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MG MGA - Upholstery

Does anyone have a set of patterns for the roadster seat covers? I am thinking of making some from leather. Any tips frome someone who has done this?
Art Pearse

See here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/interior/int203a.htm
I don't have the patterns, but maybe Jim Mail does.
Barney Gaylord

I have done this...see Barney's site. No patterns per se - at least not drawn and saved electronically. They are very easy to figure out though by tracing the frame outline onto a sheet of muslin or even thin cardboard laid over the frame. I wasn't trying to be 100% authentic and don't claim my seats are correct in every way... but they fit and are like the originals.

The article on barney's site does give a good blow by blow for making your own, though. Email or PM me if you have any questions! jimmail001@comcast.net

If I had to do it over, I'd make the "stripes" a bit wider, and I didn't pay attention to lining up the seams on the back and bottom when I reassembled them - so have to go back and fix that.

A friend of mine just gave me a new (to me) industrial sewing machine - so I am now planning to finish the job of making my tonneau cover. I am recycling the vinyl from our old hot tub cover which I couldn't bear to throw away. Don't use your wife's sewing machine or you'll hear about it. You have to be able to sew through at least four layers of fairly tough material.

Go slow, even using the hand wheel around corners and over the bigger "bumps" where the material stacks up. The hardest part is getting the hang of making the piping and then stitching up against it when attaching the back to the front.

Good luck! I commend you on tackling this yourself - it's not too hard, and they cost a bloody fortune to buy. I did it start to finish in a couple of weeks over the Christmas holiday last year, never having done it before. Post pictures!

JIM MAIL in Nashua, NH
AJ Mail

Here is a pic of me laying out the pattern for the bottom. Do it on the cheap stuff before cutting out the expensive stuff.

JIM


AJ Mail

Just re-read Barney's article. Confirms what I remembered - I would make the vinyl strips for the tuck and roll one-half inch wider than I did originally.

Good luck!

JIM
AJ Mail

Barney and Jim, thanks for the encouragement and advice!
Art Pearse

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2011 and 22/02/2011

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