1985 Mustang GT Seat Recovering Directions
These directions are for the recovering of 1985 Mustang GT seats using the Distinctive Industries cloth kit. There are no directions included with the seat covers, so I'll try and give you an idea on what to expect. Ford used this Lear manufactured style of seat for quite a few years, so I�m sure you could use these directions for just about any application. The covers were purchased from Dallas Mustang. As this is a �cut and sewn to order� part, delivery took three weeks.
There are three pages to these directions and a "Hints and Tips" section at the end.
Ford Parts Diagram of 1985 GT Seat:
http://www.geocities.com/motrv8r/seatdiagram1.html
Ford Parts Diagram of 1985 Highback Recliner "Sport" Seat:
(This picture has better detail of the hinge area)
http://www.geocities.com/motrv8r/seatdiagram2.html
Click on the link below for some pictures of my seats after the install: http://www.geocities.com/motrv8r/seats.html
I�m not an automotive upholsterer by trade, so if there are any errors in nomenclature or suggestions that you would like to offer email them to [email protected]
Seat Bottom
Remove the seats from the car. My '90 used 15mm attaching hardware.
Remove the four bolts (hex head, 10 mm) that hold on the seat tracks and spring.
This assumes that you do not have power seat tracks...you '92 and '93 guys lucky enough to have power seats are on your own. <g>
With a 9/64� hex key remove Left side bolster adjustment knob.
Remove Left side plastic hinge cover held on by two Phillips screws, �� long.
Remove two Left side hinge bolts (hex head, 13 mm, 1 � long).
Remove Right side hinge bolt (T45 Torx) and nylon bushing.
Separate seat back from seat bottom. Set seat back aside.
Remove leg support from the front of the seat bottom after removing two roll pins (1/8� x 7/8�).
Set leg support aside.
Unsnap the four plastic clips on the bottom of the seat frame that retain the cover material.
Peel back the front of the seat cover to expose three hog rings that hold an insert pin to the front crossbar
The insert pin is about 11 �� long and inside a fabric pocket that is sewn into the cover. Cut the three hog rings.
Remove the right and left band clamp that is fastened to the same front crossbar. The clamp is about �� wide. Carefully open these clamps as you will have to reuse them. These clamps retain 1/8� diameter by 18� long rods that run from front to back. These long rods are also in a sewn fabric pocket. Remove the long rods.
Peel the cover back some more to expose the middle insert pin that is also in a fabric pocket. Cut the three hog rings and remove the insert pin. You should now be able to remove the seat cover.
You will need to do a little prep work on the new seat cover. As delivered, the rod and pin pockets may be sewn shut. Refer to your original cover and cut open the ends to match.
I found it best to install the middle pin and hog rings and then turn the cover inside out. Fit the cover around the front of the seat first and then work around toward the rear. Reinstall the two long rods and clamps and then the front cross pin and hog rings. Snap the cover�s four plastic clips to the seat frame.
You will need to cut three holes in the bottom seat cover for the hinge bolts and cut two slits in the front of the cover for the leg support. I pushed a sharp awl through the material from the inside to indicate the hole�s position. I then cut the holes with a razor knife and dykes.
