door top repair?

SCWDP911 · SCWDP911's Garage

Some of you may remember my recent attempt to clean out the inside of my 83 cabriolet by leaving the top down when a monsoon hit the area unexpectedly. Everything dried out well. I sure appreciate the words of advice and encouragement I received when it happened. Overall, it turned out to not be such a big deal afterall. That all said, it did leave it's mark on one piece of the car. The door tops. The leather cover on both shrank to the point that they have lifted from the base piece (not sure what they are made of, but it looks like leather grained plastic maybe - definitely a pebble grain in it).

I searched around but have not found anything on replacing the leather wrap on these tops. Has anyone gone through this. Is there somewhere to buy those pieces to glue on, or are you money ahead to try and find a decent set of used ones?

Thanks all!

Rot 911 · 06-27-2008, 06:32 AM

Two things to consider. One, They just glue the leather on over the quality vinyl used in the non leather optioned cars. If you wanted you could peel off the leather, clean up the glue and leave as is. Two, the top piece is just held on by a couple of screws. I think it would be fairly cheap to remove and have the piece recovered locally.

SCWDP911 · SCWDP911's Garage

Thanks Kurt, that is an option to have it done locally, but my local guy is REALLY proud of his work and he knows he is the only show in town without going to Memphis or Nashville. I guess it won't hurt to get a quote.

1982911SCTarga · 06-27-2008, 06:42 AM

Why not post a WTB ad in the classifieds here? I don't think good used replacement door tops would be that spendy, unless you're looking for an oddball interior color match of some sort.

Brian

SCWDP911 · SCWDP911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1982911SCTarga

Why not post a WTB ad in the classifieds here? I don't think good used replacement door tops would be that spendy, unless you're looking for an oddball interior color match of some sort.

Brian

That was one of my options that I am considering Brian... I just wanted to see if anyone had recovered them before and the difference in cost. I know I have seen somewhere that sells the leather trimmed out for that piece, just can't remember where or how much... I know it is not World Upholstery. Oh and I just need plain old black, but any color is fine as long as it is in good shape, as I still have my leatherique black dye.

3.2 CAB · 06-27-2008, 12:46 PM

Just go buy a piece of leather at a saddle or boot shop and install it yourself. It isn't rocket science. Just use a quality, brush-on contact cement type of adhesive. Or you could go to a fabric store and see if they have any thin, lightly grained black leather, or even a good quality piece of black vinyl material. Only a couple of screws hold the piece in place. Very simple to recover if you want to give it a try. Good luck!! Tony.

SCWDP911 · SCWDP911's Garage

Hey Tony. How have you been?

My concern about just buying a piece is the way that the leather has been formed on that base piece. I think they use steam and molds typically, that is why I was wondering about one of the upholstery places like World, etc.

I wonder if thin leather would stretch and mold to the shape and look right in the end?

83-911SC cab · 83-911SC cab's Garage

Funny you mention this as I was kind of looking for some red interior bits and came across 928 leather in some dash recovering posts. I went to their site and wallah...just about ever interior part in leather, vinyl, or alcantra. It looks like they put a French seam in their but maybe you can ask about normal? I have not bought any of their product so I have no idea on quality just trying to help out.

Either way good luck.

http://928leathershop.com/Dashboard,_Console_and_Panel_Covers.html

Gregg

ajmarton · 06-27-2008, 11:49 PM

Try Paul at champagn@stx.rr.com He does fantastic work on 928 interiors like seats, center console, instrument pods and arm rests - all terribly difficult pieces. You can ship the pieces to him and he will ship back. He will even send you leather samples to match original leather. He did that we me on a seat redo. Great guy. Tell him Andrew from the 928 Rennlist forum referred you. Good luck.

3.2 CAB · 06-28-2008, 02:21 PM

Hi Shane, I have been so-so. Thanks for asking! How about you? I have been keeping up with you U-Boat experiment, sorry about that happening. Just be glad it didn't happen on a DME car. I have seen some of them collect so much rain in the floorboard under the drivers seat, it fried some of the components, being there is constant power supplied to some.
I have to have another surgery 7-1. Have you had any luck on the door panel top pieces yet? If you have not been able to have it done or locate the materials for you to do it yourself, after a couple of weeks, I could probably do it for you, if you can decide what type of cover material you want to go with. PM me a little later. Tony.

MBAtarga · 06-28-2008, 05:55 PM

I recall someone on this site removed the leather and was planning to clean up the vinyl and use them as is - until they uncovered the other door top - and found it was a different color vinyl. Apparently, the factory wasn't too picky about the color of the vinyl interior components when they were going to be covered for the factory leather option.