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  1. #1
    FEP Senior Member
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    Default 85 Seat refresh, foam only?

    My 85 GT seats are dirty, but otherwise in good shape upholstery wise. It does seem to have some foam degradation however. I’m thinking about taking the seats apart, cleaning the upholstery really good, and replacing the foam only with the TMI foam.

    Anybody ever done just foam? How was the end result?

    Thanks!
    85 Saleen Mustang(s)

  2. #2

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    I don't see why you couldn't do that.

    I replaced my upholstery one year and then one or two later did the foam.

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    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
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  3. #3
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    I have had the foam spring mostly back to shape , after power washing and Super Clean .
    The dirt and stuff , seeps thru the fabric , and into the foam .
    After a good wash that crap is gone , and the foam fluffs back up .worth a try .
    clowns to the left of me , Jokers to the right

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member bwguardian's Avatar
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    My drivers seat foam was purdy settled when I was restoring the car a few years back. I bought new leather skins and foam for the drivers side. My wife sat in it and stated she would ride more if I additionally replaced the passenger side foam. It really is that much more comfortable after I tried it out, so both front seats got new foam. On a convertible you have to make some adjustments but all done now. Also, I cleaned up the front seat frames, springs, bushings, etc. There is a plastic bushing at the hinge on both seats towards the center console that was in rough shape. I found a brass unit that fit perfectly at Home Depot that will keep the upper seat tight and last for years.
    HAD
    '82 GT monochromatic (red)...black cloth

    HAVE
    '85 GT vert two tone (white on charcoal)...white leather
    '00 F350 two tone (white on silver)...gray cloth
    '00 Excursion Limited two tone (white on tan)...tan leather...wifes ride
    '08 Taurus Limited ice blue...tan leather...daughter ride
    '08 Edge Limited white sand tri-coat metallic...tan leather...other daughters ride

  5. #5
    FEP Senior Member
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    Superclean is the way to go. That’s what I clean loose covers with.

    Good tip on the brass bushing. I’ll look for that.
    85 Saleen Mustang(s)

  6. #6
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    Check the wire hammock on the bottom closely. Look for missing springs too. This will cause it to sag. I did hammock, springs and foam on my 89 with the old leather. Much better after. Unfortunately they don’t make vert. Seat back foam for 89 so my guy added some foam to the seat back.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by BaconB8 View Post
    My 85 GT seats are dirty, but otherwise in good shape upholstery wise. It does seem to have some foam degradation however. I’m thinking about taking the seats apart, cleaning the upholstery really good, and replacing the foam only with the TMI foam.

    Anybody ever done just foam? How was the end result?

    Thanks!
    I did this a couple years ago. Pulled off the factory seat covers and replaced the dried out and beat down foam. Put the OEM covers right back over them with new foam and you couldn't even tell. No worries if your covers are in good shape. Mine were not dirty though. The cover was perfect but you could feel metal sticking up through the 30 year old foam. I didn't want to risk tearing the OEM fabric.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinK View Post
    Check the wire hammock on the bottom closely. Look for missing springs too. This will cause it to sag. I did hammock, springs and foam on my 89 with the old leather. Much better after. Unfortunately they don’t make vert. Seat back foam for 89 so my guy added some foam to the seat back.
    Never owned a '89 Vert so I am just asking. What makes you think they don't make '89 sport seat foam for a Vert? There are certainly several parts of an '89 sport seat that are different between a hatch and Vert without question. But at the end of the day, the 'Vert and Hatch sport seat foam IS the same. There may be different holes cut in it but you will never convince me the foam won't work. The seats are identical outside of some seat belt attachment differences.
    Last edited by homer302; 07-11-2018 at 06:46 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by homer302 View Post
    Never owned a '89 Vert so I am just asking. What makes you think they don't make '89 sport seat foam for a Vert? There are certainly several parts of an '89 sport seat that are different between a hatch and Vert without question. But at the end of the day, the 'Vert and Hatch sport seat foam IS the same. There may be different holes cut in it but you will never convince me the foam won't work. The seats are identical outside of some seat belt attachment differences.
    The vert seat back foam has a metal insert to attach the seat belt loop. No one makes a reproduction for this. Therefore they are NOT the same.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  10. #10
    FEP Super Member bwguardian's Avatar
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    Yes, the oem vert seat back foam has a heavy metal wire that runs the perimeter inside the foam with an attaching plate for the seat belt holder. With the new foam there is not a way to attach the seat belt holder because it is just foam...like the other non vert cars. However, I wanted the factory look so I fabricated an attachment plate so the seat belt holder remained in the same location.
    HAD
    '82 GT monochromatic (red)...black cloth

