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1965 Mustang Restoration: Interior Rehab Steve Magnante and restoration expert Chad White reveal their interior motives as they restore the inside of the '65 Mustang fastback. From "Classic Car Restoration" episode DCR-508

(Continued from page 2)

Chad and Steve install the new seat covers.

With the new headliner installed, the next step in the interior restoration of the '65 Mustang is replacement of the worn seat upholstery.

Restoration specialist Chad White shows how to reupholster the seats using new foam, padding and new seat covers — securing them all using specialized "hog-ring" fasteners. The reupholstered seats are then installed.

The basic steps in the procedure, as seen in episode 308 of Classic Car Restoration, are summarized below.

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Specialized hog rings fasteners and a hog-ring wrench are used to secure the new upholstery.

Tools and materials:

hog rings
hog ring pliers
diagonal cutter
safety goggles
new seat foam
burlap liner
retaining wire for seat
upholstery for seats
hammer

	Chad White isolates some of the problems with the old seats.
	The old seat covers are removed and discarded.

Reupholster Seat

• First dismantle the old seat. The procedure is pretty simple. Simply remove the screws and the side shield trim comes off.

• Next, the seat tracks come off, again, by removing the screws.

• Note: New seat tracks are available if you need them.

• Adjust the track as necessary to get access to the track screws and remove the track spring if it’s still connected.

• To separate the top and bottom seats, remove the screw and the cover plate as well as the hinge cotter pin.

• Using a screwdriver, gently pry the hinge and stud apart.

• To disassemble the bottom seat, you must remove the hog rings that hold the seat upholstery in place.

• Using a diagonal cutter, grab the hog ring and twist it, which reverses the way it went on, thereby removing it.

  Note: Some hog rings will likely break in the process, or will need to be cut out.
  

  	Chad and Steve inspect and remove the worn seat upholstery.
  	Chad White removes the old seat upholstery.
  	Chad installs the new upholstery.

• Continue around the frame until the hog rings are removed, then take the seat cover off.

• Many of the old seat covers are very brittle and can easily be torn off.

• Next remove the deteriorated burlap liner and clean the frame up.

• Use a hog ring tool to install the new hog rings that will hold the burlap liner and retaining wire into place.

• Next, add some padding on top of the frame, to protect the seat foam and add some cushioning.

• The padding is also secured to the frame using the hog rings.

• Now it's time for the seat foam. After centering the foam on the frame locate the wire underneath it and again uses hog rings to secure it.

• It’s only necessary to install a few hog rings into the foam — just enough to keep it from shifting when we put the seat cover on.

• Next, on the back of the upholstery, there is an area for the listing wire. This listing wire will slide in basically like a curtain rod. Use hog rings to attach it to the seat.

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