As the owner of a bird with white interior I love seeing it on others although keeping it clean is a challenge lol! We need to get you a proper table to work on interior!
Thanks for taking the mystery out of reupholstering seats. RUclips is a treasure trove to get ideas on restoring parts. Good winter project for my 69 GTO convertible.
Excellent tip on leaving the original listing attached to the seat frame. It is hard to attach a hog ring that deep into the cushion. So much easier to get it around the original listing rod. Only mistake I made is when I but the two halves of the seat back together my pattern didn't match up. I had to take the back cover all loose and shift the cover a bit. All good now. Keep the video tips coming.
I did the PUI’s on my first set on my 66 conv. Seats. I got a smoking deal on a set of Legendary with new foam for 300.00 and I had already purchased new Legendary door panels so the first set went in the hot rod 66 GTO.
John @VVG I have to ask ! What is your day job ? Because I was thinking you , would make a great auto shop teacher. Just an observation , and a compliment ! Keep it in the valley my friend , you knocked it out of the park , once again . Got to save them birds. LL KOOL RAY 😎 FRISCO (addendum) The headrest didn't come out til the 1969 model year of Pontiac Firebird.
Day job is heavy equipment technician, 14 years of that prior was automotive repair 13 years. Headrest never came on a 1968 bird but was an option on the 1967 ironically enough. 1969 it was mandatory standard equipment because of safety standards. Thanks for keeping the Frisco area birds going too.
I don’t have a video for rear seats yet It’s simpler then the front ones but does have a few tricky details in the lower section. If you make notes on hog ring locations during disassembly helps.
Just a heads up over a few years your seat will puddle if you don’t remove the previous listings on your bottom seat cushion. Also two other pieces of advice would be to roll the corners down don’t pull, less wrinkles less steam needed. And secondly instead of guessing where the screws go you can always screw them back into the appropriate location and cut the holes once the seat is reupholstered. Otherwise great work!
Right on! Thanks for the tips i definitely appreciate it. I can really see a benefit of rolling the fabric over. Once you said that I have seen many of the car upholstery guys doing that and makes perfect sense now.
We almost always found the already made covers fit a little loose. So we would use a steamer to puff the foam back up. Sometimes that wasn't enough, especially on 60s mustang seats. So we took the 1/4 inch headliner foam and glue it over the foam and slit the lines to hog ring the pleats down and abracadabra snug great looking tight seat covers
You are correct. 1969 headrest and shoulder belts became standard safety devices. For some reason convertible’s didn’t require the shoulder belts but it was an option 🤷♂️
Great video brother 👍.... for a job like the one you have done to this 68 Firebird a shop will charge anywhere from $1,000,000 and up and I'm not just making this up it's the truth 👍
Excellent as always, Jon. How do you repaint and try to match the texture on the metal side pieces that go between the the rear seat and the sail panel up to the package deck? Mine are black and one side is peeling pretty bad. It appears that the paint has almost a "vinyl top" like texture. Any ideas on how to recreate that? Cheers, Dax.
Not sure I have seen one with a texture to the paint. What I have seen is painted interior color with a low gloss and the corner pieces are screwed into place prior to paint. Now if you want to try to duplicate that texture maybe a rocker Shultz would get that. I would experiment on some scrap pieces first.
@@VinylVillageGarage I'm out of town for work, but I'll send you a pick of mine when I get back home. It's a 68' standard interior. Maybe it was a bad batch of black paint that crinkled over time. Pretty sure it's never been touched. I even found the build sheet under the rear seat when I took it out last week to adjust the 1/4 windows. Your video made it way easy. Thanks for all the effort you put into the channel.
somehow im thinking im going to need the seat foam since my t-top leaked right over the driver seat bottom. Anyway i want to repaint the frame. idk if the springs needs to be replaced, but i think they are upholstery shop items. 79 Trans-am 10th 400 4spd
The one on the seat back is held in place with an Allen set screw accessible when you lift up on knob its straight up. I believe it’s 1/8” Allen or close to that
I know it's the headrests that is not factory on a 1968, (were not even an option on 1968 models). I am getting ready to reupholster my 1967 seats, and they were about a $50 option in 1967. My question is: do you know if the headrest bar that goes into the seatback is the same for the 1967 as the 1969? The pictures online look the same (but they appear to be exactly the same photo, and could just be a stock photo), but I can't find bright blue in the 1967, but can in 1969. I know I can dye it, but wonder if the base color of white, or black will make them not match.
