New foam for seats

[Bruce]

I would like to have a pair of '95 seats completely reworked and recovered. I'd like to have the bolsters made larger and increase the amount/density of the seat bottom and increase the lumbar support.

Obviously, the stock foam will need to be replaced. Anyone know how big a deal it is for a professional car seat restorer to do all this without using the OEM foam?

In other words, assuming that I am willing to pay the freight, is there any reason this could not be done?

Thanks.

[— Phatmiata —]

I'm sure it can be done, best to find someone local though so you can see the quality if their work.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I can answer some of this.

Seat foam is pretty easy to shape. The material and density are the key. If you plan to change the foam, you essentially need to tell the upholsterer your plans and have s/he work from the existing upholstery cover patterns to tailor them to fit the new shapes.

Foam is actually pretty cheap. You can shape it in various ways. Generally, the rough cuts are made with an electric carving knife (exactly the same one you may use to carve a turkey ~$10 at a big box store). After that you shape the contours with a grinder, sander, or by hand (sand paper, rasps, etc). if you cut a chunk off that you didn't mean to, you can glue it back on using spray upholstery adhesive.

You can also buy foam in different thicknesses and densities to layer up a shape, give it a progressive 'spring rate' and comfort suited to your specific shape and preference. These thicknesses vary, from about 1/4" to 6-12+ inches thick. If you have a spare seat, you can use it to layup and customize the foam, test it by sitting in it, and then take the pieces with you (numbered so the upholsterer knows where they go) with the seat you want covered.

If you have the upholsterer do it, they can add the depth, or make the changes you want, but it requires time and money. A lot of them do not want to be slowed by having you come in when you have time to test the reshaped seats, so it can be a crap shoot, and they will be conservative.

Not all foams are the same, so do your due diligence if you are shaping it yourself. Upholstery foam is what you want, and many shops should be local to you that sell them. If you speak with them in person, or you do your research, you start to get a grasp on it and see how they compare. It's not difficult at all.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I modified the foam on my '95 seats years ago and worked with an upholsterer to have them recovered. I wish I still had these. When I received these seats initially, they were slashed and torn. The patterns were barely salvageable.

[mx54life]

There is a guy in "other" website with a user name of "joey" If my memory serves me right. He had the 95 seats red done in an LE like red leather. The lumbar and back support were re foamed and even the head rest was customed. His car is located in the Phils I guess so it must have been reupholstered there. I will see if I can find his post. I think it was under "vintage interior" thread.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I remember those. The side bolsters were much deeper.

[— freedomgli —]

JoeyB, site admin for Miata Club Philippines, had his seats custom done.

On my present Miata I had the seats re-shaped for better support as well as re-upholstered.
LINK

roadsternut has the Eunos Roadster option "Driver" seats.

The seats had been looking tired for a while, and the dye had worn off in places (more than 5 years after the original job!)





I ordered a custom leather colouring kit from Furniture Clinic, using a swatch cut from the original S-Limited seats (this colour, which is the same as the LE Miata is now on Furniture Clinic's system). This is a water based dye; you prep and clean the leather (celluose thinners and alcohol), sponge on the dye, and then spray the top coats.

This first pass showed the change:



The finish was still very patchy, thanks to problems spraying the dye using the supplied airbrush. A better airbrush was secured.

Getting better


No attempt was made to fill the cracks, but the dye has made the leather look new


Still not quite perfect, but at this stage, I got bored and sealed it. Furniture Clinic sent me another batch of dye, enough to do 10 seats, so may have another go another year.

[Bruce]

REWORKED MIATA SEATS.jpg

These are awesome!

Thanks!!!

I wonder if there is a way to keep the contours and basic design of these seats but make them look more "vintage?"

Here is a more vintage look (but without those fantastic contours):

imag.jpgimag.jpg

[roadsternut]

There's steel framing under the bolsters on the factory option seats. You could add foam to give a shape of extra bolstering, but you might find the bolstering is fairly insubstantial.

Pretty sure these seats in the RX7 Wankel Rossa weren't stock;



Various other RX interiors (and not ugly oversized FD seats)

[— kung fu jesus —]

Something to consider is using a matching vinyl on the bolsters and seat back. Leather scuffs and deeper bolsters accelerate that. Vinyl wears better in areas like that.

[Bruce]

Something to consider is using a matching vinyl on the bolsters and seat back. Leather scuffs and deeper bolsters accelerate that. Vinyl wears better in areas like that.

Good point which I had not thought about. I am planning on having the center section (between the seat and back bolsters) done in cloth. I sweat enough in the stock cloth seats. Can't imagine wanting to sit on leather on a hot, sunny day.

May go with a houndstooth (for a vintage look) or black cloth. An old buddy had a '93 911 RS America that had the best, grippiest cloth seats I have ever experienced. Love to get some of that or something very close.

[— kung fu jesus —]

BWM has a B/W houndstooth from it's 80's cars, some upholsterers have it (replicated). I worded the last response wrong...vinyl on the BACK of the seat back, the parts that face the rear bulkhead. Lowers the cost and such.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I wonder if there is a way to keep the contours and basic design of these seats but make them look more "vintage?"

Here is a more vintage look (but without those fantastic contours):

Those pleats are stitched on the covers, so to add depth on them, they can use a thicker layer sewn to the leather.