[cornfieldcars]

Dan,

I am working on the seat for my 48 chevy p/u now, but I do not have your expertise so I really looking forward to this. I liked the idea of building up the bolsters as I would like to see how to work with foam the right way. Again as mentioned something simple and inexpensive would be great. I know it's way overboard...but I would like to see (in the future maybe) how to take a normal bench and add a fold down arm rest. As for the charity, the one you mentioned sounds wonderful. But there is also a little known charity called Bucks for Barry's 48 p/u Thanks for doing what you're doing.

barry

[brian0605]

Dan you are an awesome guy!! Thanks again for the old machine. I have started saving money to buy a new sewing machine table! I may look around and see if I can find a good used one locally. Anyway looking forward to following this post to completion. See ya Brian

[home brew]

Dan this is a great idea and relates back to producing our own TV show that was talked about in the past but this is definitely do able. As well it will provide a very useful purpose even if members don't do their own seat they will have an idea how the pro's do it.

I agree with simple, basic and inexpensive. Perhaps you could include a discussion on materials and how they work together, how hard they are to use and what life expectancy they have. I like the idea of giving us the various costs and if you could also give us an idea of how long it would take a novice to perform each step that would help as well.

[DanTwoLakes]

Phooey!! I had an old seat with a built-in armrest that I covered over. Now I wish I'd have taken it out and saved it. Here's what I'd like to use for fabric. One of my suppliers is offering 100% polyurethane fabric ( Ultraleather is 100% polyurethane) for a really great price. The difference is this looks more like top-grain leather. Basic Ultraleather looks more like calfskin, at least to me.

The difference being: Real leather gets more grain to it the older the animal gets, just like humans get more wrinkles the older they get. I like the look of this stuff, and I can buy it for 1/2 of what it would normally cost me, which would be less than 1/4 of the retail cost of Ultraleather, which goes for about $60 a yard. What do you guys think?

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by home brew

I agree with simple, basic and inexpensive. Perhaps you could include a discussion on materials and how they work together, how hard they are to use and what life expectancy they have. I like the idea of giving us the various costs and if you could also give us an idea of how long it would take a novice to perform each step that would help as well.

Great ideas, will do.

[horvath]

Here I am.

I like the straight horizontal section across the top of the seat the way it is -- I love 50s designs -- and then a wide pleat or tuck and roll below that. And, of course, if it ain't got some leather happenin' (the more grain the better) I tend to get bored about it real quick. You know me, Dan ... elk hides - especially for trucks!

I'm looking forward to this tutorial!

[Dusty82]

Here's what I had in mind when I mentioned a tuck & roll job. The colors aren't really important to me, but I do know basic black is sometimes hard to photograph if you're going for detail - just a thought. I agree that a neutral color scheme would work best. The inserts on this seat could be made of fabric, couldn't they?


I chose one pic from several on this page:



Check out the rest to see more details on the seat.

And Dan? Kudos to you for doing this for us, and especially for donating any proceeds to charity. I'll say it again - you're truly a class act.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Houndstooth inserts

Shane

[horvath]

That really *is* a nice interior! And I like the seat design!

I found it surprising to see what they did with the modification to the window frame; creating a door-pull ... I looked at the armrests and saw *no* grip to pull with and thought, "How do you close the doors!?" Then I noticed the bottom of the window had a grip fabricated before the paint job -- smart design!

But all *white* ... !?! ... I gues that truck is *not* a driver!

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by Dusty82

Here's what I had in mind when I mentioned a tuck & roll job.

O.K. What you call tuck and roll, I call pleated. That's why I asked for somebody to define what they meant. Tuck and roll means different things in different parts of the country. True tuck and roll has a lot deeper, more pronounced, and usually wider pleats that usually go all the way from top to bottom on the seat back and all the way from front to rear on the seat.

The inserts can be fabric or whatever you'd like.

BTW I hate white, which is a logistical nightmare to work with, and I won't put welts on a seat unless it's a deal breaker. They are the first thing to wear out.

The consensus seems to be a more neutral color, so how about shades of gray? I have to confess that I tend to favor darker, richer colors though.

I'm going to let the discussion continue on this subject until Monday to give as many people as possible a chance to see this over the weekend and to voice an opinion, at which time I will decide what we're going to do.

[fordSR]

Dan,
This is a great idea and will benefit many on this forum. Start a Project Journal and take lots of pictures. I suggest breaking it down into four elements. Restoration of the seat frame and foam, then the addition of bolsters, armrests, etc. then the fabrication of the seat covering and finally the fitting of the covering. In your design you might use some of the most popular elements such as: Bolsters, and how to use mid-seat listing; Pleats with hidden stitching; French seams (which you've already covered); and graphics. This could be a huge project depending on how deep you want to go into it, and how much detail you incorporate into the design. I commend you on your desire to do this.

[Dusty82]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

O.K. What you call tuck and roll, I call pleated. That's why I asked for somebody to define what they meant. Tuck and roll means different things in different parts of the country.

The consensus seems to be a more neutral color, so how about shades of gray? I have to confess that I tend to favor darker, richer colors though.

Gray is a great choice. In fact, I plan on doing the panel van in different shades of gray. It's probably one of the most popular colors of interior on new cars. I agree that white would be a pain both to do and to live with. People don't understand that there are so many shades of white that it can actually be very difficult to work with - in the sense that it's hard to match everything perfectly.

Thanks for the better definition of tuck and roll, and I fully understand what you mean when things mean different things in different areas. I've heard the type of pleating you describe as being called "roll pleated." Another example is the word "bolster." I'm having difficulty figuring out what you're talking about. Out here a bolster is a separately upholstered piece of foam that's used for the back or arm of a seat or sofa - and usually used just in home furniture. It's not attached to the seat bottom in any way, and can be easily removed. I've never heard it used in an automotive context. What part of the seat are you referring to when you're talking about the bolsters?

I agree with you totally about welt too. It not only wears out first, it can be very uncomfortable if you have to sit on it for a very long drive. In my example seat, how would you join the pleated fabric inserts to the vinyl outer sections of material without using welt - French Seams?

[horvath]

Different shades of gray is a cool idea -- including black; I think some black will make the grays pop more ... yes?

I also agree with fordSR ... I believe tutorials should be aimed at the mentality of a 5-year-old ... that way I know *I* will understand it.

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by Dusty82

Another example is the word "bolster." I'm having difficulty figuring out what you're talking about. In my example seat, how would you join the pleated fabric inserts to the vinyl outer sections of material without using welt - French Seams?

You are correct about a bolster on a piece of furniture being a loose arm pillow. What the guys are referring to is the sections of the attached seat foam outside of the insert area which are raised up to give the seat more definition (that bucket seat look.) I hope I explained that right. I would just join the pleated section to the rest with a plain straight seam. The welt doesn't bother me there, only around the perimeter of the seat.

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by horvath

I believe tutorials should be aimed at the mentality of a 5-year-old ... that way I know *I* will understand it.

I won't use anything bigger than a five letter word.