In recent times we’ve been fortunately enough to help restore some seats in VH and VJ hardtop coupes. Both cars are in NZ.
- The seats have all been stripped down, inspected and repaired thoroughly. This means doing tedious tasks such as taking the factory springs out to blast and paint the frames, doing welding repairs on the frames (often back seat frames are bent from being used a lot over the years and/or yanked out of the car etc.), bending up new springs to replace broken or fatigued seat springs (and often adding support springs to reinforce inherently weak factory springs), etc etc etc…
- then we make the fun, new and clean stuff like foam and covers. The VH VJ hardtops have been a new model for us so we need the original seats to develop, test and iron out our patterns in terms of the foam kits and seat skins. We love this part because it’s new and exciting, although it takes time and patience.
- Before we fit new foam and covers, the seat frames need to have been properly prepared and readied. This again means doing tedious things like padding places where springs can squeak, wrapping jute paper around connecting spring wires, gluing felt/rubber/leather onto sharp parts of the frame so to protect new covers from being damaged prematurely etc etc etc etc etc… …
- then onto the strenuous part of the job: fitting. This part is a mixture of wrestling, massaging and persuading so to make every seat look its best (as can be imagined).
- The final part of tuning out beautiful seats is a mixture of checking and fixing the alignment of seat pleats, massaging out wrinkles and creases, installing hardware and sometimes we finish off by gently heating the seat skins to sit into the foam better.
Each interior is a bit of an experience or a journey. Some are easier than others because we had been there already and had learned to do things better or more efficiently. We enjoy every set that we’ve done and thank our customers for your patience and support.