    HAVE
    '85 GT vert two tone (white on charcoal)...white leather
    '00 F350 two tone (white on silver)...gray cloth
    '00 Excursion Limited two tone (white on tan)...tan leather...wifes ride
    '08 Taurus Limited ice blue...tan leather...daughter ride
    '08 Edge Limited white sand tri-coat metallic...tan leather...other daughters ride

  11. #11

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    Got it. So the foam itself is the same but the factory 'Vert foam had a piece inside of it for the belts, making it unique. I understand now. Technically the foam would FIT the seat frame without an issue but I get what you are saying. Let's face it, if the metal piece removes when you remove the foam, it ain't doing much as far as safety goes. I don't believe seat foam does much for structural integrity. I would guess that's why they don't reproduce it like that. bwguardian's solution sounds like a good one.
    Last edited by homer302; 07-20-2018 at 07:06 PM.

  12. #12
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    I did the foam replacement with the old leather. The leather was intact but not in great visual condition. The end result was a comfortable seat but it did look over stuffed at the edges. Now a few years later, I need to replace the leather. Best to do it all at once.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  13. #13

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    In response to KevinK, you can actually buy leather covers that match OEM. Or if not EXACT, certainly close enough to pass as original. The issue with the 83-86 cloth sport seats is TMI spent all that time and money designing and building replacements but then cheaped out and selected completely the wrong material for ALL of them. So if you have a nice cloth seat fabric in all 3 seats and only the driver's seat foam is wasted, it makes no sense (money or common sense) to throw all that irreplaceable upholstery in the dumpster. If I had had leather or vinyl, I completely agree with your statement about "best to do it all at once"
    Last edited by homer302; 07-21-2018 at 06:55 PM.

  14. #14
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Seal the foam inside a plastic bag and pull as much air out as you can with your best shop vac for about 10 min. When you release it the foam will be about as big as it’s ever going to get......

  15. #15
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    I did not see anything in the original post about irreplaceable upholstery. The foam is not cheap, add installation labor, the cheap job was not so cheap. Adding $800 for new leather seemed out of my budget.

    Fast forward, to today, I need to invest in new leather and pay for labor second time. Thus the reason for my comment. I also use my 89 as a daily driver often.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  16. #16
    FEP Super Member bwguardian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by homer302 View Post
    Got it. So the foam itself is the same but the factory 'Vert foam had a piece inside of it for the belts, making it unique. I understand now. Technically the foam would FIT the seat frame without an issue but I get what you are saying. Let's face it, if the metal piece removes when you remove the foam, it ain't doing much as far as safety goes. I don't believe seat foam does much for structural integrity. I would guess that's why they don't reproduce it like that. bwguardian's solution sounds like a good one.
    The metal rod is embedded and/or molded within the foam backing. It only serves as a mounting point for the seat belt hanger. The seat belts have the 3 point mounting points for safety.
    HAD
    '82 GT monochromatic (red)...black cloth

    HAVE
    '85 GT vert two tone (white on charcoal)...white leather
    '00 F350 two tone (white on silver)...gray cloth
    '00 Excursion Limited two tone (white on tan)...tan leather...wifes ride
    '08 Taurus Limited ice blue...tan leather...daughter ride
    '08 Edge Limited white sand tri-coat metallic...tan leather...other daughters ride

  17. #17
    FEP Power Member Puter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bwguardian View Post
    However, I wanted the factory look so I fabricated an attachment plate so the seat belt holder remained in the same location.
    I've ordered new foam, springs, and material for my 85 convertible. Do you have any pics of what you fabricated and how you did it?
    85 GT convertible

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