upholstery

[Guest]

Jed is still around and doing the foams as well as steering wheel restorations. Check the Yahoo Squarebirds list to find him, I don't have his contact info handy. I asked him a while back for a price and I recall a figure of $350. Don't quote me on that though.

My leather is in sad shape and I bet the foam will disintegrate when I take it apart. I figure new leather and foam is around $2,100. Ouch.

I've seen some pics somewhere of some black leather that came from Pat Wilson's that looked pretty nice.

I've been to Pat's a few times and he's shown me around the shop while he was doing some restores. He does a good job in all stages that I have seen. He is experienced with the tbird.

[ncbird]

thanks Skyd...I guess if you are doing the restore you are going to make sure your stuff fits. I think I have one of his catalogs.

[YellowRose]

upholstery

If anyone comes up with contact information for Jed Zimmerman please let me know. I have not made contact with him yet. I talked with the man who is going to do my interior. I can probably save some money by getting the back seat and back foam pads from Jed. I am sure I can save some time if I provide my guy with the pads for the back as I am for the front. He wont have to spend time cutting and forming them. He will just have to install them.

If I make contact with Jed, I will let ya'll know.

[RustyNCa]

Hey Yellowrose, I had a local guy rebuild the rear seat foam on my olds and install all the seat covers front and rear for it for $400, his rates are very reasonable, you want me to ask him what he would charge to make a set of seat foam of the bird? I already talked with him about rebuilding the foam on my 65 and again his rates were very fair.

Maybe it is because of all the work I and my friends have brought him? So far he has done my olds, top on my camaro, my friends rat rod, his belair twice, Chris's 56 gaser and his 56 Belair, door panels on my 65 and will be doing the top on my olds..... and someday the interior on the 58.... I think he likes all of us

[tbird430]

Here is/was Jed's old e-mail address that I had on file:

Ca58tbird@aol.com

Let me know if it works, as he might have changed this after he moved from San Pedro, CA.

[YellowRose]

upholstery

Hi Tbird & Rusty,

I just wrote Jed at that Ca AOL addy you gave me. So far, it has not been rejected or come back. I will see if he answers.

Rusty, yes, I would like very much to find out what it would cost for your friend to make a set of back seat foam pads for my '59 Tbird. Below this post are the pictures of what it looks like. I guess you could show him those. He probably would need the dimensions of the seat. I guess I could get those for him by measuring mine. My local guy wants $400 to make and install those pads. And come to think of it, I dont recall that he said "and install"... It might have just been to make them.

So anything you can find out will be appreciated. So far, that email I sent to Jed has not been returned or rejected, so maybe he got it. By now I would think I would have received a "User Unknown" type of daemon email back from AOL. Thanks, guys!

Best Regards,

[YellowRose]

upholstery

I just came off of Tbirds.org. I saw one or two familiar names over there, including that of Jed Zimmerman in the membership listing. He was not online, but I noted that he is still using that ca58 aol email address there. So I emailed him from there and asked about the rear seat/back foam pads. Maybe later today, I will get a response. If so, I will let you know what he says.

Best Regards,

[YellowRose]

upholstery

I just got a reply to my email from Jed Zimmerman! He answered me using his ca58tbird@aol.com email address. He also gave me permission to post his story regarding his '58 Tbird restoration. Here it is.

http://tbird.org/gallery/gallery/zimmerman.htm

He IS also still in the business of making rear seat foam padding. Here is what he had to say.

"Ray, thank you for your inquiry. Yes I quite often fabricate new rear seat foams for birders the world over. You are correct that there is no aftermarket source for rear seat foams. I will attach several pictures of the fabrication process which shows the finished foams. The cost is $325 for the set plus about $22 for shipping and insurance. Please feel free to email me back or call me at 612-708-2144. You can also email me to askhow@aol.com.

Best Birding,
Jed Zimmerman"

So there ya go! Now anyone who wants to have their rear seat foam padding replaced can do so. We still have a source, and that is great! Later on, I will post the pictures he sent, on photobucket, but right now, I have to get ready to go and celebrate my granddaughter Faith's 5th birthday!

Best Regards,

[YellowRose]

upholstery

I just added the pictures that Jed sent me of his back seat and back rest foam pads to Photobucket. If you want to see his handiwork, you can go here.

http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/YellowBirdOfTexas/

See below on how to contact him and the cost of the foam pads. They are cheaper than what was quoted to me by the guy who is going to do my interior, and will save him the time of having to make them.

[tbird430]

GOOD NEWS!! I'm glad that e-mail address was still current. Like I said Jed is a great guy, and an asset to our T-Bird community.

I'll update the phone # he gave you as mine was different (since he moved from Cali).

-Jon

[Anders]

Great news guys! Thanks for chasing him up.
Will order a rear seat foam in time for the winter.

[YellowRose]

upholstery

I just had an enjoyable conversation with Jed Zimmerman, up in Minnesota! Not only does he still do the rear seat foam pads, but he also still does the steering wheel full restoration. If you need your steering wheel restored, he can do it for you, using sealers and paint that will not chip. He is a very enjoyable person to talk with.

[dgs]

So my memory of $350 was spot on I guess.

Rusty - Did you ever get a price from your guy?

[YellowRose]

upholstery

Hi DGS,

Yup, you nearly nailed the $350. It is actually $347.50, which includes shipping in the U.S., and insurance. I will order my set since they are already formed for our Squarebirds and my interior guy will not have to take time to make them to fit. All he will have to do is install the set.