Making your Own Custom Seats!

[Jeff99GS]

I'm making my own custom Interior here is some pictures of me taking the seats apart.

The first step is to remove the seats from the car. Then you can start stripping the seat down and removing the old leather/cloth.

Once you have the old material off you can begin to seperate the seams using a razor blade very carefully.
When the seams are all pulled apart you need to trace the patterns onto the new material that you are using.

Cut out the patern and sew it together!

 

[Jeff99GS]

the square thing on the foam cushion is a heated seat pad

 

[ApexVIII]

looks really good. any more pictures?

what material did you use? real leather?

 

[Jeff99GS]

looks really good. any more pictures?

what material did you use? real leather?

Thanks...I will have more pictures soon!

I used suede/ leather/ vinyl

 

[madman]

Very nice, very nice.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Last edited by Defiant : Yesterday at 06:50 AM. Reason: He can start selling them when he becomes a Vendor here.:

Sorry man, I wasn't trying to sell stuff. I'm just trying to show people how they can make up some seats for pretty cheap at home if their mom has a sewing machine!!

I couldn't sell these anyhow, The company I work for would fire ME

Im making the headrest covers still...I want to have my boss embroider the Eagle logo on them but I guess we have to set up the machine for it cause it doesn't have the eagle logo ?!?!?!

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Looks good! I'm more interested in the heating pad though. I rode in a VW golf that has it and I was amazed and vowed I would get a car that had it.

Can you speak on the wiring about it, and how you mounted and routed the control unit and best one to go with.

 

[ApexVIII]

Looks good! I'm more interested in the heating pad though. I rode in a VW golf that has it and I was amazed and vowed I would get a car that had it.

Can you speak on the wiring about it, and how you mounted and routed the control unit and best one to go with.

+1 for that too

 

[1996dsm]

that looks very nice, might try it my self i got a parts car to mess with.

 

[DougR]

Nice! Color Looks like my corbeau seats in my S-10.

Definatly a good re-cover....

You tried useing a heat gun to shrink the vinyl?

 

[Jeff99GS]

Nice! Color Looks like my corbeau seats in my S-10.

Deinatly a good re-cover....

You tried useing a heat gun to shrink the vinyl?

Thanks guys, No heat gun...I used a Steamer! It gets the wrinkles out GREAT!

As for the heated seats we use a Company called "CHECK" I just put a single temp pad in... we also have multi temp pads that have a control box. The pads I put in DO NOT have any control boxes...The thermostats are built into the pad itself! All you have to do is hook up ignition power to the switches and you're done!

Its very simple, the BOTTOM(cushion) heat pad plugs into the Back heat pad and then they plug into the switch harness. The switch haness will have a Black and Red wire coming off it... the RED goes to 12v switched ignition and the black is your ground.

The switches are in the dash, under my radio! I used a 3/4" UNIbit to drill out the holes for the switches, but you can also use a Hole Saw or a Dremel as well. I Hooked the power up to the 12 Gauge fat blue wire that goes to the radio, That is a switched ignition wire.

To run the wires I pulled up the center counsol, and snaked the wires from the console to the holes in the carpet that are under my seats...

Then you put the seat back in the car....Now you have a PLUG that connets the power wires to the switch harness, so you are able to take the seats in and out easily!

 

[Killa_dsm]

Man, I really like what your doing with the seats. Wish I could attempt something like this, but I'm too scared of ruining my seats if they don't turn out right.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Man, I really like what your doing with the seats. Wish I could attempt something like this, but I'm too scared of ruining my seats if they don't turn out right.

Its not really as hard as it seems....its More time consuming than it is hard. The hardest part is making the pattern. If you make It and cut it perfectly then you just have to line up the seams and sew it inside out. You don't even have to go that straight with the sewing machine like you would think...cause when you flip it right side out it pulls the seam straight and hides any imperfections!

Also If anyone wants to try this make sure You're using Nylon Thread in the sewing machine...Its VERY strong.

 

[Novice]

They turned out great. Nice work!

 

[ApexVIII]

what did you use to "steam" the seats? i have a heat gun would that work?

 

[Jeff99GS]

what did you use to "steam" the seats? i have a heat gun would that work?

Well You can try a heat gun but just use a lower setting so you dont burn the seats.

We have upholstery steamers at my work...they have a long handle so you can push the steam up INTO the seat when its all done.

Usually just parking it in the sun all day will get alot of the wrinkles out and soften the leather/vinyl

 

[Jeff99GS]

Here is some pictures with the seats back in the car.... I still have to do the Backseats and headrests.

 

[topchoice]

Wow, good transformation. Time so far?

 

[Jeff99GS]

Wow, good transformation. Time so far?

Thanks I did one seat saturday and one seat sunday...I could go faster but I was ly gaggin cause me and my buddies were drinkin while I did the seats .

 

[AndrewD5418]

They'd look better if they had OEM look to it more, if you kept the OEM pattern.

 

[TalonTsi31]

i think they look oem they just dont have the lines in the grey.
nice job with the seats. they are very "customly stock" im a fan of them

 

[AndrewD5418]

HMMM? did you look at the pictures? I used the exact same pattern as the factory seats...I cut apart the old seat material and TRACED them out on to vinyl

I do this for work too. I see the difference in patterns . It's hard to tell whether you top stitched it or not.

 

[GSXrestomod]

They look great man! I've got a spare set of seats in my parts car. I may try this as well. You said to use nylon thread... Do you have any suggestions on material? The cheaper the better in my case, but I still want a quality seat when Im done. I've been wanting to try a project like this for a long time and I think you've now inspired me. Keep up the good work. Have you thought about painting the plastic pieces on the bottom/sides of the seat to match the black?

 

[Jeff99GS]

I do this for work too. I see the difference in patterns . It's hard to tell whether you top stitched it or not.

Ahh i see...well the pattern is the same...BUT NO I did Not top stitch it or use a french seam...In My opinion That stuff is for a Caddilac or some kind of family sedan hoopty. But if you want that in your DSM go right ahead!
There is only like one or two seams on the factory seat that are top stitched anyway

 

[susafuss]

wow that looks awesome. I think i am going to have to give this a try