The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors I'm back ... and working on a pair of seats.

Hello, All ...

I've been in the middle of some very cool changes in my life this year -- you can get an idea of it from the link below -- and I've (finally) started a new project on my truck (54 Chevy); the *first* one this year (good grief) - where does the time go to!?

Anyway, I was given a pair of bucket seats from an '87 Ford Escort and decided to use them as new seats for two reasons: First, because they are low-backs (a deal breaker, for me) and second, because they looked simple enough for me to make new covers out of black and cream-colored elk hides; I've never done seats before.

I started fabricating the covers a couple of days ago ... you can watch my progress here:
http://AlanHorvath.com/54chevy/new_seats.php

Welcome Back Alan!
Man your seats are going to look great!
looking forward to updates.
Tim

Great to have you back, Alan. Can't wait to see the finished product!!

you da man. Neat story and let us see the final product when you get them installed.

And welcome back!!!

Welcome back Alan. Those seats will be amazing if they turn out half as nice as the arm rests. I do have a question. After reading the article on the arm rests several times, why do you use a dremel to take down the edges of the elk hide? Would it be quicker to simply skive down the edge as with thick steer hide?

Welcome back,Amigo! Ive been wondering where you were.
The upholstery job is lookin really good. Cant wait to see some pics. of your truck when its back from the painter.
Keep us posted.
Marty

That was most important to me as well.

Nice work. Never thought of covering the plastic parts rather than painting. darn, now I have another project...

Hey, Jimmie D

I have a skive ... the dremel is much quicker and easier!

Hey, all.

I never received any email notifications about all these replies ... I'll have to check my preferences ... sorry for the delay in replying.

The seats are done and I'm real happy with the results! I'd never want to do it again though -- man! This was HARD work!!!

Here's a picture of the before and after:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/chevypics/seats_az.jpg

Here's a picture of both finished seats:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/chevypics/seats6_3.jpg

And here's the whole photo-tutorial, start to finish:
http://alanhorvath.com/54chevy/new_seats.php

Man ... I am *sold* on buffalo hides! The grain patterns surpass absolutely every other kind of hide on the planet!

After doing these seats, I'm finally working with my Tacsew sewing machine with confidence. At first, I was sewing with the electricity on the machine turned off and just turning the wheel by hand, to be sure I wouldn't sew a crooked line ... but after sewing a few panels together, my confidence (and ability) rose to a better level and I started sewing with the foot pedal.

Not bad for a first timer -- I made *no* mistakes!

And now (halleluyah!) the toughest part of doing my interior is behind me. Everything else will be a piece of cake after this. I bought 4 full buffalo hides in Dark Chocolate and 2 full hides in Cream. The seats took about 90% of 2 full hides (1 hide per seat got me the same grain patterns to create "matching" seats) ... I'm going to do the headliner and behind the seats (around the rear window) in cream, with a Chocolate Brown overhead console and the door panels will be both colors, too.

I should be getting the truck back from paint this Spring and then I'll be doing black carpet, putting the seats in and working on the interior into the Summer. This has got me psyched!!!

Alan

Nice work. Those seats are beautiful Alan.

Wow, now ya got another trade you can fall back on. Second one is easier and sew on and sew on, really a great job Alan.
So does this mean that your gonna have to redo the Elk hide arm rests? Do you have any problem with the glue gumming up the needle or bobbin? Maybe I missed it, but where did you buy your leather??
Denny Graham

Great work, Alan, they look fantastic!!!

Alan the seats look fantastic!

Thanks to everyone for your kudos!

Hey, Denny

I bought my buffalo hides here:
http://www.hidehousesouth.com/Catalog/R-SwatchCards.htm

No problem with the glue -- never even noticed it. The glue is only a temporary hold, too ... done just to keep the foam from moving while sewing.

And, yes ... I've already recovered the armrests with buffalo. I might have left them with the elk because they looked great, but the bottom halves were done with cream elk and it was a poor match for the cream buffalo (actually called "palomino") and the black elk would've been obvious next to the dark chocolate buffalo. PS - The buffalo looks better, too!