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Upholstery Advice On 65 Cj5

Discussion in 'Early Jeep Restoration and Research' started by Baseball0, Nov 20, 2020.

  1. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    Can anyone supply some advice on reupholstering seats? I've blasted, primed and painted the seats, fixed a couple of springs...We're good to go...Found a guy here in AL who does old Jeeps...work looks great....looking for advice from y'all on picking out leather??? Any advice on the sidewall seats as well would be appreciated.

    Thanks for everyone's advice!!!
     
  2. Nov 20, 2020
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Vinyl or leather? I'd suggest vinyl.

    Do you want "original"? If so SMS fabrics can proabaly supply what you need. If not concerned with stock appearance then any good marine grade vinyl is what you want, hopefully you saved the old pieces for a pattern.
     
  3. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    I did save stuff. And I am looking to stay as much stock as possible. Thanks so much for your advice.
     
  4. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    BTW, can I be dumb and ask why vinyl over leather? What was original? Pretty sure my seats were not the original fabric.


    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  5. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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  6. Nov 20, 2020
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Original would be vinyl. Leather is pricey for the good stuff & won't stand up to the weather as well.
     
  7. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    Never thought about not holding up...Especially here in Alabama....Thanks...Great advice!!
     
  8. Nov 20, 2020
    maurywhurt

    maurywhurt Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Western North...
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    I had mine reupholstered locally in marine vinyl. It looks the same as the "normal" vinyl, though it costs a good bit more. It should hold up better over time than the normal stuff, especially given that it gets a fair amount of exposure to the sun, as I drive my Jeep without a top.


    [​IMG]

    The upholsterer did a fantastic job, and copied the original cover patterns very closely. He had to replace a lot of the original 1966 cast foam, but you (or at least, I) can't tell when looking at the finished product.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2020
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  9. Nov 20, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    That's a fantastic job. I like the idea of marine vinyl especially in this Alabama sun
     
  10. Nov 20, 2020
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

    Republic of Texas
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    So what kind of budget should I expect?
     
  11. Nov 20, 2020
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    What year is your jeep? Those are pre-'64 seats that you have.
     
  12. Nov 21, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    I have a 65 cj5....Those seats were so bad they were unsalvageable. I found these from a member and blasted them down. They'll be getting treated primed and painted later today.
    [​IMG]
    Came out really well and are in fantastic shape I think.

    Maurywhurt, when you say more expensive in the marine vinyl is there an astronomical difference? I like the idea though to use marine material
     
  13. Nov 21, 2020
    maurywhurt

    maurywhurt Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    My original seats were pretty expensive to restore, but that was mostly due to the fact that the foam, which in my Jeep's model year was molded around the springs, was in terrible shape. A lot of it had to be replaced, and this was time consuming and difficult to pull off.

    The marine vinyl itself was about 1-1/2 times the cost of the non-marine vinyl. Ask your upholsterer what the cost difference would be for your seats - it may turn out that the extra cost isn't be all that bad.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2020
  14. Nov 21, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    Thanks man!!!
     
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  15. Nov 21, 2020
    Baseball0

    Baseball0 Member

    New Hartford, NY
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    I've got the same issue I think with the foam as I have none left. It was all but gone!
     
  16. Nov 21, 2020
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    and worth every penny...there is vinyl and then there is VINYL...spend the money and dont look back
    (im an upholsterer...ive tried to cheap out.... and regretted it)
     
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  17. Nov 21, 2020
    maurywhurt

    maurywhurt Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Yes but unless I'm mistaken, the foam on your seats wasn't formed into and around the springs like it was on the '66 and later seats. On these later seats, the foam was originally cast in seat-shaped molds around the springs, and that's what makes it especially difficult to replace / repair. I'd think that earlier seats like yours in which the original foam or padding was placed on top of the springs would be far simpler to restore.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2020
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  18. Nov 21, 2020
    Beach66Bum

    Beach66Bum 1966 Tuxedo Park Mark IV 2024 Sponsor

    Big Island on...
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    So beautiful Maury! :)
     
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  19. Nov 21, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    The seats you have never had molded foam, or any foam for that matter. Maury' seats have zig-zag springs molded into the foam. Maury's '66 was the first year for that. Also, his horizontal pleating was the first year for that pattern.
    Your coil springs used burlap and batting under a thin layer of padding. Many '65-earlier seats had no pleating, though if they were pleated, it ran vertical.
    -Donny
     
  20. Nov 21, 2020
    mickeykelley

    mickeykelley Well-Known Member

    Republic of Texas
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    This is what my 58 looked like. And another pic if someone else’s in the same pattern.

    E719CD05-A9AC-4729-9D14-48E3C6F69546.jpeg 461B3EBF-82A8-4343-97FE-DAEB77C8EEF1.jpeg
     
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