Here is the sun-baked, broken...
Here is the sun-baked, broken down original seat.
Most C4 owners are faced with the same dilemma of updating the interior of their cars in some way at some point, and many of us have done just that. Many of these cars are now pushing twenty years old and almost all the interiors of this generation need help in some form or fashion. Updating the interior is one of the easiest and most dramatic changes you can make to immediately change the entire look and feel of your C4. Thankfully there are many options when it comes to color and designs to make your car as unique as you want. Since Mid America Motorworks produces many of its own interior products on-site at its Effingham, Illinois, campus under the Performance Choice brand, the company has made ordering your next interior as painless as possible with its excellent online and print catalogs. With these tools, it's easy to choose exactly what interior components will go well with your particular color combination.
When most C4 owners contemplate re-covering their C4's seats (or any other Corvette seats for that matter), they usually develop serious misgivings on whether or not they can pull the job off themselves. Most of us just can't imagine re-covering our own seats, yours truly included. But while it's no easy task, it's not the massive job most people imagine. When it came time to re-cover the seats for Project C4orce, we asked Matt Daniels at Mid America Motorworks to document the step-by-step procedure for Corvette Fever. We decided to send the C4 seats up to Effingham and he performed the seat re-cover up there for us, so let's check out how involved this job really was. We also decided to use a new seat design since Project C4orce is a special car and Mid America Motorworks worked with us very well to develop that new design. Ed Baumgarten of Mid America Motorworks did the great photography you see here and we owe him a great debt of gratitude for all the hard work. I also want to thank Matt Daniels and Nancy Bushur for their help with this article. Let's get to the install.
| Difficulty Index - 2 Wrenches |
| Anyone’s Project: no tools required | 1 Wrench |
| Beginner: basic tools | 2 Wrenches |
| Experienced: special tools | 3 Wrenches |
| Accomplished: special tools and outside help | 4 Wrenches |
| Professionals Only: send this work out | 5 Wrenches |
First, Matt unclips the seat...
First, Matt unclips the seat back cushion from the seat frame.
Next he unclips the wire of...
Next he unclips the wire of the seat frame.
Unattaching clip located on...
Unattaching clip located on the front of seat bottom.
This is the bare seat frame...
This is the bare seat frame with original hardware still in place.
Next, he removes the bolts...
Next, he removes the bolts located in brackets for seat bolsters.
Removing bolts from seat bolsters...
Removing bolts from seat bolsters located in seat back.
Removing speed nuts from seat...
Removing speed nuts from seat back release.
Seat bolsters are now removed...
Seat bolsters are now removed for easier installation.
Here are all the supplies...
Here are all the supplies needed for completion of the seat bottom.
Positioning and preparing...
Positioning and preparing to hog ring center listing on the seat bottom.
Attaching center listing on...
Attaching center listing on front side to backing wire on rear of foam with hog rings.
Attaching front of cover to...
Attaching front of cover to wires in formed foam with hog rings.
Hog ringing inside of seat...
Hog ringing inside of seat bolsters to wipe in foam.
Wrapping seat bolsters in...
Wrapping seat bolsters in preparation for final hog ringing.
Final hog ringing process...
Final hog ringing process for bolsters on bottom side of foam.
Installing metal bracket for...
Installing metal bracket for seat controls in seat bottom bolster.
Inserting plastic slips attached...
Inserting plastic slips attached to cover inside of metal bracket for seat control.
Here is all hardware needed...
Here is all hardware needed for installing the seat back cover to the seat foam.
Preparing to install extension...
Preparing to install extension clips through foam in head rest area.
Pulling extension clips through...
Pulling extension clips through to backing. Wire on back side of foam.
Installing seat bladders to...
Installing seat bladders to lower seat foam.
Hog ringing seat cover and...
Hog ringing seat cover and bladder to wire in foam.
Hog ringing headrest to wire...
Hog ringing headrest to wire in headrest foam.
Completed seat back cover...
Completed seat back cover on foam.
Inserting foam into bolster...
Inserting foam into bolster covers.
Installing bolster cover over...
Installing bolster cover over metal frame.
Hog ring outer bolster cover...
Hog ring outer bolster cover over metal frame.
Installation completed on...
Installation completed on bolster to frame.
Removing seat bottom trapeze...
Removing seat bottom trapeze from mounting brackets.
Installing new seat bottom...
Installing new seat bottom trapeze kit.
Re-installing freshly covered...
Re-installing freshly covered bolsters and brackets.
Reinstalling seat back release...
Reinstalling seat back release button.
Attaching headrest wire to...
Attaching headrest wire to clip in seat frame.
Attaching headrest wire to...
Attaching headrest wire to clip in seat frame.
Installing seat control.
Installing bezel surround...
Installing bezel surround over seat control.
Hooking up seat bladder control...
Hooking up seat bladder control hoses.
Hooking up seat control wiring...
Hooking up seat control wiring harness.
Positioning clip to reinstall...
Positioning clip to reinstall new seat foam bottom.
Here is the completed Project...
Here is the completed Project C4orce seat.