Yup it was a request to add them I used 1969 components and did a little fab work to get them installed. As for 1967 I have yet to disassemble one with headrest to say how it’s configured. I did find a interesting article on Camaro headrests when I was researching how to add them to a 68 that you might find to be helpful. www.camaros.org/headrest.shtml
Great video.. I noticed that you have headrests - and from what I’ve seen the only covers available for them are labeled 69 - how did you recover them? Are you still going to show the console redo.. we changed the faceplate to a manual and I will need to refinish the burlwood would love some advice.Thanks
Headrest history for firebirds. 1967 they where an option. 1968 never had them. 1969 became standard equipment for new safety standards. This is true for 1969 Camaros but if it was produced before January 1st you could order headrest delete option. Which was basically a plug that went in the hole in the seat for the headrest. I wonder if that was an option for 1969 birds. Anyway the pumpkin now has headrest at the owner’s request. I modded the seats and installed new 1969 headsets as you see. The console was a vinyl wrap that I bought online. It’s precut it’s the second one I have done with this way. It’s a huge improvement over the worn original finish. I think time I will find just a roll or sheet of the vinyl and wrap it myself. The precut pieces leave a few edges I don’t care for.
@@kellyrobicheau7844 I did not remove it off the from and rear section. Just scuffed and cleaned it. Now the arm rest was dented so I did use a 36 grit roloc disc to strip the original finish off then filled the dents with body filler before paining it black then i installed the overlay.
If you dropped this car off at a shop and said give it back completely restored like you have done id say 80-100K+ depending on where in the states you live. And that's why I do it all myself like you...
@@VinylVillageGarageYea, I said 80-100K just because I live in an expensive part of the country and if it was done here it would be over 100K. Guessing it's somewhat cheaper in the middle states?
@@VinylVillageGarage yea, me either. But I have friends in the car community that are the kind to pay others to build their cars and I've heard what it costs... 20K+ for a good paint job now here...
Going to miss the Pumpkin when she's all done. Well done sir
You and me both, this has been a fun adventure bringing this one back. I have a new project lined up too and will be bringing it in soon.
Beautiful Fire Chicken Jon awesome job
Appreciate that. I am very happy with the results
As the owner of a bird with white interior I love seeing it on others although keeping it clean is a challenge lol! We need to get you a proper table to work on interior!
I need a bigger shop! But it works great to show it can be done in a small area.
Thanks for taking the mystery out of reupholstering seats. RUclips is a treasure trove to get ideas on restoring parts. Good winter project for my 69 GTO convertible.
That’s a perfect winter project
Excellent tip on leaving the original listing attached to the seat frame. It is hard to attach a hog ring that deep into the cushion. So much easier to get it around the original listing rod. Only mistake I made is when I but the two halves of the seat back together my pattern didn't match up. I had to take the back cover all loose and shift the cover a bit. All good now. Keep the video tips coming.
Its worked for me many times. First time I did some seats it killed my hands trying to force it together.
Nice touch on the frame rails. It’s all the little details that really make a great restoration.
Thanks and all the little things add up too and really sets it apart
Great work, as always, Jon! I can't wait to see the owner's tears of joy!
You and me both!, I hope he likes it.
Much improved!!!! Love the interior combination
Thank you.
I did the PUI’s on my first set on my 66 conv. Seats. I got a smoking deal on a set of Legendary with new foam for 300.00 and I had already purchased new Legendary door panels so the first set went in the hot rod 66 GTO.
I used the legendary brand on my convertible with the blue interior and they worked great and the
Color matched better too
Once again , you make it look easy peasy 😊. JR in🇨🇦
Seats aren’t overly complicated once you see how it’s comes apart.
