin i am about to do this myself actually. Thanks Austin

By all means, continue. This is good stuff.

Also, please address any work necessary on the seat foam.

Thanks!

Please continue I find this very interesting and insightful. I can't wait until you post some more info.
Thanks, keep the info coming!!!!

[This message has been edited by bomaze (edited 09-05-2005).]

Yes, I agree. This is GOOD stuff.

Yeah keep it up and then show us the way to put some cool custom upholsterd graphics on the seat. Sewing rules!

I would also like to see how you finished the project.

Iron patterns to flatten folds & wrinkles prior to tracing outlines.

2 most important points:

1. Don't let your pattern move on the new fabric as you trace the out line, may want to use straight pins.
It's OK to make the traced pattern on the fabric a little bigger than the old stuff. NOT OK to make it a little smaller

2. Notice the old material has "V" notches or darts in the edge every so often. You must get these in exactly the same position on your new material.

Cut out the patterns & leave a little extra on the edge. Cut the "V"s using the tips of the scissors as to not cut past the point of the V. Then one may go back and trim to size. Don't cut inside the lines.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-03-2006).]

Please continue! I've always wanted to do this (my driver's seat is in BAD shape)

------------------

1984 Fiero SE

How about some pics of Fiero seats with worn fabric?

Exactly which material is it that one should buy? I suppose one should alos buy the heavy duty thread from the same site? The las seats I re-upholstered, I did on a singer home sewing machine. The machine had a hard time with the material. Can this material be sewn on a home-grade machine?

Please continue with the lesson! I'm sure that I'll be following in your footsteps!!

Very interesting post and informative instructions. Question:
You said not to make the pattern any smaller than the original piece. Isn't the old piece probably stretched from years & years of sitting in the seat? If so, isn't there a chance, that when you get all thru, that your brand new cover won't fit very tightly?

This must be fate... I just bought a bunch of material that I liked to use for something, my wife has our sewing machine out to fix my daughters pants, and to find this post- I guess I'll be taking my seats out tomorrow.

quote maryjane: Very interesting post and informative instructions. Question: You said not to make the pattern any smaller than the original piece. Isn't the old piece probably stretched from years & years of sitting in the seat? If so, isn't there a chance, that when you get all thru, that your brand new cover won't fit very tightly?

No, not a big enough of one to be concerned about from my experience. Besides, have patience, this issue will be dealt with in a future installment.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Very interesting post and informative instructions. Question: You said not to make the pattern any smaller than the original piece. Isn't the old piece probably stretched from years & years of sitting in the seat? If so, isn't there a chance, that when you get all thru, that your brand new cover won't fit very tightly?

Probably could add a 1/4"- 1/2" of foam to fill the seat back out also. Just spray glue the seat foam and cut peices to add thickness.

^ The 1st thing I would think of doing.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Very interesting post and informative instructions. Question: You said not to make the pattern any smaller than the original piece. Isn't the old piece probably stretched from years & years of sitting in the seat? If so, isn't there a chance, that when you get all thru, that your brand new cover won't fit very tightly?

this is actually what I ran into had to add a bunch of foam to fill it out - even the headrest

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000002/HTML/20050119-1-045842.html
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/044666-2.html

[This message has been edited by Kohburn (edited 09-08-2005).]

Question on laying out the old seats and tracing them:

Do we want to cut out the cigarette burns and rips and stuff too??

Alright, I'm sorry. This is awesome. Thanx a ton. I can get rid of my cheap-o seat covers now!

quote Originally posted by carnut122: Exactly which material is it that one should buy? I suppose one should alos buy the heavy duty thread from the same site? The las seats I re-upholstered, I did on a singer home sewing machine. The machine had a hard time with the material. Can this material be sewn on a home-grade machine? Please continue with the lesson! I'm sure that I'll be following in your footsteps!!

Depends on what you want your seats to look like, ask for a sample. I'm using "ripple grey" to recover an 87 driver's seat.

Some home machines may be beefer than others.

I couldn't help but notice the directions that you laid the pieces on the fabric. It looks like you matched the original direction of the fabric pattern. Nice!

After the individual panels have been cut out, take a panel and lay the old panel flat on top of it.

Check the edges for the proper V notches carefully. Any that are missed (and you will find some),
any that are cut slightly off or are not cut deep enough, re-cut them using only the very tips of the scissors. All notch points on the new panels should be as close to the location of the notch points on the old panel.
Repeat for each panel.

This is the most key step up to this point. DO NOT skip it! You have been warned!!

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-06-2006).]

quote Originally posted by 30+mpg: How about some pics of Fiero seats with worn fabric?

We have pics of about everything else on this forum.

Next use the same technique to cut the five new panels from seat foam to replace the worn and dirty ones.

The old foam measured 1/4" thick. The new foam I'm using is 1/2" thick. This answers part of the question of streched fabric or loose patterns.

Cut the notches accurately based on the old foam.

1/2" thick Seat Foam panels
3 of 5 cut
2 of 3 notched

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 09-13-2005).]

Alright dude, are you working slowly or just posting slowly to keep everyone watching this thread in suspense?

Working full time actually. Leave at 6:20 am & get home at 5 pm. Last evening I also replaced a broken A/C belt.

Last Sat. I removed the front lowering springs from my project car and replaced them with stock to keep the stops from crashing on bumps. Also installed missing torque rods for the deck lid.

Plus duties of normal married life.

If anyone can't wait and gets ahead of me, post instructions & pics!

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 09-15-2005).]

Excellent topic. I will be following this one closely.
Thank you!

Trim all panels to the marked lines, if you haven't already done so. Sew the foam panels to the fabric panels. If any of the notches don't match up use the old panels to check it out before sewing.

Use any thread and stay as close to the edges as possible.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 10-13-2005).]

For the front panel, grey thread is required due to the exposed horizontal stitching for the dual thickness seat foam piece.

A spool of slate grey Button thread from Wal-Mart for $0.96 is what I plan to use for exposed seams.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 09-21-2005).]

+ for you.

I've been wanting to attempt this for a while and my mother-in-law is an excellent seamstress and says she could help. I've just been wanting to get my hands on a spare seat skin before trying because I don't want to mess up my current seats any worse in case I fail to get the job done right.

Please keep the updates coming, I look forward to seeing the end result!

The front foam piece that I want to reuse looks stained. So it gets washed.

Are you doing both seats? If you are, have you noticed any differences at all between the pass and drivers seats? I'm talking only about the upholstery. I think you can put a pss on a driver seat, but want to know for sure. I would also have to use my pass seat as a pattern since the drivers is so torn up.

Thanks a ton for this thread. It really look good so far.
Darren

------------------

I've recovered both in my other Fiero. I think there is only one set of bottom patterns and one set of back patterns for both seats.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 10-03-2005).]

how many yards of fabric was used per seat?. does the new fabric match the color of the old perfectly?

mike

This is one of the most useful and interesting threads I have seen here. Thanks for doing this.

Clicked the bookmark on this one. My wife is planning this for both our cars over the winter.

Keep up the instructions and a + for you

David

------------------
His Fiero: 1984 2M4 Coupe

Her Fiero: 1984 2M4 Convertible

quote Originally posted by Mike OHIO: how many yards of fabric was used per seat?. does the new fabric match the color of the old perfectly? mike

1 per.

Only if the old was never exposed to sunlight.

Here's photos of the upholstery on my daily driver that I did several years ago.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 06-06-2006).]