I'm finally finished.

Here's how the driver's seat looked:



now:




The driver's seat took much longer to complete. The stitching went much faster, about 35 minutes per pleat, it was the seat frame and other problems that slowed progress.

As soon as I pulled the seat back off I realized someone had been in here before, only later did I find out how much of a hack they were. For starters, there was copious amounts of saran wrap coming out from the edge of the horse hair pad, which in turn was tied to the springs (still haven't figured out why). Next I noticed the two bolts holding the seat back to the cushion (on the door side) were stripped, plus the threads were stripped from the upper frame. When I got the back rest leather off, I found the entire pad was wrapped in saran wrap.

Once I got the cushion skinned I found a couple broken springs, shoddily tied down with bailing wire. So I ended up using the complete frame from the replacement seat.

I didn't notice anything else while sewing the heater elements in, but upon mounting the leather to the pad, I found my hand was sticking to the heater lead. That is when I noticed the lead had been cut and simply twisted back together with one leg wrapped in masking tape . A little solder and shrink wrap cured that.

What I determined was the hack who worked on the seat last, removed the seat back from the cushion while the seat was still in the car. That explains the stripped bolts, and the cut heater lead - because they couldn't remove the seat back from the car.

Anyway, all better now, everything works as it should and looks oh so much better. I just hope I never have to do this for the rear seat.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

any chance you still have those pictures?? I was thinking of installing some heated seats in a 94 e320 and looking for information on a retrofit.

__________________
Daily Driver: 02 E430 4MATIC
In the family: '03 E500 // '04 ML500 // 64 220SE

My old ISP where I had the pictures uploaded went down for the count. I might have the pics on a disk...I'll look around. If I find em I'll try to attach them (at least until I can figure out the webspace link for earthlink)

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Here is a before shot

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

and a couple after shots

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.