Need help with seat cover on Invader

[IraqvetUSMC]

Hi

I recently acquired a 79 Invader 340 for free and the seat cover is torn and brittle. I would like to replace the cover myself but I was wondering about how much material I will need. A local store sells the material by the yard in a 36"X54" section. will this cover the seat or should I get 2 yards?

Thanks

[mswyka]

If you can sew, then 36" x 54" should be enough.  If you cannot sew.  I would recommend finding one of the companies that offer after market covers.  I have purchased a nice sturdy cover from Image Enterprises.  However my last few seats have been recoverd by John's Upholstery of Sanborn, MN.  Great job and more than fair prices.  Attached is a photo of a 81 LTD that John covered for me.  As near as I can tell it is an exact duplicate.  I think that the difference between buying a cover and making a cover or having a cover made is that the foam can change shape over time and the custom cover will fit the foam better than a pre-made cover.

[Interceptor398]

That does look good

[5kaws]

Yes for sure it does!!   
I'm calling soon to have one made for my sled. 
Only thing it's missing is the ltd on the side. 

[IraqvetUSMC]

Thanks for the info. I will look into that. I was hoping to cover the seat myself and have about $35 into the whole thing. To me it doesn't have to be perfect for now. Local guy said $100 and that's to much for me haha.

 

[5kaws]

Up to you but ever cheaper fix is black duct tape.   Idk it's hard to fit the cover and make it look good without cutting and sewing it.  I tired without and didn't look good lol. And was a waste of money to me. And now looking into getting right one for the sled now. 

[IraqvetUSMC]

I know having it done right is the way to go. I may eventually have it done correctly, just looking to try to attempt it myself  for now and fold the seams since I can't sew lol. I still haven't gone through and serviced the sled yet. I got it running but it needs a little work and I don't want to dump to much into this thing until I know how its going to clean up and everything. It just annoyed me when I hear it cracking as I am sitting on it haha.

[mswyka]

I know having it done right is the way to go. I may eventually have it done correctly, just looking to try to attempt it myself  for now and fold the seams since I can't sew lol. I still haven't gone through and serviced the sled yet. I got it running but it needs a little work and I don't want to dump to much into this thing until I know how its going to clean up and everything. It just annoyed me when I hear it cracking as I am sitting on it haha.

For what it is worth, I have an alternate suggestion.  Most likely when the seat comes off the mounting bolts/nuts will be worthless and will either break, spin, or break out of the plastic seat base.  Others may have different ideas, but one of the best ways to get the seat off with minimal damage is to slide a hacksaw blade beneath the tunnel and the seat and cut the bolt.  Once the seat is off you can see better how to restore the blind nut in the seat base. 

OK, with that said, save the old seat for proper fixing.  Cut a new seat platform out of plywood and pick up a piece of foam at the local fabric shop and make your new temporary seat.  Attach that one any way you want, "tee" nuts or drywall screws.  Then take your time and get the real seat fixed properly.

And, with that said, an alternate mounting method for the rear end of the seat is to drill a hole through the glove box hinge and use a pair of 1/4 - 20 x 1 cap screws.   We have found that this is far easier than trying to patch up a broken rear corner of the seat.

[gixxer6]

Mark, When you make the new seat pan out of plywood, how to you make room for the heat exchanger? 

[mswyka]

Mark, When you make the new seat pan out of plywood, how to you make room for the heat exchanger?

Tom, I rip a narrow strip of plywood for each side of the  seat.

[IraqvetUSMC]

Thanks for the info mswyka. My next question was where to get some new foam incase mine is completely shot. So a local fabric shop should have foam? I know its not the premade foam from the factory but anything should work better than nothing lol.

[gixxer6]

I have a couple good used invader seat foams if you're interested PM me. 

[IraqvetUSMC]

Will do gixxer. Just have to see exactly how bad mine is after i take off  the cover.