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1. Read entire instruction sheet before beginning installation. Italian seats have a
great deal of hand fitting to retain the contours. Your finished job will look much more
professional if you install your seat upholstery in the same manner as the original
pattern is installed. Also, make notes during disassembly. Always note the location of
installation rings and string which is tightened around the metal seam rods under the
upholstery.
2. Seam rods in your seat must be reused.
Missing or broken seam rods may be fashioned from a coat hanger. You will need a
few standard tools such as screw drivers, needle nose pliers, a sharp knife, and a
carpet hook. Rubber cement is needed for Alfa and Fiat Spider Seats.
3. Remove front seat from the car. Four bolts hold the seat rail to the floor pan. Early
Alfa Spider seats will slide forward off the rails without removing the rails.
4. Separate the seat back from the bottom. Look for hex or phillip head fasteners. Some
times these are hidden under plastic plugs. Make notes for re-assembly. Remove
headrest and headrest handle from the seat back note position of all brackets and
screws.
5. Begin with seat bottom. Remove the second seat from the rails if still attached. They
may be held with rivets or bolts. If riveted, drill out the rivets and replace with bolts
on re-assembly. Remove the old upholstery, note how it is attached. Save all the old
upholstery until the installation is completed. Seam rods, forming contours in the seat,
will still be attached to the old upholstery and the seat bottom. Find these rods and
note how they are attached. Cut the rods away from the old upholstery. The seam
rods will be held to the seat springs either with rings or string. Loosen seam rods but
do not completely pull out attached cloth tabs. Mark on the new upholstery where
these tabs will be attached to the seam rod. Mark the cheesecloth with magic marker
and cut out the cheesecloth section as in photo two (2). Take seam rods out of the
loops.
6. Take new upholstery for the seat bottom and install the seam rods. It makes installa
tion easier to attach the string in the same position as in the old upholstery.
7. Coupes and Sedans: Go to seat back. The bottom edge is probably ringed and
tucked inside or held with a retaining strip. Take it apart and make notes. Seam rods
will also have strips of cloth on them. Pull through the seats and tie inside. When
installing new upholstery, put the cords through the cheesecloth loops, out of the
bottom of the back, an tie them. You must feel through the foam to make sure the
cloth tabs are definitely attached. Pull the tabs tight and know from the back of the
seat.
Spiders: Spider seat backs usually come in two pieces. A front covering is installed
in a similar manner as the coupes, but the rear part is attached to a board that slides
into the seat back frame. New upholstery must be glued to this board with contact
cement, trimmed and installed.
8. Headrests are ringed and sewn. Note where they are sewn. Sewing new headrest
upholstery may not be necessary. Ringing may be sufficient. If you desire to re-sew
any portion of the upholstery kit, use recommended nylon fishing line.
9. Move on to rear seats and complete seats for Coupes/Sedans. Rear seats are easier
to reupholster. On examination of the seat backs, installation of the new seat covers
become obvious. Rear seat covers are installed in much the same manner as the
front seats. Start at the center of the seat and move to the edges. Hook seam rods to
the seat before attaching edges. Pull new upholstery tight as you attach it to the sides,
back or bottom of the seat. A carpet hook, available at most department or sewing
stores, is very helpful to pull the attaching string through the foam. When pulling on
new upholstery--to properly stretch it over attaching points or corners--be careful not to
pull too tight. Seat upholstery pulled too tight may eventually rip. It is better to leave
loose than too tight. Be sure the seam rods are pulled tight enough to form the
contours of the seat before you use installation rings on the sides of the covers. Also
don t cut off any excess material. There should not be any excess. The upholstery kit
is made to original patterns. |
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