Restoring seat backs...?

[69Z28-RS]

My original seats are worn, but since I'm going for 'preservation', rather than restoration, I'm keeping them as they are.   What I've done is bought a second set of buckets, headrests, upholstery, foam, etc for a 'restored set' as well.  I had it all except seat backs, and I didn't want to remove the seat backs from my 'originals', so I bought a set of seat backs from a pace car.

These NEED restoration... there's even some 'deterioration' in places.. I'm not sure whether that's something someone sprayed on the seatbacks in the past, or if that's the vinyl itself?  Can someone who has done a nice restoration on seat backs give me some pointers on the steps to take, and what materials to use to make these old seat backs look good on restored seats?

thanks in advance..

[KevinW]

Gary, I did a restoration on my seats and posted a "how to" with pics here: http://www.camaros.net/forums/23-interiors/391289-restoring-your-front-bucket-seats-69-standard-shown.html  Maybe this will help you with the guts of the seat.  Note, later 69s did not have separate springs in the seat backs, but used foam with springs molded inside the foams.  You need to know what you have before buying foam.  Generally seats with straight headrests have real springs and curved headrests have the foam, my example has straights.

To restore the seat backs I used razor blades to gently shave any "fuzz" and cleaned them well with windex and sprayed them with Krylon Fusion spray paint.  That is easy for black.

But since yours are orange it makes it tougher. I have noticed the colors tend to deteriorate more than black ones.  The surface gets pits in them as the plasticizer evaporates. I do not know of a way to fix the pitting, but if you can get a good color match with the SEMS interior coatings ( I have heard good things), then you can at least arrest the deterioration.   

Good Luck!

[69Z28-RS]

Thanks Kevin,

My seats (both original and the purchased used ones) have the curved bar headrest and I purchased new foam for the seats I'm planning to recover.

Yes, it was the 'fuzzy' deterioration that was bothering me (mostly near the top of the seat backs where the sun hits it - especially in a convertible pace car)... my originals are great compared to these used ones I purchased..

I watched a couple of videos last night (youtube) and most recommended a 'strong cleaning' using TSP and other cleansers, wax/grease remover, and an 'adhesive promotor' before the vinyl paint.. (I bought '69 hugger orange vinyl paint' from Rick's Camaro so hopefully that color will be right)..