1962 BelAir Reproduction Seat Upholstery

Junky

Well Known Member
I tried this on the ChevyTalk forums, and didn't get anyone with a picture replying. Possibly I will get a picture or two from one of the members here.
Thanks Junk

Might you be able to send me a picture of the top section of a Ciadella or Cars seat upholstery? I am particularly interested in seeing how closely the small rectangular colored pieces are dielectrically applied, as compared to the factory pieces. Are they cleanly applied like the OEM or not? Please PM me for my email address, and let me know whose interior you used.
thanks Junky
 

Junky

Well Known Member
I called Cars today, and they said that it is heat sealed to the vinyl, however, they couldn't give me a picture of that, and said to look on the website. Problem with that is that there is no picture. I need a front seat cushion, but what I also want is a good quality product, hence, wanting to see a picture first.
 

tcb-1

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Call Ciadella. Very, very customer oriented and amazing quality. I know several frame off show cars that have used Gina’s kits and they as close to factory as humanly possible.
 

Junky

Well Known Member
I posted this to Chevy Talk tonight, and wanted to give everyone here that is not over there and update as to the problem. Let me know what your thoughts are.. thanks Junk

I am having a difficult time having the vendor to recognize there is a problem with their product. I don't want to mention the vendors name until I find out if they are going to handle this problem correctly. The first problems is that the embossing of the rectangular vinyl onto the blue vinyl isn't fully sealed, and the corners of the rectangular protrude, which can catch on your clothing, and either tear the rectangular vinyl off or tear your clothing. The second problem is the bottom of the seat cushion, where it wraps around the metal. On one side, it fits properly, and on the other side, the material was cut short in manufacturing.
They refuse to replace the seat covers until I send them back, and even then, there is no guarantee that it will be replaced, and they might just refund my money for the front seat. To do this, I am going to need to take the seat out, take it back to the upholstery shop, pay to have it disassembled and pay to ship the covers back in advance. It also means that I will not have a seat in the car to move the car, until they decide what they are going to do.
Here is the link to a album that I have created an album to show all the issues more clearly.
https://postimg.cc/gallery/2fcp54cse/
These pictures below are just a small sample.
Right side of seat, fits correctly

Left side doesn't wrap around to hide the seat frame.

Picture of the quality of the embossing.
 

Junky

Well Known Member
This isn't 3rd world work, but made in the good old US of A! The auto upholstery company that installed it, brought it to my attention, but it was already installed. I don't believe that they noticed the problem prior to the install. They also did my headliner, and made a new door panel for the rear door of my ambulance.
 

Junky

Well Known Member
Today, I sent the following email posted below, along with the response that I received. For me to take the entire seat covering off, it is going to cost me 2 to 3 hours of labor, and just as much to have a replacement installed. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
In my last email to you, I sent a link to an a high resolution on line picture album showing the quality of the dielectric embossing of the emblems. This alone is poor quality work in itself, to warrant a replacement. My question is straight forward, is this your best work, and the best that you can do? Simple answer is either yes or no. I respectfully request that you send me another seat back that is properly manufactured. If what you sent the first time, is the best that you can do, I will find another supplier of the seat covering. In the event that you haven't the link to the pictures, here it is again. https://postimg.cc/gallery/jlbg7yke/
I await your prompt reply.
Their Reply:
As we have explained, we need the complete seat cover returned for inspection. We will fit it to an original seat frame since you state it was cut short, compare with our original patterns and inspect for the additional issues you have stated are wrong. I will provide pictures of the process. Until I see the cover in person, I am unable to see the issues you have stated.
My answer to their last email:
Why do you need the entire seat returned? It is only the back of the seat that is the problem. I find it difficult to believe that you can't see the defects in the dielectric work by looking at the high resolution pictures!
 

Junky

Well Known Member
Call Ciadella. Very, very customer oriented and amazing quality. I know several frame off show cars that have used Gina’s kits and they as close to factory as humanly possible.

