I'd think it would be easier re-wiring the power seats than swapping the skins. I've re-upholstered a NG seat before and its not easy to slip those covers on/off.

Plus, you'd then have power seats unless you are concerned about the weight, thats an extra feature!!

Tboy

 

I suppose that's an option. Any ideas of what's involved? The Bently manual only tells you the very basics of removing the seat from the car and that's it. I'm sure there's something in the wiring diagram, but I don't read Greek. Guess I'm gonna hafta learn.

Anybody?

 

This is one of the best DIY guides for seats: Fixmysaab C900 seats

I did one of the seats for the vert, the hard part is the top portion and hog rings.

Anybody know the DIY for this?

 

The wire harness might already be there. Most auto manufacturers don't have seperate harnesses for differently equipped models--too expensive. It's usually a one-size-fits-all deal--at least usually. I'd unbolt the driver's seat and look around. The harness may even be under the carpet. I'm not sure if the carpet is cut and the harness is pulled through only for powered seats or if it's exposed for all.

If you just want to swap skins, it's not that difficult. There is complete instructions on the twinsaabs site. You don't need to swap the foam, just the skins.

BUT!! be aware that you will most inevitably have to reinstall the wire frames that give the seats their tufted contour. Those wires are attached to the seat skins with muslin sleves. Muslin doesn't hold up very well and when you remove the skins, you most definitely will tear it--especially on the seat back. If the seats look flat and have no tufting left, the muslin has probably deteriorated and torn already. You can take the skins to an upholstry shop and have them sew new sleves on, or you can fix them yourself. The seat skins have about a 1/2" of leather left over at the seams. Additionally there is a stitch along the edge of the leftover flaps. You can take a small leather punch and punch 1/8" holes about 1" apart through the two flaps between the seam and the stiched edge. Then just lace in the wires with a heavy nylon cord. I've done this on quite a few old Saabs to fix flat-seat-syndrome. It holds up well.

 

Excellent links guys, THANKYOU!

Now, another approach: Is it possible to just switch the seatbacks? i.e., remove the good seatbacks from their bottoms and swap them with the old seat backs? I was wondering if that might save some time and effort.

I will also search for the harness under the seat and carpeting.

 

If they're power, and out of a C900, the skins may not be a direct fit to your 89's seats. The back may work, but the seat bottoms may be a bit different. Power came on the later seats (90-93). 89 was a cross over year for seats, at least as far as the 3 door goes....not sure about the vert.
If you have four bolts holding your seats in now, your in luck, and the best thing to do is swap the whole seats....much less work than reskinning.

 

found this thread in the archive....i will be swapping the bottom drivers side seat cover on an 87 900 and it appears to be different. The seat has about 5 or 6 black clips that run along the back and front underside, the new seat skin has 2 hanger type bars coming out each side.

I guess i should pull the seat completely out and investigate further.

But maybe some one can answer if the 87 900 seats were differnt than the 92 900 seats?

 

But maybe some one can answer if the 87 900 seats were differnt than the 92 900 seats?

Yes they were.

 

Kind of the same thing I am looking to do DaSaabguy.

 

They are different, but not un-swappable. I had the late-model seat skins on my '87 seats, there were a few modifications to be made but any difference in material was covered up by the seat base IIRC.

 

I used '89 seat skins in my '92. Both the seat and back skins are different, but workable. The '89 didn't have power seats, so the side trim piece on the outside of the driver's seat was different. I had to use parts of both side pieces, and make a few other modifications. I couldn't begin to describe to you what I had to do because I improvised as I went along, but here's a pic of the finished job. Sorry that the shoulder belt is hiding it a little.

 

Anybody know how to get the headrest out on the front seats?

 

you have to raise the head rest all the way up then pull down on the back of the seat material behind the bar and find the hidden screw , remove that and the headrest should pull out

 

I'm pretty sure that you have to peel the seat skin off all the way to the top to get access to the screw. (Turn it inside out and unclip the tufting clips as you peel it off). At least that's been my experience.