Being new to the message board, I appreciate the thoughtful advice from experience that I've seen. Hope to get some of the same here. 41 Lincoln had become a residence for mice, and you know what they leave behind. The car smells old and stale. The seats have coil spring individually wrapped in cloth which has rotted. I plan to remove the leather upholsty to reuse (after treatment), and clean the rust from the frame. I've got to cut the bull rings that hold the springs to the frame so that I can remove the rotted fabric. Trying to find fabric tubes to encase the springs seems like too much work, time and money. What would be the collective thoughts about this: 1) 3/4" plywood screwed into the base of the seat frame. 2) Then very dense black foam 2/3 the height of the spring 3) 1/3 the sping height in a dense upholstry foam, then slightly sculpted more comfortable foam covered covered with batting - then replace the leather. I think I can leave the seat backs along.
I had the same issue with the '40 sedan split back seat in my coupe. Spent a lot of time de-mousing and cleaning the seat spring bottom, but the upholstery shop finally talked me into pitching the bottom spring assembly and using 3/4" plywood as a base, angled 2x4s for the riser, then another 3/4" plywood top, followed by 3-4" of foam before final covering. There are several densities of foam that can be used together, depending on your comfort preference. The result is a much firmer, but very comfortable seat. The bottom plywood locks into place with two pins into the stock lower seat frame, requiring no bolts. The seat back springs were in very nice shape and just covered.
That seat turned out beautifully! I see an opportunity to put some cubby holes for storage on the front edge.
"41 Lincoln had become a residence for mice, and you know what they leave behind. The car smells old and stale. " @Ken Lobsinger Hello, For the millionth time, you have to get rid or at least make the rodents stay away from your car. Little pockets of space with some straw or material found anywhere are always attractive to critters. But, despite which type of critters, you have to get rid of them or you will have the same thing happening all over again in some different places in your car. We have used successfully, those ultrasonic pest repellant devices to keep them away. It is cleaner than having to pick up a squashed bloody head mouse staring you in the eye. Plus, it does not smell if you don's get rid of the critters right away. The ultrasonic units keep them away, silently. They go play somewhere else. Hopefully in the yard and not other places in your house. No house is 100% sealed from all sorts of critters. A small gap in the roofing vs framing allows entry. Spanish tile roofing? You can't plug up every crack or hole, there are just too many to count. So, the electronic units give those critters a sound they do not like and run away. No more attic activities or garage antics in cars or hidden spots in open shelving or parts laying around. Jnaki Yes, I have written all about the ultrasonic device and yet, people still use cats, snakes, cheese traps, and other old style traps. The electronic devices are plug and play. Also, no cat litter inside of the house/garage to give off bad air elements affecting people... like pregnant moms or aging folks. There is no one best unit as they all have varying degrees of sound levels as allowed by the authorities. No effect on kids, dogs or other family pets. They do not kill, they just spread out the no entry barrier a little farther out without traps. The ultrasonic units are a level of silence and no little feet running around in the attic to keep you awake. Even in the garage that most folks just leave alone, because it is a garage and not your main living/sleeping areas. Your new upholstery will be affected in more ways than one... cracks and crevices are the critter's best protections. Nothing better than new leather upholstery, but do you have to smell critters along with the leather aroma? Nah!!! So, where do they go? Back out in the yard cubby holes and corners or to your neighbor's house/garage. Now, you also will not have little black droplets all over the garage floor and tracked into your house. YRMV
Since it is difficult to keep them out then just kill them. I made a real effective trap like this: Plastic sheet hot-glued across a 5gal bucket, hole in the center. sprinkle bait around the top and a generous amount in the bucket. They will go in...they die quickly from exhaustion and dehydration.
The investation of mice and any other critters occurred prior to my purchase of the Silver Bullet Continental. I've used the ultrasonic repellent units in other circumstances and had great results as well.
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