Just the video I needed to watch!!! Thanks Brother!!
Fantastic!
The car turned out great, amazing transformation!
Thanks! So very little to hit the finish line now.
Great video! That’s a $75,000 car easy at a shop.
Thanks!! I would build these all day for 75k!
Beautiful work
Thanks! Now it’s your turn to do up a first gen bird
Sharp that white looks good 👍
Thanks it’s a great color combination for sure
Coming along nicely. Great video!
Thanks. Just a few small bits to the finish line
Great job Jon!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Anytime, this one is almost done. I have lined up an all new project to bring in
Nice, I have to finish the passenger side and rear seat.
Very cool. One piece at a time to the finish line
John @VVG I have to ask ! What is your day job ? Because I was thinking you , would make a great auto shop teacher. Just an observation , and a compliment ! Keep it in the valley my friend , you knocked it out of the park , once again . Got to save them birds. LL KOOL RAY 😎 FRISCO (addendum) The headrest didn't come out til the 1969 model year of Pontiac Firebird.
Day job is heavy equipment technician, 14 years of that prior was automotive repair 13 years.
Headrest never came on a 1968 bird but was an option on the 1967 ironically enough. 1969 it was mandatory standard equipment because of safety standards. Thanks for keeping the Frisco area birds going too.
Great video! Thanks for showing that. I’m going to try it on my 1968 Camaro. Do you have a video on the rear seats?
I don’t have a video for rear seats yet It’s simpler then the front ones but does have a few tricky details in the lower section. If you make notes on hog ring locations during disassembly helps.
Just a heads up over a few years your seat will puddle if you don’t remove the previous listings on your bottom seat cushion. Also two other pieces of advice would be to roll the corners down don’t pull, less wrinkles less steam needed. And secondly instead of guessing where the screws go you can always screw them back into the appropriate location and cut the holes once the seat is reupholstered. Otherwise great work!
Right on! Thanks for the tips i definitely appreciate it. I can really see a benefit of rolling the fabric over. Once you said that I have seen many of the car upholstery guys doing that and makes perfect sense now.
@@VinylVillageGarage not a problem, I do this as a career so everyday I’m reupholstering or training guys how to reupholster cars
We almost always found the already made covers fit a little loose. So we would use a steamer to puff the foam back up. Sometimes that wasn't enough, especially on 60s mustang seats. So we took the 1/4 inch headliner foam and glue it over the foam and slit the lines to hog ring the pleats down and abracadabra snug great looking tight seat covers
Awesome I will give that a try sometime, thanks!
To answer your question at the end I don't think they started putting headrests on seats until 1969 for whiplash prevention.
You are correct. 1969 headrest and shoulder belts became standard safety devices. For some reason convertible’s didn’t require the shoulder belts but it was an option 🤷♂️
Great video brother 👍.... for a job like the one you have done to this 68 Firebird a shop will charge anywhere from $1,000,000 and up and I'm not just making this up it's the truth 👍
I would happily do it for that all day long!
Jon I just found your channel and love it! I'm a huge F body fan. Are you going to have a video on the windshield install?
Thanks for finding us. I skipped the windshield install video on this car. I will be doing it on the next one. I have plenty more to do.
Excellent as always, Jon. How do you repaint and try to match the texture on the metal side pieces that go between the the rear seat and the sail panel up to the package deck? Mine are black and one side is peeling pretty bad. It appears that the paint has almost a "vinyl top" like texture. Any ideas on how to recreate that? Cheers, Dax.
Not sure I have seen one with a texture to the paint. What I have seen is painted interior color with a low gloss and the corner pieces are screwed into place prior to paint. Now if you want to try to duplicate that texture maybe a rocker Shultz would get that. I would experiment on some scrap pieces first.
@@VinylVillageGarage I'm out of town for work, but I'll send you a pick of mine when I get back home. It's a 68' standard interior. Maybe it was a bad batch of black paint that crinkled over time. Pretty sure it's never been touched. I even found the build sheet under the rear seat when I took it out last week to adjust the 1/4 windows. Your video made it way easy. Thanks for all the effort you put into the channel.
somehow im thinking im going to need the seat foam since my t-top leaked right over the driver seat bottom.
