The lower seat cover is a remove and replace operation with hog rings. The �85 cloth GT set fit my 1990 coupe with no problem. The 1985 style of seat belts are routed between the lower and upper seat cushions.
In 1990 they were routed through holes in the foam of the lower cushion. I rerouted my belts in the 1985 configuration with no problem.
Hints and Tips
Have a needle and some matching thread available to sew up any corners that you may want to tighten up on the leg rest.
Buy a spray can of satin black trim paint and spray the adjuster knob and the legs of the seat tracks. It will make them less noticeable and fresher looking.
Duplicolor spray Vinyl and Fabric paint/dye does a nice job on color changing the halo headrests or freshening them up.
You will probably have some tears in your foam, as most of these seats are coming up on twenty years of service. If it is a minor tear you can patch it up with duct tape. You�ll never feel it under the new covers. I saw this tip on �Two Guy�s Garage� and if it�s good enough for them it�s good enough for me. What I want to know is how come it only took them 2 minutes to recover that Buick GN seat? Are those guys good, or what? <g> I read on "The Corral" that the seat foam has gone obsolete, but I have not verified this personally.
Take a lot of digital pictures upon disassembly. It will be a big help when you are putting the seat back together. I was going to link a bunch of pictures to this article, but you'll be better off taking your own and having them on the camera to review as you work. It worked great for me.
You can buy hog ring pliers and hog rings online from the Eastwood Company at www.eastwood.com . Part number 52032 Straight Hog Ring Pliers @ $22.99 and part number 52033 for a pack of 100 hog rings @ $1.99 . You will only need one pack of hogrings. I ordered two and I now have a lifetime supply.
Have a clean table to work on in a well lighted area. You don�t want to be bending over on the floor for the amount of time that this project will run. Take over the kitchen table if you have to. Cover it with some thick blankets so you don�t scratch it up.
Budget a good amount of time to do this project. Don�t be in a rush and tear up one of your new covers. I probably have 12 hours in mine spread out over 5 days. I�m sure you�ll get your set done much quicker than I did.
If you are tall you can probably mount you seat tracks forward on the seat to give you 1 more inch of legroom. There were multiple holes on the rear of the frame and a dimple to be drilled out in the front of the frame for increased legroom. I used two �-20 bolts and nylock nuts to secure the front of the seat tracks to the frame. I�ve done this mod to other Mustangs and adding one extra inch of legroom is a blessing for tall people. Do this modification if you are over 6� tall, you can thank me later.
Treat your new seat covers with a can of Scotchguard before you install them in the car.
It cost under $7.00 a can, so it's cheap insurance and protection for you new seat covers.
The seats I recovered did not have the power lumbar feature, so you are on your own as far as that goes. Be careful not to pierce the bladder when you are working on seats so equipped.
The 1/2" to 3/8"nylon bushing that is used on one side of the seat hinge has gone obsolete but you can still get it from a Ford Service Department if they do a part search to locate one at another dealer and have it shipped in. The part number is E1FZ-6160394-AA and they come in a package of 5 pieces. Figure on a cost of under $3.00 per piece.
Tools and Supplies Used: Hog ring pliers, hog rings, razor knife, various screwdrivers, dykes, needle nose pliers, Channel Lock's, pliers, hammer, small punch, T45 Torx bit, 8 mm socket, 10 mm socket, 13 mm socket, assorted ratchets and extentions, 3/8 drill, drill motor, �� drill bit, 9/64" Allen wrench, two 1/4-20 x 3/4" bolts, two 1/4-20 nylock nuts, four 1/4" washers, tape measure, and duct tape.
I had a good experience dealing with Dallas Mustang at: www.dallasmustang.com
They seem to carry the complete Distinctive Industries upholstery line in cloth and leather.
What type of seat do I have, "sport" or "standard"? www.50resto.com Had some good info that I'll repeat here. 1. All 1985 to 1993 GT Mustangs had sport seating. 2. All non V-8 1984-1993 Mustangs came with standard seating. 3. 1983-84 GT's and any 1984-93 LX 5.0 could have either. Look for the following items to determine which seats you have: 1. Sport seats have a knob on the side of the seat for thigh bolster adjustment. (FWIW, I don't remember a thigh bolster adjustment on my '83 GT. That might be an exception.) 2. All 1984-91 sport seats have a pull out legrest. 3. All 1987-1993 sport seats have an adjustable lumbar.
Junk yarding, eBaying, or looking at swap meets for seats? Look for old T-Bird Turbo Coupes, Capri's, and select Cougars for sport seats or parts. Halo headrests out of Escorts will fit with some modification to the mounting post/bar.