Yes, this poor quality seat cover is the product of Ciadella in Arizona. When I last talked to Gina about it, she said that it was the best that they could do, and that they couldn't duplicate the quality of an original GM cover, and that I should send it back for a refund. All she had to do was acknowledge the defects, and make another seat back and send it to me. I then tried talking to Natalie, but she just reiterated what Gina had said... Send it back, and then they would decide if the cover is "defective". I have to believe that I will never get a refund from them, so I will order a new seat cover from Cars, and take the loss. I ordered the seat from Ciadella after hearing the glowing accolades about their quality and customer service. In business, everyone can have a defective product from time to time, but it is how you handle the problem that makes the difference. In this case, they have dropped the ball. I will give them credit for getting the cover to me quickly, when I ordered it. The other issues that I didn't mention earlier in this thread, is that the upper cover cloth section is narrower than the cloth lower section. I did also discuss this with Gina, and Gina said that the installer had "over stuffed" the lower cushion. If that were the case, which it isn't, then it would have been narrower not wider. In my opinion, this is just poor craftsmanship. Most people wouldn't notice it, unless told. I was very cautions in the beginning when I started this thread, not to mention the company name, because I fully expected that eventually Gina (Ciadella) was going to do the correct thing, and send me a replacement seat back, that was made correctly, and then I would send the defective one back. If that had happened, I would be singing praises about how they stand behind their products. I realized that this wasn't going to happen, when they "couldn't see" the dielectric defects and the sewing defects in the pictures.

 

QB62

Active Member
Supporting Member 3
Sorry to hear about your problems with Ciadella, but thanks for posting.
I was very pleased with the full set of seat covers for my 64 Impala I got from Cars.
 

Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
Very surprising.

I have bought interiors for 4-1962 Bubble tops, my 61-9 pass station wagon
the 63 Z-11, the 61 Impala and could not be more pleased.

I would give Gina another chance, tell her I said hello.
Pat Lobb


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Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
Here is the Z-11 Gina did.

I actually shipped her both the front and back seats so they could recover them. I slso asked Gina to use a portion of the original seat covers. She talked me out of it because of the aged condition of the material and how while it appears great, just don’t set in it!

Here is the 63 Z-11 she made for me.


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Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
Thanks for indulging me regarding a few suppliers.

Gina is great and wants things right.

Mark Wilson who owns Wilson headers has been nothing short of fantastic. We sent headers back and forth several times, Al would take photo, videos, etc and Mark made change after change to get it right.

Show Cars, Bruce is also the same way. He, while handling so many calls of ours, still looks out for us the customer. I may not get the answer I’m looking for immediately, but they do want to do it right.

You may or may not know, Bruce is an absolute genius!!
While working for Brad, lives the winter time in Texas!!!!!!!!

They too want to do it right.

Thanks.

Pat
 

tcb-1

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Wow, that’s discouraging. Ciadella used to have the best product available.
 

RussC

Well Known Member
I agree with Pat... I have never dealt with anyone more accommodating than Gina. I will not hesitate to use Ciadella on my next project
 

Junky

Well Known Member
Pat... From what I can see in your pictures, Ciadella can make the 1962 Bel Air interiors correctly, which makes me wonder why they are being so stubborn about replacing the upper cushion of my seat. It would be an easy swap at the upholstery shop, and it all could be done in one day, and a single trip. To remove the upper cover, requires me taking the seat out, delivering it to the upholstery shop, then coming back to get the cover and the seat, and bring it all back home. It will take a minimum of 3 days to get to Arizona, and who knows how long it will take them to decide what they will do. In the meantime, I have a car that I can't drive, and I have to store the seat until a replacement arrives, assuming that they will send a replacement. I can see this clearly taking 4 to 6 weeks, until every phase is completed, and the car is back on the road. Then I have to deliver all this back to the upholstery shop, and he has to fit me into his busy schedule. This is just frustrating as all hell. and totally unnecessary! Why is it that everyone else here can see the poor quality from the pictures, however, Gina and Natalie can't unless I send everything back to them? The lower cushion isn't an issue, only the back. If Gina would remake the back properly, all of this could have been avoided. I even asked why they need both upper and lower to be returned, and have yet to get an answer.
 

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
This is sad......if tgey would have sent Junky another seat cover.....none is this would be an issue.
 
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