The car is getting primer on 4th of July weekend so how about a seat tech on upholstering a Dodge Caravan 2nd row seat? It doesn't look to hard but there would be some information for someone looking to do their own or just preping it for the upholster. 1. Modified seat mounting onto an original model a seat riser. 2. Removing the original seat cover 3. Removing arm rest bracket. 4. Removing the seat frame from the seat bun. Here is the seat riser welded into my floor pan. It is raised in the back with tubing to make it level. Personal preference. Next unbolt the seat bracket from both sides and modify the bracket as shown. This is optional if you don't want a fold down seat. Bolt back on to the bottom seat only and place in the seat riser. Tack the brackets in place. Remove and weld complete. If done correctly you should have great leg room and the back of the seat should be almost flush with top of the package tray. Will also have 8.5" of space to hide a battery or? The seat cover comes off pretty easy with a utility knife but if you like to save it for a pattern you might want to be careful here. The seat cover is 100% glued to the seat buns so easy going here as to not rip the foam. Here is the bottom with the cover removed. Here is the back. It will have an arm rest bracket that will have to be cut off. We will get into the foam modifications next time!
my folks moved into the boonies... no electricity , mom gave me her beloved electric turkey carving knife... turkeys be damned, the thing is the cat's azz cutting foam... just follow the line...
1. Modified seat foam. With the butt impressions on the bottom seat foam they need to be eliminated by filling in with new 1" foam. I bought high density foam from Joann Fabrics. $50 will do both. 2 rolls of 24x72. I used 3M high strength 90 contact adhesive, a angle head grinder to shape. First attempt.
Second attempt was to only fill the deep impressions with foam. A lot less work. Sand the bolsters to match and you have a pretty flat base to work with. Don't forget the seat belt hole.
Now to keep the patch work in place I added an additional 1" foam covering the whole seat. Using my angle head grinder to blend the radius corners. Boy does that grinder eat up the foam. Use a worn out disc if you have one. Doesn't have to be perfect but it looks better.
I purchased the seat material today after a long debate if I should go with real leather or faux leather. Both have their advantages. I guess the biggest one is price making the high end distressed vinyl more appealing. I went with 3 yards (54 x 108) of distressed red burgundy. A very rich looking color. The swatch is a little darker than the pic I just posted. I think it will look smashing. I just so happen to have a good friend who's wife has an industrial sewing machine. Hmmmmm.
I got to see the sewing machine today. He didn't tell me its not coming out of the basement. They don't make sewing machines like this anymore. Look at the size of the motor. Looks like it would better fitting on a drill press! Or the solid wood table. Anyway it's not coming home with me. Wonder how he feels or his wife feels about a guest moving in? LOL.
I just found out my friend with the sewing machine is on a 2 week vacation. Good for him. I will have to put the upholstery on hold for now. Here is my pleated seat idea. Remember I have installed seat covers but I have never sewn them. In fact I have not touched a sewing machine since high school.....we had to take home economics class back in the day. But I did watch a you tube video so that makes me an expert right?
Typical older Pfaff industrial machine. My ex owned a business that used a bunch of those things... easiest way to move one is to pull the machine off the top and the motor off the underside of the table, but the table still weighs a ton. If you're going to try sewing it yourself, spend a bunch of time practicing with some scrap upholstery material and backing,; you want those seams STRAIGHT.
Thanks. I ordered an extra yard of material just for that reason. Well is not moving. The wife said she will sew it and didn't want anyone else using it. Good for me.
Painting tips: If you are spraying a 2K primer and you see the pattern getting smaller your paint is already starting to setup. It will plug the small screen at the bottom of the cup assuming you are using a hvlp gravity feed gun. Add some reducer and pick up the pace! I struggled with that problem all day and I didn't have any reducer on hand.....I removed the small screen and it helped to finish the job. I didn't want to throw the paint away so the doors were shot a little dry. It's ok it's just primer.
Back on the seat upholstery. 92 degs today. Probably why I was having issues with my painting. Just a little too warm and in the sun shooting black. So it's a good day to work inside. I cut the material extra big 36 x 44 so there wouldn't be any surprises. What I did notice was wrinkles in the vinyl from the shipper fold it up instead of rolling it. Saves on shipping but I have more work to do. An upholstery steamer is the need tool. I found laying it on my wife's black car with the sun beating down took care of that problem.
Next I found the center line @ 22" and using a 4ft level and a white crayon I marked the center of each pleat. I went with 2.625" width as that was what my level was. It looks right. Next time we will attach the sewing foam to the backside.
I apologize for jumping around like I do but that is life in a 2 car garage on a fixed income two kids in college do I say more..... The is another tip about seat upholstery is the backing required. 1/2 sew foam with a backing so the thread doesn't pull through. Speaking of thread. I read the proper thread and needle is #69 bonded nylon and a 16/100 upholstery need for pleating work and my light weight vinyl. Sure wish it was leather......glue the foam to the backside of the material with the same contact cement used on the seat foam but only on the outer edges. It will bubble if you put it all over. Another member here reminded me to make a sample first to play with in getting the hang of straight stitches. Good advice!
My reducer and activater came today for finishing up the 2K primer. Gun sprayed perfectly with a little reducer added. Next with be a little bit of body work on just a few areas. I am not fixing everything. I am leaving a lot of the small dents and rust pits or even a few small rust thru spots to keep the character as it is.
We have a huge car show/swap meet here in WI every year in Iloa. Except last year. Thousands of people showed up. It is a crazy 4 day event. I walked for 8 hrs with a lunch break. I concentrate on just the swap area. I made two big scores. 1. Sun RC50 tach and nos EB-9A transmitter with the batteries taken out before they leaked. 2. A 12 gallon round gas tank from a speedster project. Very clean inside and fits right at home. A couple of leather belts to hold it in place and a filler neck to fab up. All in all a good day at the show.
With the car primed, I started to texture the surface to resemble rust pitting more importantly on the new quarters and cowl sides. The rest is original with it own pitting. This can be accomplished with the spray gun or buying textured paint like that used on patio furniture. After the texture is built up and knocked down a little it will look just like valleys of rust pitting. Next is to thin down some paint to create a wash. This can be black, dark brown or in my case midnight blue. Just brush it on and let it dry. The camera doesn't do it justice but it looks like very oxidized blue paint with rust coming through. Just the look it wanted. I know it's not for everyone.
Here is a shot for reference on the textured paint to look like rust. I love the patina on the firewall. Yep original.
Making progress on the front. Added some Guide fog lights to the front fenders that will serve as driving lights as well as front signals. Using a LED switchback light in a 1157 bonnet style.
Here is the final result. I dropped the blue paint idea after looking at it real hard. It just looked faked. Not that the brown/black isn't. It just looked better. You be the judge.
Yes the old hot rod has fully embraced a very used look including rust thru on the rear fender and cowl. The trunk was the worst for dents. I didn't fix any and left it as is. But you are right. It's like popcorn ceiling spray. Hides a lot of poor workmanship.
Really nice job! Love the way the car is going together, except maybe the fake "patina", but hey, that's your choice. Thanks for posting your progress. Your seat fabrication is especially interesting.
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