VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Upholstery - Interiors & Glass Replacement for steel mesh in seats

On top of the seat spring there is a woven steel mesh. Of course this is rusted mostly away. What are people using to replace this?

Burlap or other flexible but limited stretch material.

Here's a 1960s solution that would be better than plain burlap:

http://www.romeoengineering.com/Vintage.html

I have not ordered anything from that company, the lead was given to me over on the AACA forums. I worked in upholstery and auto trim for a little while when I was a teenager. I had to make those by hand. No fun. I have never seen them for sale until now.

I don't have any idea where to get the stuff in the picture.

There already existed a layer of burlap over the thin wire mesh. It to was worn through.

Thank you, I'll check them out. I was not impressed with the wire mesh as it had rusted and squeaked badly rubbing against the springs. Wasn't planning on using that arrangement again. The wire reinforced burlap looks promising.

It is a pretty simply fix First need to sand blast the complete seat frame spring! Then primer the spring seat! Then need to add welded wire fence is constructed of extremely durable 16 gauge galvanized steel wire with 1in x 1in mesh openings found at Tractor Supply of Home Depot! Next is to Hog Wire all the springs to the new wire fence and the existing heavy wire rods! Its a special tool that crimps a C shape wire around the spring and the new wire fence! Then you can add and Hog ring ends on the outside seat parameter with 2 inch wide poly webbing with a cross grid pattern over all of your repaired area top seat and make it all one piece with subtle flexibility! Then if you would like you can add burlap over that! Here is a picture of my 34 Chevy Roadsters Seat frame all complete!
Rory

Isn't there supposed to be a wood frame for the spring? I am aware of the wire you describe (typically called "chicken wire") No offense and hanks for the complete description but I know how to rebuild the upholstery. I was just looking for a substitute for the weird mesh used. I like the wire reinforced burlap better and they do custom sizes. The prices look reasonable for the standard sizes offered.

Just to clarify "chicken wire" is thin-usually 19-22ga and nothing like "welded wire fence". I do agree the wire reinforced burlap seems the best to use.

Yes I should have clued in with 16 gauge. That's way thicker then the wire in the original mesh. May be too stiff.

I used plastic extruded garden fencing with about 1" openings on the last set of seats I did, and it worked great. Easy to cut and form, just rigid enough, and nobody can see it.

You can get it at Lowes. It's this: Tenax Green HDPE Extruded Mesh Rolled Fencing


All the Best, Chip

Interesting. I am probably going to go with the reinforced burlap. I think it will work well.

Anyone know what range of years used something like this in the seats?

If you mean the wire/burlap stuff, from at least the mid 50s through the 70s for American cars. (and it probably goes longer than that in both directions). I couldn't speak to specific years in Chevrolet. Chrysler Corp. started casting the wires into the foam (thats not quite as good as the burlap) on some lower front seat cushions in about 1965, but the burlap lived on much longer in the backrests and back seats. I upholstered a bunch of 60s Fords and Pontiacs back in the day. Burlap wire everywhere.