Seat foam

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Corsa bill
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Seat foam

Post by Corsa bill »

I'm redoing my upholstery, does anyone have any advice of how to deal with this old cotton s---t. Want to use foam and get rid of the cotton. Looked on Clarks and found foam for front but nothing for the rear bench. I'd like to just use 2 inch high density poly foam. Any advice an pictures would be helpfulImageImage


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66vairguy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by 66vairguy »

I've done a couple of rear seats using Clark's covers.

Nobody makes the preformed foam, although Clark's may sell it in the future.

The problem is the rear seat padding varied. Don't ask me why, perhaps different vendors were used by GM. Some rear seats had ALL cotton batting and some have a foam pad and cotton batting. The cotton batting they used had a mesh to keep it intact during assembly. I've been told you can find it.

I usually put down new burlap covered with a strong cloth (like a good chair backing black cloth) then on goes the cotton batting and a 1" layer of foam trimmed to fit. This combination gives me some flexibility to vary the thickness with the cotton batting. With just a foam block you'll have to shave and trim - PITA. BTW - you'll find a piece of burlap with thin wires through it and it's purpose is to spread the load over the springs. Re use it or use the old upholstery trick of running a support wire and clamping it to each spring. Upholstery shops sell the paper covered wire and clamps.

Put on the cover to see how it fits - usually some redo is needed. I usually put a light weight filler (looks like Xmas angel hair) in the center and outer areas on the cover to lift it up to the same level as the pleats. Clark's covers use a high density foam material for the pleats so if you don't add filler to the middle it tends to sit low and puckers (66 style).
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lostboy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by lostboy »

I just did both of mine. I used a variety of things. First was canvas tarp material to take the place of the burlap. Then I used jute padding material. its about a 1/2" thick gray fibrous padding. Like whats under your rug from the factory on newer vehicles. To get the fluff, I used the actual foam carpet padding that they sell at home depot. Glued together and shaped how I wanted it. SHHHH dont tell anyone, it worked out really well and is nice and comfortable. A little on the soft side, but I really like it.
-Steve
1961 Corvair 700 Sedan (80hp 3spd Gasoline Heat)
66vairguy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by 66vairguy »

lostboy wrote:I just did both of mine. I used a variety of things. First was canvas tarp material to take the place of the burlap. Then I used jute padding material. its about a 1/2" thick gray fibrous padding. Like whats under your rug from the factory on newer vehicles. To get the fluff, I used the actual foam carpet padding that they sell at home depot. Glued together and shaped how I wanted it. SHHHH dont tell anyone, it worked out really well and is nice and comfortable. A little on the soft side, but I really like it.
Agreed the burlap really isn't needed, but I put it down anyway. The important part is to lay down a strong fabric like canvas tarp (or a synthetic equivalent) on the springs before putting down the padding. If you put just foam onto the springs the foam won't last long.

If you tie the spring together it really firms up the seat and prevents upholstery stretching if someone leans on the seat with just there knee.
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lostboy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by lostboy »

66vairguy wrote:
lostboy wrote:I just did both of mine. I used a variety of things. First was canvas tarp material to take the place of the burlap. Then I used jute padding material. its about a 1/2" thick gray fibrous padding. Like whats under your rug from the factory on newer vehicles. To get the fluff, I used the actual foam carpet padding that they sell at home depot. Glued together and shaped how I wanted it. SHHHH dont tell anyone, it worked out really well and is nice and comfortable. A little on the soft side, but I really like it.
Agreed the burlap really isn't needed, but I put it down anyway. The important part is to lay down a strong fabric like canvas tarp (or a synthetic equivalent) on the springs before putting down the padding. If you put just foam onto the springs the foam won't last long.

If you tie the spring together it really firms up the seat and prevents upholstery stretching if someone leans on the seat with just there knee.
Yeah. The thick tarp canvas made a giant difference in tension. I was going to use burlap but I happened to have a very heavy weight tarp laying around that I was never going to use.
-Steve
1961 Corvair 700 Sedan (80hp 3spd Gasoline Heat)
Corsa bill
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Re: Seat foam

Post by Corsa bill »

Hey thanks for the input.
I've found an old coot (like me) who sells Upholstey products. I'll go there and let him set me up.
As far as the covers I got me an Industrail sewing machine, cost me some bucks so I'll be doing them myself. I'm getting my money out of it as I did the cushion for my trailer, a canopy for my trailer and going to do my boat cushions.
Took a lot of practice but I'm feeling it down.


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Corsa bill
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Re: Seat foam

Post by Corsa bill »

ImageImageImage


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Corsa bill
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Re: Seat foam

Post by Corsa bill »

Here are three different pleats I made for practice


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lostboy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by lostboy »

Corsa bill wrote:Here are three different pleats I made for practice


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Nice!!! Once upon a time I knew how to set up a sowing machine. I need to get back into that.
-Steve
1961 Corvair 700 Sedan (80hp 3spd Gasoline Heat)
66vairguy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by 66vairguy »

Nice work Corsa Bill.

I wish i had a commercial sewing machine. I learned to use one in an upholstery class I took decades ago. I made up seat covers for a car I had.

I must admit the stock seat covers Clark's makes are very nice and have save me a lot of time.
Bill MC
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Re: Seat foam

Post by Bill MC »

Excellent work Bill. I tried that once....mine looked like the stiches on Frankenstien's head.
ptr
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Re: Seat foam

Post by ptr »

While not directly applicable to his case, you can rejuvenate tired, flattened, seat foam with a steam cleaner. When you shoot it with steam it instantly puffs back up into shape and remains that way. I've heard people say a clothes steamer will work, but I picked up a steam cleaner from Harbor Freight and used it to do the front seats in a different car I was replacing covers on and it worked like a champ. Two years later the foam is still holding its shape and support well.

As an aside the steam cleaner is also excellent for cleaning grout. We have white tile and grout in the kitchen and it was a real pain to try and clean. About the only thing that would work was letting bleach sit on it for a while and that wouldn't get it completely clean. With the steam cleaner and some distilled water you can just shoot it and wipe it clean with an old towel. Instant spousal hero status for very little work ;-)


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66vairguy
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Re: Seat foam

Post by 66vairguy »

Hmmmm - The steam trick sounds interesting, but out West after all these decades the Corvair foam is so deteriorated from heat it is just turns to powder if you touch it.
4carbcorvair
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Re: Seat foam

Post by 4carbcorvair »

If the seat is original to the car, don't toss out that Broadcast sheet!!!
1966 Corsa convertible, 140, 4sp.
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recessbilly
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Re: Seat foam

Post by recessbilly »

Nice work! I'm a Bill too, and have found a lot of "Corvair Bill"s in my short history with Corvairs. I sew too, and enjoyed doing my own seats as well... I used the old cotton and need to remove and replace with foam soon, but it looks good.
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toytron
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Re: Seat foam

Post by toytron »

Beautiful seats Billy.

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