Epic 68 Polara bench seat rebuild for originality

[HWYCRZR]

Down to tracing the boring canvas parts that have the hog ring cord or wire running through.
Pinking shears are a must in this canvas. (They cut zig zags to keep the thread from pulling). I learned about pinking shears at a young age. Grandma didn’t like us cutting paper with them. We only used them once, but hey I learned what they were used for.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I did my first stitching today. I sewed up the hog ring cord. I actually found I had a cording pressure foot in my box of stuff that came with the sewing machine. It has a little round groove in it to hold the fabric tight around the cord. It held it perfectly I could almost run the machine at full speed as it was self guiding. These walking foot sewing machines are a must for upholstery. My only fear is if the pressure foot will accommodate my 1/2 inch foam sewed to the vinyl. Next time I would search a little longer for a high lift pressure foot machine.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Awesome work!

 

[HWYCRZR]

I finished up the rest of the padding this week. The front backs are probably the most detailed of the seats.
Newly made vinyl supports for top of seats.

Cut out new back panels from water proof cardboard panels I found at MACs in the upholstery department. My old ones were a little wrinkled.
I may get some more and make a new trunk divider panel.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Added the cotton batting cushions and hog ringed them to the seat frame. I think I am going to have to share up my patterns for the inserts. Tracing the old vinyl they were not too square. I think with the rips and brittleness of the old vinyl there was some stretching and shrinking. Now that I have the padding on I can tell they should be square. I also added a little lumbar support. Not too much, but just enough to support my lower back.

 

[ImpJay]

It`s amazing, how much FCBO members have DIY skills. But, we aren´t B/E-body people, who`re pampered with repro parts for this and that.

 

[65sporty]

You are killing it. I am blown away with the seat rebuild.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I made my foam pads for the stitched seat pad. 1/2” foam backed with muslin (light canvas or cotton fabric)The muslin holds the stitches and keeping them from pulling through the foam.
I used #77 adhesive to tack the muslin to the foam. Just a light tack to keep it from floating around while stitching.
Key when tacking for a wrinkle free backing is to fold 1/2 of it back, spray it, and slowly unfold it on the foam.

 

[HWYCRZR]

I also practiced stitching for my panels on a scrap piece.
I used a China Marker ( yellow wax pencil) to draw the lines. I found I can follow th line pretty good with the center of th the needle.
Key will be to accurately layout my grid on my real panels. I just drew some lines for practice.
I found that with my practice piece I need to do some sewing machine tuneup. Sticky accelerator pedal makes for jack rabbit starts. Also I need to drop my machine into a table so I have a nice flat surface.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Stitched up my first insert panel. Started with my right rear back. I got the stitches straight. There is one where the pad got hung up a little so the stitches per inch got a little close. Stitching into the foam is a little difficult as there is some movement between the pieces. I think it will stretch out when I install it. For the second one am going to use some 77 adhesive to start it wrinkle free. Hopefully all the pieces will move together.

Have to roll the panel to fit under the machine arm

Test fit in place.

 

[Polara_500]

Looking good.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Second back. I am learning. Using spray adhesive 77 to start with everything tight and smooth helps. Do not stitch the outside until the quilting is complete. Also when I roll up the side to fit under the machine it really wrinkled the vinyl. After doing all the stitches one way I used heat and smoothed out the wrinkles before doing the cross stitches.
I will finish my others before I decide to redo the first one. Maybe it will relax a bit.

 

[ImpJay]

Second back. I am learning. Using spray adhesive 77 to start with everything tight and smooth helps. Do not stitch the outside until the quilting is complete. Also when I roll up the side to fit under the machine it really wrinkled the vinyl. After doing all the stitches one way I used heat and smoothed out the wrinkles before doing the cross stitches.
I will finish my others before I decide to redo the first one. Maybe it will relax a bit.

View attachment 234212 View attachment 234213

Learning? I´d say that you have done a lot of sewing projects before this one.

 

[GJS]

SICK. love it.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Learning? I´d say that you have done a lot of sewing projects before this one.

