Seat Covers - DIY or Not

[BAMO]

Need some opinions here.

Cost to get an LMC seat cover and the repair kit is about $225 (not sure but probably need to get new foam too so that probably increases the price by another $100). So total for materials would probably be closer to $325 (correct me if I am wrong or way off here).

I got a quote for about $525 to have it done at an upholstery place - new foam, fixes springs, everything.

So three questions.

1) Are the LMC/Tuckers/Brothers covers decent and how hard is the install especially wanting to get it right and fix some of the springs?

2) Given that there's probably at least a half day of labor on the seat if custom, what's the going rate. I don't want/need the cheapest, just don't want to get screwed either.

3) Finally, opinions on which way to go?

Thanks in advance.

[JRANGER]

I like custom and had mine made at a shop here in TN... They had extra padding in them but I didnt need new foam...Cost me $215 shipped but i am almost local so im not sure but I liked there work a lot. I installed them myself and it took around 5 hours. I did have the seat disassembled before hand though.

http://www.ricksupholstery.com/

[1963c-10]

Did mine myself in my 63. Took 2-3 Hours and looks great. Got my cover from Classic Parts of America $185 + s/h..

[BAMO]

Did either of you need to add foam and spring repairs as well?

[koda360]

I'd buy the foam. Even if it don't have holes in it, consider the age of it, it's gotta be broken down.
Get a heat gun, hog ring pliers, diagonal cutters, turn the cover inside out and work slow. Also helps if you leave it in the sun on a warm day before you start.

[1963c-10]

I repaired a 6x6 in section. Got the foam from the hobby store. Springs were in great condition.

[kieth]

I redid my seat, it needed new springs, and due to my size and weight I added seatolators (replace the piano wire which was inside the foam) and then sandblasted everything, repainted it, then started the build. I spent $500.00 on my seat parts, seatolators, new foam, 2" firm, 2" soft glued together) then installed a $165.00 seat cover set from classic parts. It came out really well for the first effort but it would have been easier to let the upholstery shop do it. Kieth


http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...652330&k=ifC6F

We also added additional bolsters to the edge of the seat bottom (I am heavy and most seats I see are broken down on the front and outer edge of the drivers side) so we added dense foam covered with black trunk liner material. click thru the thumbnails and you can see the various steps.

I spent $500.00 but felt I got a lot better seat for me than a upholstery shop could have done for the same money. Kieth