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Topic: Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ... (Read 24502 times) previous topic - next topic

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #45 –
Quote from: 85CougarCobra;462527
For my particular case, I wanted to keep all the functionality of the stock seat ... I just wanted something that would be a little more aggressive in the bolster department.  TMI has an interesting solution for that as well.  They sell a kit that will basically upgrade the stock GT Fox Mustang seat to a 2003-2004 Mustang Cobra style seat.  Now, I know it looks very similar to the standard sport seat foam (and it is), but the bolstering is much more pr0nounced.


Always been a fan of the SVO seats too and this is exactly what I would like to do with my seats as well.

My issue is that I want to retain the factory XR-7/Turbo Coupe style fabrics. In your research have you seen anyone that offers the OE waffle pattern material?
1985 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - 5-speed 
One of 1,246 built

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #46 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe;462560
In Post #39 it appears that the bottom of the lower new seat foam has a higher angle to it.  I will be curious to hear if it raises the seated position, hopefully not and it just provides a better leg angle.

It is a little thicker and I have a feeling it will be more firm as well ... which will probably result in feeling like the Corbeaus, but let's hope not!

I measured the Mustang and Turbo Coupe stock foams ... they are right around 3.5" thick ... the new foam is right around 4", maybe just a hair under.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #47 –
Quote from: BCA;462562
Always been a fan of the SVO seats too and this is exactly what I would like to do with my seats as well.

My issue is that I want to retain the factory XR-7/Turbo Coupe style fabrics. In your research have you seen anyone that offers the OE waffle pattern material?


Yes ... I have ... but it might depend on your particular set up.  The old XR-7 sport seats that I had were a plain charcoal cloth and then the inserts on them were a lighter gray cloth (not charcoal) with the waffle pattern.

I reached out to SMS Auto Fabrics: https://www.smsautofabrics.com/

I asked them to provide me samples of all of the OE charcoal material that they had for an '85 Cougar and this is what they sent me.  I ended up purchasing some of the charcoal waffle pattern material to recover the side fabric inserts in the back seat.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #48 –
Here is a better shot of the material against the pieces that I was having recovered.  The material isn't cheap and I think the minimum you can purchase is 2/3 of a yard (that's all I bought).  On the plus side, when you buy a yard, it is 1 yard by 54 to 56 inches long ... so it's quite a bit of material in all reality.  You could probably do the inserts on the front seats with less than 2 yards.  Hope that helps you out.  It was a dead on match to the material on the front door panels that are shown in an earlier post (#40) where I was comparing the vinyl sample.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #49 –
When you get your seats together can you set it on the floor and take a couple measurements?

1) from the top of the front part of the bottom cushion to the floor
2) from the top of the back part of the bottom cushion (where it meets the seat back) to the floor

If you need me to I will get a picture and put some arrows on it to illustrate. Next time I can pull one of the Corbeaus out of my Bird I'll do the same to see what the difference is. I'm betting its at least 2"-4".

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #50 –
Quote from: Aerocoupe;462579
When you get your seats together can you set it on the floor and take a couple measurements?

1) from the top of the front part of the bottom cushion to the floor
2) from the top of the back part of the bottom cushion (where it meets the seat back) to the floor

If you need me to I will get a picture and put some arrows on it to illustrate. Next time I can pull one of the Corbeaus out of my Bird I'll do the same to see what the difference is. I'm betting its at least 2"-4".

I almost have one of the bottom assemblies done.  I take it you just want me to set it on the floor (with no seat tracks installed) and take those measurements?  Let me know and I can probably have those sometime next week.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #51 –
With seat tracks if possible and thanks!

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #52 –
Quote from: 85CougarCobra;462576
Yes ... I have ... but it might depend on your particular set up.  The old XR-7 sport seats that I had were a plain charcoal cloth and then the inserts on them were a lighter gray cloth (not charcoal) with the waffle pattern.

I reached out to SMS Auto Fabrics: https://www.smsautofabrics.com/

I asked them to provide me samples of all of the OE charcoal material that they had for an '85 Cougar and this is what they sent me.  I ended up purchasing some of the charcoal waffle pattern material to recover the side fabric inserts in the back seat.


Yes, that is what I was looking for. I have the lighter Oxford Grey. I'll contact them. 
Thanks! :D
1985 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - 5-speed 
One of 1,246 built

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #53 –
Can't wait to see the finished product. It's coming along nicely.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #54 –
Very impressive, the work you guys have done and the info provided.  I have some 84 Mustang sport seats..... Interesting, if I could make them into nice sport seats and match my stock 88 grey rear seat fabric......
Mike

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #55 –
Well ... after a little hiatus, back at it.  Had some travels and other things tying me up the past few weeks.  Time to build the seat bottoms.  I did a pre-build of sorts and wasn't happy with how tight the upholstery seemed to being pulled in the front of the base part of the seat ... so I took the bases to a local machine shop and had attachment rods added on the underside.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the Mustang seats to compare to, but I believe their attachment rods sit a little more forward of where ours do.  Not a huge deal, just welded a second one in as seen towards the top of the pic.

After that was done, it was time to install the foam.  Pretty simple, it just basically sits on top of the base assembly.  The foam is universal and is marked on both sides where a piece needs to be cut out to clear the lumbar control area on one side or the other.  Cut that out on the appropriate side and drop it in place.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #56 –
More shots of the lumbar area foam cut out.  Once you get the foam in place, you also need to add a hole for the side bolster in/out adjustment shaft.  Once that is complete, your basically done as far as the foam is concerned.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #57 –
More!
It's Gumby's fault.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #58 –
With the foam in place, it's on to the upholstery install.  You start out by turning the seat base upholstery inside out.  There is a fabric loop running through the middle section that will need cut on the left and right side so that you can slide the upholstery pull rod through it.  Because of the way this is stitched in from the factory, you basically have to create you own openings to slide the rod through.

Seat upgrade ... attempt #2 ...

Reply #59 –
Once the center rod is in place, it's time to hog ring (x3) this area to the center channel running through the foam.  One hog ring goes in the center and then one more on each side.  The foam has metal rods built into and it is pretty easy to locate where they want you to go with the hog ring connections.