1494 - Replacing Deteriorated Seat Welt

[Pat Marshall]

The passenger seat back welt has deteriorated on my #1494. While very dusty the upholstery on the seat is in otherwise good condition.

Has anyone had any experience (success) in replacing welting?

22947

[Barry Wolk]

Why yes, yes I have. I'm an amateur upholsterer. Welting replacement is one of the easier tasks because the sewing holes are 66% all there.

Welting is vinyl or leather or cloth that is wrapped around a core of plastic or rope of some kind. You simply cut a 1 1/2" wide strip of leather and coat the strip with contact adhesive, except the center 1/2". Fold the material over the center cord and press the halves together. If you sew strips together you can make a continuous length. You can thin the leather in the area of the splice to minimize the thickness. On the Mark II they had full skins so the strips are continuous. I might suggest a modern vinyl that feels like leather. You can then make seamless welts.

When you cut the threads keep as much of the welt together as you can to use it for a pattern. Note that you'll need to notch the new welt to make the corner turns. You'll need a leather awl and some upholstery-specific thread. Use a thimble, or you'll be sorry. Look at the way the the sewing is accomplished and duplicate it. It's simple to get started. Line up the two pieces of leather to be sewn together. Punch a hole the appropriate distance back from the cord on the welt and send a needle and thread through the hole to position the parts. Using the awl in the next hole create a pathway through the welt. Keep doing that until you're done. I sometimes use a single needle and thread and sometimes two, sending both threads through the same hole in opposite directions.

It's incredibly tedious, but really rewarding. The biscuit welting is unusual in that it's attached to a metal shape the same shape as the biscuit that gets drawn down to the seat frame to give the seat it's proper shape. Be aware of those when you take the seat skin off. You'd pretty much have to remove it as all the sewing is done from the backsides of the leather.

That happen to your car not because the leather failed, it's because the core of the welting shrank over time as many plastics do.

The biggest problem with a task like this is that right 'bout the time you finish is when you finally get good at it.

[Pat Marshall]

Wow, now that's an answer! Thanks, Barry!

[Pat Marshall]

Barry, could you provide a little more information about removing the leather skin from the seat? If the biscuit is "drawn down to the seat" how do you detach/reattach it? Am I correct in assuming that the welt sewing is done from within the leather shell, as opposed to turning it inside out? (not thinking it's a good idea to turn old leather inside out).

This could turn into a very good tutorial - if I do it, I'll take lots of pictures.

Thanks

[Barry Wolk]

All sewing is done inside out. When they make gloves or pants they are sewn and turned outside out for wearing.

The covers are attached to the seat frame with hog rings. Simply snip them with side-cutters. While the seat is upside-down you'll see a thread for the button and you'll see threads tied off for the biscuit frame. They are likely too short to be re-tied, so just cut them. The threads will simply pull through when you lift the skin off the padding. You might want to mark the location of the holes in the foam before you pull them out. To reinstall use much longer threads that you can pull all the way through before pulling the leather over the seat.

My interior was redone in 2016. Since the seats are cast foam there are no replacements. On Bill's 22,000 mile car the foam was a little flaky, but OK. Mine was shot.

My interior was done by about the best upholsterer in the country, Dan Kirkpatrick, of Oklahoma. He had just saved our lives by installing lap belts in the new interior of our now-demolished '42 Lincoln Zephyr. The car flipped 5 times, but the belts kept us in our seats and in the car. 75% of thrown victims die at the scene and the other 25% wish they had. It's that last crash of your brain into your thick skull that does you in.

This is the front seat out of my car. The cardboard was in pretty good shape. The black mat used when the car was restored in '94 was pretty worthless as it's really a sling secured to springs on either side of each cushion. I replaced the slings in Bill's car with racing suit fabric secures with hog rings. If it's not secured on the sides the springs work independently. They should all work together to hold your butt up. Without reupholstering, Bill reports a 1" lift in his seating height and a measurable comfort difference.

Note the yellow strings. Those are attached to the metal frame that's attached to the biscuit leather. It's what gives the seat the high bolster look.

This is what it looks like with the hog rings removed and the leather folded back. The next step is to untie or cut the yellow cords, flip it over and carefully pull the seat cover above the cushion so you can see where to mark the cushion for the proper location of the holes.

22965

I was working on another Mark II and used it to make 3 sets of seat belt installation kits. Now is the time to do this, while you have the interior out. The center retainer goes inside the trans tunnel and the front seat attachment points are sandwiched between the floor and seat base.

22966

The front and rear seat backs are plywood. The larger holes are to allow for air to move when the cushion compresses and the smaller holes are for buttons and biscuit ring retention.

22967

This is the cast foam. He decided to make new foam. It's very supportive, but not as comfortable.

22968

Dan removed the cover of one of the backs so I could see how the foam was made to house the metal support. I believe that blue fabric is original.

22969

Wimpy fiberglass shells recovered and strengthened in the robe rail attachment points. The were never meant to pull yourself out of the back seat by. It's kind of an intentional anachronism that few understood. Someone mentioned that their mother hung wet bathing suits on it.

22971

22970

Dan built up layers of foam to recreate the rebound of the original foam. Masterful work that no one ever sees.

22972

22973

22974

I was the first at the Concours of America to display their car with belts out, and proud. Kudos from the judges were overwhelming. Their sentiment was that too many of us were hurt in old cars without them. They were particularly intrigued with shoulder harnesses, a huge deal with a 40 pound seat back unrestrained.

22975

22976

[Milsteads Garage]

22984
Love the blue and white. My seat was redone in vinyl but one of the hardest parts about the interior of these is the welting. By the way Pat, my guy has still yet to answer me if he will do another one.