Anyway i want to repaint the frame. idk if the springs needs to be replaced, but i think they are upholstery shop items.
79 Trans-am 10th 400 4spd
I believe they reproduce the silver seat covers for those cars, I know the foam is available.
Off topic..What size self tapping screws do you use for sheet metal work?
No worries They are #10x 3/4”
How do you get the seat release (silver know) off?
The one on the seat back is held in place with an Allen set screw accessible when you lift up on knob its straight up. I believe it’s 1/8” Allen or close to that
I know it's the headrests that is not factory on a 1968, (were not even an option on 1968 models). I am getting ready to reupholster my 1967 seats, and they were about a $50 option in 1967. My question is: do you know if the headrest bar that goes into the seatback is the same for the 1967 as the 1969? The pictures online look the same (but they appear to be exactly the same photo, and could just be a stock photo), but I can't find bright blue in the 1967, but can in 1969. I know I can dye it, but wonder if the base color of white, or black will make them not match.
Yup it was a request to add them I used 1969 components and did a little fab work to get them installed. As for 1967 I have yet to disassemble one with headrest to say how it’s configured. I did find a interesting article on Camaro headrests when I was researching how to add them to a 68 that you might find to be helpful.
www.camaros.org/headrest.shtml
Great video.. I noticed that you have headrests - and from what I’ve seen the only covers available for them are labeled 69 - how did you recover them? Are you still going to show the console redo.. we changed the faceplate to a manual and I will need to refinish the burlwood would love some advice.Thanks
Headrest history for firebirds. 1967 they where an option. 1968 never had them. 1969 became standard equipment for new safety standards. This is true for 1969 Camaros but if it was produced before January 1st you could order headrest delete option. Which was basically a plug that went in the hole in the seat for the headrest. I wonder if that was an option for 1969 birds.
Anyway the pumpkin now has headrest at the owner’s request. I modded the seats and installed new 1969 headsets as you see.
The console was a vinyl wrap that I bought online. It’s precut it’s the second one I have done with this way. It’s a huge improvement over the worn original finish. I think time I will find just a roll or sheet of the vinyl and wrap it myself. The precut pieces leave a few edges I don’t care for.
@@VinylVillageGarage I have the overlay for the console .. did you sand off the original overlay? How did you affix it..
@@kellyrobicheau7844 I did not remove it off the from and rear section. Just scuffed and cleaned it. Now the arm rest was dented so I did use a 36 grit roloc disc to strip the original finish off then filled the dents with body filler before paining it black then i installed the overlay.
What source do you use for the seat covers?
From Ames performance these are the PUI brand
@@VinylVillageGarage Thank you
💪😎
Thanks!!!
Looks great, but I just kept thinking I hope that concrete doesn't scuff the covers. Get a rolling workbench your knees will thank you... lol
A work bench would be fantastic but storage space is my issue. My back and knees would be happier for sure
U make that look so easy. For some reason it wasn't for me.
I struggle with getting the hog rings to bite the right things is my biggest struggle
Orh dont look like trans am to me
Nope, Who said it was?
Paint and material and having bumpers recrown you're probably looking about $30,000 that's not talking about your labor
very close, must have some experience with restorations.
If you dropped this car off at a shop and said give it back completely restored like you have done id say 80-100K+ depending on where in the states you live.
And that's why I do it all myself like you...
The owner was quoted $100k not sure to what extent it would have been done at a shop but you are close for sure on price to pay someone to build it.
@@VinylVillageGarageYea, I said 80-100K just because I live in an expensive part of the country and if it was done here it would be over 100K. Guessing it's somewhat cheaper in the middle states?
@@Kyle_Nelson hard telling I never paid anyone to build my cars to have an example or experience to share
@@VinylVillageGarage yea, me either. But I have friends in the car community that are the kind to pay others to build their cars and I've heard what it costs... 20K+ for a good paint job now here...