Here’s another project I recently completed – refreshing the bucket seats. After 39 years, the driver’s seat was in the worst shape with split seams and cracked sides. Not as bad as some, but then… this car has been stored indoors for 27 years.


The side braces were pretty beat up also.


Taking down only one seat at a time, I stripped the lower frame of old webbing and the slide rails. The frame got a thorough cleaning and a fresh paint job.


The side braces were stripped to bare metal.


John Taddonio pointed me to Bryan Rolfe at Seatz Mfg. for the replacement covers. This is an “original pattern” replacement set. Although I have not seen covers from other sources, I believe these are about as close to true O.E. restoration quality as you can find! They were shipped in a large box (shown) – no folds! The covers were $250; I also bought a webbing kit for $40. A hog ring kit is supplied with the seats and also with the webbing kit. My seat cushions were in good shape, did not need to be replaced.


Here is a comparison of the old and new seat backs. If anything, the insert pattern is a bit more defined on the new cover.


Here is the rear skirt flap of the seat bottom and the wire insert for the hem.


A couple of hog rings secures the wire insert into the center of the rear flap hem and provides a nice fold for the edges of the flap.


Not shown but a tip: use a couple of hog rings to secure the wire insert into the fold of the tuck flaps for the seat bottom and the seat back. When you are ready to secure a tuck flap to the seat bottom wire or to the wire in the seat back, it will be much easier to keep the insert wire in place.

Another tip: if planning to reinstall the small hanger for the seat belt, insert a small round-head screw into the hole on the seat back before installing the seat back cover. After the cover is completely in place and final stretching is complete, it is very easy to locate the small screw by feel and cut a small “X” to remove it and install the hanger. Trying to locate that small hole without a screw in place is almost impossible!

One last suggestion: do this work in the direct sun if possible. It will warm the vinyl and make working the covers into place significantly easier.

Since I was re-using my original foam cushions, I picked up some ½” high density foam at a fabric shop. 36” wide foam was $10/yd, I used about one yard per seat as follows:
* For the seat back I cut long narrow strips for under the side bolsters, wrapped around the edges a bit. This “plumps up” the bolsters a bit and helps to push out any wrinkles. I also cut a rectangular panel for the center of the seat back, running from the tuck to the bottom.
* For the seat bottom I placed strips under the bolsters, approx. same width as a bolster. I inserted foam strips about 5” wide around the skirt – both sides and the front, worked them up to the seam at the bolster. This helps fill the sides and reduce loose fabric wrinkles.


The seat cover instructions mentioned a likely gap between the seat back and the bottom cushion. This is probably due to new fabric on the skirt flap, not yet stretched. A partial fix mentioned is to insert a wedge of foam at the rear of the seat bottom (on the seating surface) to lift the seat cover. I used a couple of strips of my foam for this purpose. After getting all the foam in place, you are ready to snug the wire inserts in the hem down onto the frame darts.


The side braces were finished in 3 coats of flat black and 2 coats of matte clear. Satin black would probably work very well as an alternative.


Here is the final product. You can see the gap between the seat back and seat bottom is still noticeable. I plan to loosen the rear skirt flap and re-work the original foam and the insert material to reduce that gap.

_________________
Jim Arnett
Richardson, Texas
HLS30-15320 12/1970 (original owner)
ZCON 2015 Gold Cup - Street Modified class

Nice job, Jim! So nice, in fact, that you have encouraged me to look
into a trip to Big D to see if that was a one-time fluke, or if you could
achieve the same excellent results on our car as well!

I said ":lol:", but did I really mean that? It would give us a chance to
git (yes, I spelled it right) back to TX agin (I spelled that right, too).
Maybe the thing to do would be to visit when one or more of the TX
Z Clubs, such as Houston or Capital (I don't know if DFW has a club),
has a show we could attend.

Keep up the great work and the great photography.

All Z Best,....................................Kathy & Rick

_________________
All Z Best,.......Kathy & Rick

1969 Z.CAR (#00013 10/69) 8/30/76
1969 ITSA.Z (#00171 11/69) 8/24/73
1970 OLD.Z (#06289 6/70) original owner
1971 510 2dr since 12/31/75
1969 1600 rdstr (our 160-Z)
1971 (#19851 1/71) sold
1975 75.Z (#01343 1/75)

Nice job Jim! Better than new. Both you and the car deserve it!

Glad Bryan at SEATZ took care of you. I have been using his products for years, they are the best out there.

Can't wait to see the finished product!

_________________
John Taddonio
1970 240Z
1977 530Z
1984 300ZXT
zcarnut@hotmail.com
FB: Zccr zcarclubofrochester

John, you KNOW he's gonna surpriZe you by driving this Z to the ZCCR meet, don't you?
*(And probably stealing your Best in Show trophy! )

Frank