Just basic repairs for the most part. I did make a chef's apron and shirt once about 35 years ago for a 4H project. I like building things. Really it isn't a lot different than construction or carpentry if you think about it. Stitches instead of glue. Follow your pattern / plans, think about it logically, where does it go, how is it supposed to fit, do your site lines line up......
The difficult part will be stitching all the pieces together and make sure all the lines intersect where they should, and that it will fit over the seat and look straight in the vehicle. I will have to take a lot of time checking and re- checking my layout before I start stitching.
It also helps understanding the mechanics of the sewing machine itself. Does it want to pull to the left or right. Is it easier to line up the needle on a line, or to offset the line and use the pressure foot as a guide. I found that I can track straighter if I line up on the needle. I found that when trying to follow the line with the side of the pressure foot, my needle tended to wander to the line. On these big panels it is important to hold it as free as possible, make sure you are not holding it back, or force feeding it. Let the machine do the work and just guide it. Support your work, nothing screws up your stitch more than when the heavy fabric is hanging off the table. It is tough to guide and will slip making your stitch length too close together.
And grow longer arms for large stiff pieces like my inserts. I found that I had to sit way back once I got the needle set to support and guide the fabric. I think it also helped for straighter lines as you have a long line to follow or sight down when you are sitting back.

Oh, and after a few stitches and you are halfway through your panel, check your bobbin for thread. It sucks when you run out half way through a stitch line and with the larger diameter thread the small bobbins aren't quite enough to do the whole panel (at least the larger backseat ones).

If any one has any practical tips on making seat covers please share them. I would rather learn by someone else's mistakes than mine. I am still learning and refining my process. Not sure if it is right or not yet.

 

[ImpJay]

Just basic repairs for the most part. I did make a chef's apron and shirt once about 35 years ago for a 4H project. I like building things. Really it isn't a lot different than construction or carpentry if you think about it. Stitches instead of glue. Follow your pattern / plans, think about it logically, where does it go, how is it supposed to fit, do your site lines line up......
The difficult part will be stitching all the pieces together and make sure all the lines intersect where they should, and that it will fit over the seat and look straight in the vehicle. I will have to take a lot of time checking and re- checking my layout before I start stitching.
It also helps understanding the mechanics of the sewing machine itself. Does it want to pull to the left or right. Is it easier to line up the needle on a line, or to offset the line and use the pressure foot as a guide. I found that I can track straighter if I line up on the needle. I found that when trying to follow the line with the side of the pressure foot, my needle tended to wander to the line. On these big panels it is important to hold it as free as possible, make sure you are not holding it back, or force feeding it. Let the machine do the work and just guide it. Support your work, nothing screws up your stitch more than when the heavy fabric is hanging off the table. It is tough to guide and will slip making your stitch length too close together.
And grow longer arms for large stiff pieces like my inserts. I found that I had to sit way back once I got the needle set to support and guide the fabric. I think it also helped for straighter lines as you have a long line to follow or sight down when you are sitting back.

Oh, and after a few stitches and you are halfway through your panel, check your bobbin for thread. It sucks when you run out half way through a stitch line and with the larger diameter thread the small bobbins aren't quite enough to do the whole panel (at least the larger backseat ones).

If any one has any practical tips on making seat covers please share them. I would rather learn by someone else's mistakes than mine. I am still learning and refining my process. Not sure if it is right or not yet.

Sorry, but I don`t have tips to share. I was just admiring your work. I´m nothing like a good interior fixer.

 

[65sporty]

I learned to sew from my Grandmother when I was about 9 or 10, but I don't have the balls or skill to do what your doing. Awesome work my friend.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Back seat bench pad sewn together. It is tricky with the foam. Worst part is getting all three pieces aligned. Since you cannot pin it together like cloth, I aligned the cording and put a couple of stitches on either end and the middle to keep it aligned.
I also learned that having your outside cuts of the vinyl square and equal distance on each piece from where the stitches go. That way you can line up the edges. The cording also helps keep a straight line in your stitches as the cording foot follows the cording. Also make sure things align the long way, so it sits straight in the car. After taking a break and working on my dash assembly I will finish the rear bench then the seat back. My theory is that I will get better by the time I get to the front.

 

[swisherred]

Totally following this one...Going to do my own later as well. I have an upholstery walking foot machine and enough skills to get in trouble.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Took a break on the Upholstery during the Christmas break to put my dash and steering column back together, and power up the electrical system. Have a couple more things to tidy up, and then I will have to get back at it.
I really found that heat is your friend when working with vinyl. At 65 degrees it is pretty stiff, but at 75 or better it flows a lot better. I will have to crank up my garage heat when I get back to it. Heat gun is also a supplement.