Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

[Scott S.]

Interesting discovery this evening. I was examining the seats and taking pictures in preparation for dismantling them to clean up the frames and get the seats recovered, when I noticed something dark tied to one the the seat springs. It was dark on one side, but bright foil on the other when I turned it over, and it had a part number with a date on it:

3899201 . 11-8-66

This car (Jan. 11, 1967 build date) is full of surprises, mostly good ones. The initials "AS" are stamped into each of the seat clips.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

With the exception of the one tear pictured below, this seat cover really appears to be in pretty good condition. Is there a way to tell if it is the original seat cover?

[Stephen L.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

The covers will have a date stamped all over the backside of the vinyl by the vinyl manufacturer if the covers are original. You should see this after total removal from the foam.
I found that the new foam supplied by many vendors fits very poorly, too thick, no holes for the wire clips etc. If your old foam is in good shape, I'd reuse it and save about $200. I attempted to find out if Al Knoch foam comes from the same manufacturer, but was not successful. Maybe someone can chime in on this subject with experience on Al Knoch foam.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

The covers will have a date stamped all over the backside of the vinyl by the vinyl manufacturer if the covers are original. You should see this after total removal from the foam.
I found that the new foam supplied by many vendors fits very poorly, too thick, no holes for the wire clips etc. If your old foam is in good shape, I'd reuse it and save about $200. I attempted to find out if Al Knoch foam comes from the same manufacturer, but was not successful. Maybe someone can chime in on this subject with experience on Al Knoch foam.

How does the "old" new seat-foam fit?

When we started the restoration in 2008, some of the first items I bought were seat-foam, seat-covers and carpet from Willcox. The seat covers are in Corvette America boxes, the seat-foam came from Auto Accessories of America, 100 Classic Car Drive and the carpet was in a Auto Custom Carpets, Inc. box.

Early this year, while searching for the ignition top-shield (just found recently) I found some of the parts my Dad bought to update the car in the late 1980s, but never installed. There was a set of new vinyl seat-covers (Al Knoch, with receipt dated 9-9-89, sold by "Dale"), new carpet by Al Knoch (receipt dated 9-6-86, McDorman Corvette Show in Columbus) and new seat-foam from John's Corvette Care (receipt order dated 9-9-89 referencing the McDorman show, box dated 9-15-89). It all still looks brand new, and the seat-foam from John's Corvette Care seems to be a little softer (spongier?) and maybe a little thinner than the seat-foam I bought in 2008.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Here are the seat covers.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

...and the seat-foam, from "John's Corvette Care", 1989.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Interesting discovery this evening. I was examining the seats and taking pictures in preparation for dismantling them to clean up the frames and get the seats recovered, when I noticed something dark tied to one the the seat springs. It was dark on one side, but bright foil on the other when I turned it over, and it had a part number with a date on it:

3899201 . 11-8-66

This car (Jan. 11, 1967 build date) is full of surprises, mostly good ones. The initials "AS" are stamped into each of the seat clips.

On my late '65, found double tags (folded together around seat BOTTOM spring) "SG-3866415-4" and "7-19". On one of the seat BACKS, again two tags folded together around a spring "SG-3863371-2" and "7-6".

[Stephen L.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Original seat cover pleats were "flat" looking, while early Knoch covers had pleats that were more "rounded". The new Knoch covers are closer to original with the "flat" pleats.

I'd compare your original foam with both the 1989 and 2008 stuff you have. If either are close then use that. If the foam is too thick the seat covers look puffy and it will be noted at a judging.

I've no experience with seat covers from WILCOX.

The foam I couldn't use was sent by Corvette America.

Auto Custom Carpet has binding around the edges of the vertical rear piece (COUPE) that is not correct and will be noted at judging. Recent Al Knoch carpet has the correct lack of binding.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

On my late '65, found double tags (folded together around seat BOTTOM spring) "SG-3866415-4" and "7-19". On one of the seat BACKS, again two tags folded together around a spring "SG-3863371-2" and "7-6".

Hi Wayne,

I'm very interested to see what I find when I take these apart, but now I'm almost reluctant to do that, if this is original and survived so well for so long. If it turns out that these seat covers are original, I'm wondering if they're in nice enough condition that a professional upholsterer could restore them (maybe without removing the seat-covers) by repairing the cut, redoing the stitching in a couple of the seat-cushion rows, and then re-condition the vinyl with something like 303 Aerospace Protectant?

I think the minor rust on the seat-track feet could be cleaned up without removing the seat-covers.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Original 1967 seat cover markings. I forgot to include on previous post.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Scott, The tracks can be removed before the vinyl covers. 4 screws on corners.

You can remove the covers and replace them without damage if you desire. You'll need a hog ring plier and rings to reinstall the backs; available at ACE hardware.

I tie a large string loop around the wire hooks to pull them thru the holes before they are reattached to the wire rod. A crochet hook works well to get the string thru the holes. New burlap and wire kit is available from Knoch.......

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Original seat cover pleats were "flat" looking, while early Knoch covers had pleats that were more "rounded". The new Knoch covers are closer to original with the "flat" pleats.

I'd compare your original foam with both the 1989 and 2008 stuff you have. If either are close then use that. If the foam is too thick the seat covers look puffy and it will be noted at a judging.

I've no experience with seat covers from WILCOX.

The foam I couldn't use was sent by Corvette America.

Auto Custom Carpet has binding around the edges of the vertical rear piece (COUPE) that is not correct and will be noted at judging. Recent Al Knoch carpet has the correct lack of binding.

Thanks for the reply Stephen. If I end up taking these covers off, I will document everything as well as I can with lots of photos, and then take comparison photos between what may be the original the seat-foam, the 1989 seat-foam from John's Corvette Care, and the seat-foam ordered through Willcox Chevrolet (Corvette Dept.) that arrived in a box from Auto Accessories of America.

The seat-covers that I bought in 2008 (through Willcox Corvette-Chevrolet, http://www.willcoxcorvette.com/) arrived in Corvette America boxes, but they're leather, so they won't be any good for comparison purposes to the old Al Knoch (vinyl) and the possibly original vinyl seat-covers on the seats now.

I checked the carpet a while back, when I found an older post about the binding around the edges of the vertical piece. The 1986 Al Knoch carpet has that part of the carpet right (no binding), while the 2008 ACC carpet does have the binding.

[Scott S.]

Re: Found date tag with part # attached under the seat - original seat covers too?

Scott, The tracks can be removed before the vinyl covers. 4 screws on corners.

You can remove the covers and replace them without damage if you desire. You'll need a hog ring plier and rings to reinstall the backs; available at ACE hardware.

I tie a large string loop around the wire hooks to pull them thru the holes before they are reattached to the wire rod. A crochet hook works well to get the string thru the holes. New burlap and wire kit is available from Knoch.......

Thank you for the tips and the photos on the seats. After seeing your carpet photo, I took a comparison photo of the wings on the two carpets I have, between the 2008 carpet by ACC with the 1986 Al Knoch carpet laying on top. Al Knoch must have made the change to no edging/binding on the wings between 1983 and 1986.

When I began the restoration in 2008, which consisted mostly of disassembly, I saved the jute-backing, but made the mistake of throwing out the carpet that was in the car.

The previous owner said he replaced the carpet, but he must have only replaced the front carpet, because I was conscious enough to remove a carpet tag from part of the carpet and save it. The tag must be from the back carpet (says "LH Wheelhouse"), and it was dated the same as my Mom's birthday, so I kept it to show her.

I haven't made any more mistakes like that - I keep everything since then.

Edit: as seen in the photo, the two carpets are different shades of black.