65 Front Seat Cushion Install

Just received seat covers and cushions from Clarks. Bottom cushion and cover went on no problem. Was comparing new upper cushion to original and see that the creases to align the new cushion only go up and down, while the original crease is one continuous U-shaped crease which matches the seam in the cover. For those who have installed their own covers, with the new cushion how do you figure out how to align the cushion up and down?

thanks Doug

Hi Doug,

I'm going through this right now. I decided to orient it so the text is right side up (i.e. you can read the text when the seat back is in its upright position).

I decided that after fiddling with the new pad and noticing how it was formed. In my mind I had thought that Clark's would probably orient it that way, but that would have been just guessing. I really based my decision on the overall form and the way it made the listing line up. (The 'listing' is the extra fabric at the top can bottom).

Those look like Impala seat buns. I refused to pay Clark's prices for foam. Instead I bought Impala foam on E-bay for much less. What I got looked just like those. I cut a groove in mine to match the Riviera seat foam. When you install the new cover. Be careful not to tear the material just above the metal trim on the sides. That was the roughest part of it for me. Trying to hog ring the horizontal seam at the top of the seat. Then pull the seat cover over the top of the seat back. Bill

Where the cushions for the standard or Custom interior?

As far as anyone knows, there are no repo cushions for the '65 Custom interior. Only '63 standard and custom; '64 standard and custom; and '65 standard.

If you look at the part number for the foam in Clark's catalog, it begins with a C instead of an R. That means it's a Corvair part number. The GM buckets from this era all had the same base, just different covers. Look at a Corvair, Chevelle, Olds Cutlass, or any other GM that used buckets seats in the early and mid '60's.

Thanks Ed, I wasn't sure if Clark's were producing '65 Custom cushions since the last time I was on the forum. How did the radio rebuild go?

Gerald,

Really well. It plays and looks great. I got a couple of 10 OEM speakers re-coned to go with the radio. I'll be installing a RediRad adapter so I can play my satellite radio and MP3 player through the radio. Sorry to say that there was too much rust in the "innards" of the reverberator for it to be able to be refurbished.

Gerald,

Really well. It plays and looks great. I got a couple of 10 OEM speakers re-coned to go with the radio. I'll be installing a RediRad adapter so I can play my satellite radio and MP3 player through the radio. Sorry to say that there was too much rust in the "innards" of the reverberator for it to be able to be refurbished.

Cool, glad to hear it worked out for you.

Those look like Impala seat buns. I refused to pay Clark's prices for foam. Instead I bought Impala foam on E-bay for much less. What I got looked just like those. I cut a groove in mine to match the Riviera seat foam. When you install the new cover. Be careful not to tear the material just above the metal trim on the sides. That was the roughest part of it for me. Trying to hog ring the horizontal seam at the top of the seat. Then pull the seat cover over the top of the seat back. Bill

Where exactly did you cut the additional groove in the cushion? Did you just go across between the very top of the existing vertical grooves. Want to make sure I put the groove in the right place as it will determine the position of the cushion under the cover.

Also, does anyone know whether the cushion sits inline with the top of the seat frame (picture 1) or on top (picture 2).

Thanks

Looking at your picture, I don't see anything wrong with your original foam. The reproduction foam doesn't have the

same "give" when you sit on it as the original foam, making the seat less comfortable and the sitting position too high. If your original foam has just a few little

bad spots they can be filled with padding to smooth it out. I have repro foam on my GTO buckets and I hate they way they sit. I found some nice original foams and will be swapping them into my GTO buckets in the near future.

The reproduction foam doesn't have the

same "give" when you sit on it as the original foam, making the seat less comfortable and the sitting position too high. I have repro foam on my GTO buckets and I hate they way they sit.

I took my Clark's upholstery to a 'very experienced trimmer' who warned me about the repro foam doing what you described. So he installed his 'better', handshaped stuff; it's not comfortable & I sit too high!

Steve

Doug, I put the new seat cover in place to get an idea where the groove should be. Take the seat back off of the base to make the whole process easier. If you assemble everything (foam,frame and cover) before you hog ring anything down. You'll get a good idea on placement for foam and cover. As far as new foam to old foam comfort and seat height. The old foam wasn't comfortable at all and I sat too high. The new foam isn't comfy and I took the rubber spacers out of the seat tracks. And my head still touches the head liner. There is no way to make these seats as comfortable as newer car seats. The spring design sucks. Bill

Doug,

I was just looking at some of the 'before' photos I took during my seat recovering process. I believe the foam goes past and over the top edge of the seat back as opposed to being flush with it.

Best of luck.

There is no way to make these seats as comfortable as newer car seats.

As disappointing as that is, I suppose I will have to accept it. My problem is my youthful recollection of driving one of these beauties when it was relatively new and the apple of my eye. There I was piloting the most stunning car on the earth's surface - it was the highlight of my life. So of course it was comfy; it was exquisite, as if on a cloud. How could reality live up to that!

Steve

Thanks for the input all.

I really can't use my original foam. The picture I took of the passenger side upper seat back was the best part. The lower seat foam actually disintegrated as I pulled off the original cover. I don't mind a little extra height. I am only 5' 7'' so I could use some extra height and I don't think I would be up to the headliner. As for comfort, I don't expect it to be as comfortable as a new car, so I will live with it. Bill, I will follow your advice and everything without the hog rings to verify location and work from there