Need help from auto people

[JuneC]

I have to rebuild seats for a '79 Trans Am.  Structure is a mess.  I'm having a welder re-do the spot welds, but the support wires underneath are in pieces - hopefully I can piece them together enough to at least get a measurement.  So, my questions. 

1) What do you use for the support wires in the seat bottom?  It's a thin wire, but obviously doesn't stretch.  It's stiff enough to require only one turn at each end to not pull out when a heavy person sits.  What is it / where do you get it?  Will coat hangers do? 

2) there's a left-right wire that the support wires wrap around.  Heavier than the support wire.  What is that?  Is it just some metal rod I might get at a hardware store?  This is the wire that is attached to the seat back with coil springs.  They are intact, though I'd like to replace them just because of their age.

3) I'm going to refresh the buns, not replace.  Anything I should know?  I was going to cut out the bad spots, replace with chunks of good foam, them cover the whole thing with 1/2" of high-density foam to smooth out my repair bumps.  Anything I should know? 

4) there was no barrier between the springs/support wires and the foam.  The wires were imbedded into the foam.  I'm thinking of using this sisal pad over the wires.  Price is right...

   http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=2792&category_id=165&category_parent_id=

Am I missing something? What do you guys use over the wires/springs?  Would burlap be a better option?  If so, do you hog-ring the burlap to the frame first?

I'm not making seat covers - owner ordered those from Classic Industries.  They look really good.  Should be a breeze to install (famous last words....  ::)  Here we go again  :-\

June

[SHHR]

Those wires are a high tensile strength wire that resists bending/sagging, where a coat hanger, even though thicker, will bend and sag. I do a few things. 1. I've replaced with zig-zag springs if there is a way to fasten them to the frame and if I'm concerned about them sagging I've weaved webbing through them to help support (a lot of customers actually like this for more support). 2. some suppliers sell what they call a truck seat spring. You can buy them if different sizes for full size and mini trucks. they are the wires that you've mentioned inside of a frame that already have supports across them. Ive cut them to size and fastened them in the frame. A lot of seats fasten them in with tension springs. 3. Check online with a Camaro restoration supply company. They may have a direct fit piece for this.

I usually wrap springs/frames with burlap and fasten it with a few hog rings to prevent slipping. the purpose is to prevent the wires/springs from digging in the foam.

For those who want the foam freshened other than replaced that's about it, cut out bad and glue in pieces, then shape to original, put some sort of topper pad on to smooth it out plus that takes up the space from where the original foam has compressed.
Kyle

[scarab29]

Did a camaro a while ago , same kinda thing. The customer supplied the pre sewn kit and new foam buns. A couple springs were busted and he gave me some repair kits / just a couple sections of spring with crimp on connectors to attach them. They must be easy to find. Worked out pretty good. I'll check and see where they came from.

here's a cool link

http://www.dieselgiant.com/repairseatspring.htm

[scarab29]

A better one

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/seat-spring-repair-145733-2.html

looks like rochford has the spring material on a roll !

[JuneC]

Thanks guys!  I had no luck at all with seat frame components from anywhere, even eBay, Year One and Classic Industries, but in my search for high-tensile strength wire, happened on the idea of using piano wire and drill stock rod to recreate the broken bits of the existing frames.  The components are pretty cheap (around $20 to repair a dozen seats) from onlinemetals.com.  I only need to do 1, so if it works ok, maybe I can make up some units and sell on eBay and retire on the proceeds  8)  Yeah, right.    I'll let you know how it works out. 

June

[ncydmn]

I have been doing a easy and long lasting fix on these for years.  I know you have some scrap boat topping laying around.  I sew a square the size of your old spring support with a hem on the ends to slid #9 edge wire through.  I cut notches in the hem but not through the thread where the springs and bend over tabs go.  Slide the edge wire through the ends, hook the bend over tabs through the front and hook up the springs in the back and bam...done.  A nice support that wont cut through the foam, strong, and fast to make.  The early eighties Chevy pickups had this same support system the full length of the frame.  I have found the short heavy springs at my local hardware store.  Hope you understand my explanation.  It sure looks good in my head! 

[JuneC]

I have been doing a easy and long lasting fix on these for years.  I know you have some scrap boat topping laying around.  I sew a square the size of your old spring support with a hem on the ends to slid #9 edge wire through.  I cut notches in the hem but not through the thread where the springs and bend over tabs go.  Slide the edge wire through the ends, hook the bend over tabs through the front and hook up the springs in the back and bam...done.  A nice support that wont cut through the foam, strong, and fast to make.  The early eighties Chevy pickups had this same support system the full length of the frame.  I have found the short heavy springs at my local hardware store.  Hope you understand my explanation.  It sure looks good in my head! 

Kool fix!  I'll try that.  I'll try to find some edge wire today locally.  The whole wire support system is trashed except for the coil springs in back.  I'm guessing they're still intact because the rear wires are all in pieces as well as the thin support wires that run front/back and the seat was on the floor.  But, if I can find them at Ace or HD, I'll go ahead and replace those as well.

June

[baileyuph]

June,
In reading, most of the issues have been covered, so redundacy will not help.

My bottom line from experience is not spend time trying to rebuild those spring bases, there are enough auto trim suppliers, Miami Mike could be one, who can provide supplies needed to get the job moving faster. I am talking this way because the tax bills are arriving in the mail.  ;)

Good luck let us know how your hands hold up, that one requires hog rings.

Doyle