A PSA about seat foams

[AR67GTX]

Show us the process tomorrow! I need to do the Sat seat bottoms. Too bad you have to order top / bottom sets.

If your seat upholstery bottoms seem loose on top and the foam not full enough, especially after just having been sat in, my 66 was the same way when I got it. I think it’s pretty common on 66 bucket seats because it seems that there are no listing panels to secure down the inside of the seat bolsters - or older restorers didn’t secure them down. Mine was actually a lot worse than this photo after sitting in them awhile and the wrinkles would never come all the way out.

Before

I took the bottoms and removed the hog rings on the sides and front so I could fold the foam/covers back off the springs/burlap. Whoever installed the Legendary covers in the past didn’t exactly follow all of Legendary’s instructions for install. I cut a piece of 1/2” foam ( I believe 1/2” - doubt I used 1”) in the dimensions of the seat base and placed under the factory foam, folded the covers back and hog ringed it down. Can’t really tell any difference in sitting but now when I exit the wrinkles in the center panel dissapeared in a few minutes after exiting.

After

Of course if your seat foam is breaking down or the covers are worn then I would just replace everything.

 

[Dutchrebuild]

When I bought my 68 charger, the bucket seat bottoms were destroyed from Texas heat...foam gone, you could see right through them. I have a buddy that does upholstery for a living. I asked if I should buy new foams, and he said hell no I'll make them for you. He did. Very comfortable, and look good. He had very little time into doing it, and the cost was almost nothing, as he always has foam on hand.

 

[Richard Cranium]

My friend just bought a set of the Legendary interiors seat foams for the front seats of his 69 Charger. He couldn't believe that foam costs $500.00!

He got screwed. They are on their website at 339 clams plus tax and shipping.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

When I bought my 68 charger, the bucket seat bottoms were destroyed from Texas heat...foam gone, you could see right through them. I have a buddy that does upholstery for a living. I asked if I should buy new foams, and he said hell no I'll make them for you. He did. Very comfortable, and look good. He had very little time into doing it, and the cost was almost nothing, as he always has foam on hand.

I've had seat foam rebuilt in the past... Sorry, no comparison to new foam...

 

[1KoolBee]

Legendary has always had the reputation for the best foam. Several upholstery shops I talked to says it's the best. It's what I bought for the '62 buckets. You pay a premium for it but the old saying...

Several upholstery shops I talked to won’t install foams or covers unless they are from Legendary. Their first question was:” whose covers are you wanting me to install?”

 

[dfrazz]

I had the seats in my '68 done last year by a local shop instead of buying from Legendary and love them! Here are the details

 

[Coelacanth]

This^^^^^

Just ask for shipping. Guaranteed someone will take them, or make garage chairs out of them.

Or someone can simply do some modding to make them work. Better than tossing them out.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Show us the process tomorrow! I need to do the Sat seat bottoms. Too bad you have to order top / bottom sets.

Got the right side seat done today. I am reusing the seat material and am just changing the foams. Of course a good supply of hog rings and pliers are needed. Take lots of pictures of how it’s put together.

 

[Richard Cranium]

The foam was blued to the seat material and I used a wire brush to scrape it all off. I cut the attaching fabric and glued them to the foam with spray contact cement. I didn’t feel it was necessary to glue the foam to the underside of the seat material. My wife used her expert sewing skills to sew in the wire onto the two side pieces.

The seat foams are kind of universal and it was was a bit of a struggle to get them stretched out and in place.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I had my local upholsterer put together my 1970 seats (front & rear) and I’m happy that I had him do it.

 

[themechanic]

One of my 68 Chargers is in need of seat foam replacement on the bottoms of both bucket seats. . When looking them up online, I found that both Legendary & Summit offer them and judging by the pictures on both websites, they look identical .....

PUI BUN689KABU PUI Interiors Seat Foam | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - PUI Interiors Seat Foam with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Seat Foam at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

1968-1969 DODGE/PLYMOUTH A & B-BODY BUCKET SEAT FOAM

Thousands of OEM and custom auto interior parts for classic car restoration. Shop for seat, upholstery, door panels, seats, floor mats, vinyl tops and more.

www.legendaryautointeriors.com

....however, there is a considerable price difference. I had bought them from Legendary a few years ago & was happy with them, but like everyone, I'm looking to save a buck, plus, I figured how many different companies can be making the same product? So I went with the ones from Summit and when they came in, I stripped one seat bottom and proceeded to install one. Stretching & fastening the seat skin back down seemed harder than I remembered, but I got it on, but when I put the seat back in the car and sat on it, it was hard as a rock. At that point, I realized that I screwed myself, so I bit the bullet and ordered another set from Legendary.

The Legendary covers just came in today & other than a slight color difference, they look identical, BUT the foam on the Summit foam is very dense and it weighs twice as much. Below are pictures of the Summit foam on the left & the Legendary foam is on the right.

View attachment 1797516

View attachment 1797517

I'm going to do both seats tomorrow & I have no doubt that it will go much better with Legendary's foams. Tomorrow is also trash day & the Summit foams will be put out to the curb. I now know why the Summit foams are so cheap & why Legendary's are so much more and I urge everyone here to learn from my mistake.

Maybe Summit foam is inedible to mice?

 

[themechanic]

Who would want them after my write up?

People with big soft seat bottoms?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

What's going on with the seat on the left? The lines are diagonal...

 

[Richard Cranium]

What's going on with the seat on the left? The lines are diagonal...

It's an illusion and it actually is straight. I don't know why the picture came out like that.