Is this price to high for new seat leather?

[autobonrun]

Since I'm essentially complete on my exterior and suspension, I'm turning my attention to my interior. I'd like to stick with leather seats. I stopped at a reputable local upholsterer and was given a price of $1600 to replace the leather on both my front seats. The book they used has all three types of seats available for my model. Mine is listed as the "later style" seat. This would be the stock leather with the perforations in them. Is this the going rate for this type work?

I'm torn between the desire to stay stock and the desire for a harness setup for those limited track days. I found these leather Recaro's. I would then dye the tan inside portion to match my stock saddle color. Quite pricey for seats ($3,000 list)! I'm interested in your thoughts on this style seat as an option to recovering my stock seats, or are these just too overpriced?

79SC

[911Mac]

I got a set of replacement leather seat covers for under $1,000 from a company called GAHH in California. They replace the original leather. I installed them myself, kind of a pain but they look great. You could have an upholstery shop do the install.

[CamB]

Sounds expensive. It would be much cheaper if they were only leather on the bits facing your body (and vinyl elsewhere). I had some done like this, and apparently that is how the Carrera was done.

[autobonrun]

Cam, I had not considered partial leather. I'll look into that also.

911Mac, do you have a website for GAHH or contact info. Also, what was involved in replacement. Just installation, or did parts have to be sewn together? How long did it take you?

[Schrup]

I am getting ready to buy a kit & have it installed, I have sport seats. The kit is $1k & installation should be between $200 & $300 from a yacht guy I found that does side jobs.. I checked a couple places first. Hot rod shop wanted $2k & the restoration shop wanted $1700, both used the Gahh catalog. Try this website & let us know what you decide. http://www.worlduph.com/hubpagePORSCHE.htm World Upholstery

[911Mac]

The url for Gahh is http://www.gahhinc.com/

I would definitely agree that they're expensive. But the only less expensive alternative I found was used seats, which I didn't want to mess with, or some vinyl covers made by a guy in California that could only be had in black (my interior is brown).
The seat covers are exact duplicates of the factory covers and are installed in the same way. No sewing is required.

The seat covers are held on the frame in most places by "hog rings". Its a little hard to describe, but basically there are pieces of cloth material attached to the covers. A metal rod is slid through a loop in the material and the rod and loop slide through a slit in the seat foam and are attached with "hog rings" to some metal at the back of the seat. In some spots, the leather is pierced by metal teeth about 3/4 inches long that passes through the cover and is bent over to secure the seat.

It isn't rocket science, but it isn't easy either. You'll also need an exacto knife to cut holes in the cover where the seat bottom and the seat back are connected together.

[rcilurso]

I really hate to admit this here but I just had mine done yesterday... in vinyl. I'm a sworn leather guy but just could not see spending the prices they were asking for the leather. I went with a very high quality vinyl and I swear it feels as soft and as close to leather as you can imagine. They say you an't perforate vinyl but you can with this stuff. My seat look pretty stinkin good and I had the fronts AND backs done for $650. I actually had the rear inserts done perforated as well and it looks pretty sweet.

[larry47us]

You had the front and back seats done for $650? That sounds pretty cheap to me.

I am getting a set of sport seats, and one of them needs a complete redo. Vinyl and padding. The shop told me that it would cost $600 to do just one seat, and I don't have any idea what the rear seats look like. But assuming that they are OK, I will bet that your supplier could do this seat for me for less than the $600 that was quoted to me, and save me some moollah.

Where are they located, and will you divulge their name?

larry

[rcilurso]

Yup... all four seats and the back rests for $650. The place is called Nordans trim and was recommended to me by the local p-mech. He said to ask him about the vinyl that looks like leather and when I felt it I was sold. I live in Sumter SC and this place in 30 minutes away. For my car it was a good deal.

[larry47us]

Alright, this now sounds too good to be true, but you are living, breathing proof of the quality.

I found the shop listed in switchboard.com, so I have the phone number. Can you give me the name of the guy that you talked to? I would like to call them. Hey, if they will fully reupholster all of the seats for $650, that sounds like the deal for me.

The car that is being built up for me is currently out east, but not in SC. But I can have the shop ship the seats to your guy for the work. I guess if the vinyl matches the existing vinyl, I'm in even better shape, but to spend that money to redo all the seats sounds great.

Do you have a digital camera? Can you take a picture of one of the seats so that I can see for myself? Then I will give the guy a call, and have him ship me a piece of the vinyl for my perusal.

I am rebuilding a 73 911E Targa, and rebuilt sport seats would be the ideal additive to the cockpit. It now has seats from an 80's Porsche, so I need to do something.

thanks in advance.

larry

[rcilurso]

Sure, I spoke to Issac, but the whole family there were good folks. Like I said I got the name from the local Porsche mechanic who had a Jag done. He kept getting comments on the "nice leather". The stiches look great and I love the perforations. Now let me say this. I am an abosulte perfectionist when it comes to car stuff and I do not think these seats are 100%. I do think they look great, do more than fine in my driver (non-concourse) and ya just can't beat the price. The only thing that I'm not completely happy with, thus the not 100%, is they are not as tight as I think they shoud be in a few spots. Ok, I'm super anal.

Drop me a line and I'll take some pics tomorrow or tonight if need be.

Also, for what it's worth, the baddest seat on the market right now is a Cobra Mislalo or something like that. It is a god darn work of art. $1200 each in leather. They would be in my car if I wasn't going though a court case and getting my arse handed to me right now.

[rcilurso]

Ok, here is my non-sport seat in the vinyl. You can see what I mean by not tight enuf in some areas. I am going to have that fixed. But, it is a good feeling material and it looks pretty good.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by rcilurso

, the baddest seat on the market right now is a Cobra Mislalo or something like that. It is a god darn work of art. $1200 each in leather. They would be in my car

that's what I want to read..

where can I see a pic? thanks..............Ron

[rcilurso]

Its a Cobra Misano. Again just my opinion

Look at sube sports

[RoninLB]

thanks RJ..

I think the bolsters are a little bit PIA for mostly street.. I guess I'll have to eyeball it up close........Ron

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by rcilurso
Yup... all four seats and the back rests for $650. The place is called Nordans trim and was recommended to me by the local p-mech. He said to ask him about the vinyl that looks like leather and when I felt it I was sold. I live in Sumter SC and this place in 30 minutes away. For my car it was a good deal.

The seats look great. I don't think I would worry about the spots that might appear loose. You made out in this deal. From 911Mac's description of the work involved, I think I'll wuss out on this exercise of doing the refinishing myself. Besides, it's 102 degrees at night in my garage right now. I won't do any more work on my car for a couple months anyway.

I did talk to the company selling the Recaro's. They are custom built and normally $3600 per pair. When these are sold, I would have to have another set made. I'd like to order them but I keep thinking $3000 for seats; I can buy seats and a car to go around them for that price. Not only that, then I would have to have the tan portion dyed to match the stock color. After giving it some thought, I think I will do one last patch job, then start saving up for a set of leather Recaro's and put my original seats in the attic. Maybe one day, I can have them refinished and and just use the Recaro's for DE events. I appreciate all the good leads because my rears' will need help before long. The padding is disintegrating into a million small pieces. Getting old is hell.

[larry47us]

Originally posted by rcilurso
Ok, here is my non-sport seat in the vinyl. . . . But, it is a good feeling material and it looks pretty good.

I called them this morning. Spoke to Randy the owner. They are going to send me fabric samples of both their black leather and the vinyl they used on your car.

The price is $650 for vinyl (perforated inserts) and $1500 for full leather. I can't wait to see the quality of the materials. Sounds like good pricing to me for leather sport seats, headrests and rear seats. Since I am having this 73E Targa built up from the ground, might as well do the seats right!!

rcilurso, I am probably not going to do this for another 2 months or so, but since you are there, and I am in Chicago, would you consider helping a fellow P-fanatic out? Would you consider doing an inspection on the seats before they are sent back to me? Especially since you are an anal kind of guy, this would be my assurance that the seats were done right before they shipped.

Consider it, and let me know.

larry

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by larry47us
I called them this morning. Spoke to Randy the owner. They are going to send me fabric samples of both their black leather and the vinyl they used on your car.

The price is $650 for vinyl (perforated inserts) and $1500 for full leather. I can't wait to see the quality of the materials. Sounds like good pricing to me for leather sport seats, headrests and rear seats. Since I am having this 73E Targa built up from the ground, might as well do the seats right!!

If they are charging $1500 for full leather front and rear for material, perhaps the quote I received of $1600 for full leather including installation is not out of line; although the quote I got does not include rears. I'm having 2nd thoughts on the Recaro's. By the time I pay for the seats, the dye, the shipping, the harness bar and the harness, it would be in the mid to upper $3000 range. I'm thinking this is too much for a 79 SC. Now if I owned a 993 Turbo, maybe.

[larry47us]

Originally posted by autobonrun
If they are charging $1500 for full leather front and rear for material, perhaps the quote I received of $1600 for full leather including installation is not out of line;

autobonrun:

This quote is not just for material, it is including installation. To me, that sounds Fantastic. Front and Rears, full leather, including installation.

Now I have to decide if I want a leather interior or not. Is it worth an additional $900 for a leather interior? Hmmmmmm.

larry

[rcilurso]

I would be willing to go up and take photos for you of course. I was really impressed with the care they took to make sure the stiching was even. Like I said, I think they could have been tighter but I'm happy. Most of the hard work is done and if I want them taken in it will be less than $100.

Just drop me an email
rcilurso@hotmail.com
rjcilurso@earthlink.net
rj.cilurso@shaw.af.mil