Leather seats

[Dhc2124]

Has anyone puchased the leather replacement covers for your front seats? Is this a job best left to an upholstery shop? Are there any good sources for the replacement covers?
Thank you in advance.

[epbrown]

I came close. last year at the Tweeks rally in downstate IL, they had a set for $80 (real leather, black) and the tag said "professional install" recommended. I asked someone who worked there why, and he went into a very detailed explanation of everything that would be necessary. I took a pass on the covers and the work; all I've got is a single rip in the driver's bolster and some faded spots. I can fix those much more easily myself.

Emanuel

[jguthr]

You might have just as much luck, if not more, asking a good upholstery shop to do the whole thing. This is what I did last year with my 73 T and I had them bolster the lumbar and sides while they were at it. They did both seats, all-over leather (including the head rests) for $525. Granted, I provided them with the leather, so you could tack on up to a couple hundred depending on hide quality. Anyway, I was very happy with the results.

[island911]

What type of seats are you asking about?
Sport seats? pre '74?

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'81 Platinum Metalic SC Coupe

[epbrown]

Jguthr, they did a good job! I like the carpets as well.

Emanuel

[warment]

Jguthr,

Nice ride! I have a 73 T myself but the interior has not been restored yet. I hope mine turns out as well as yours did!

Bill

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William Armentrout
1973 911T
2.7 carerra rs specs
www.geocities.com/william_armentrout

[pwd72s]

VERY nice! My '72 has leather sports seats. My wife often says she preferred the standard seats that were in the old '70T. Uh, anybody want to swap? JUST KIDDING! But a great job by an unnamed shop. I'm sure Wayne would say it's okay to give them a plug...

[don911]

I looked into this a while back when I was looking for sport seats. An upholstery shop told me that they got their skins from a company called Gahh. They have a website with samples of their porsche leather. They also have different patterns. I think their price was around $!K for the the leather kit. The upholstery shop was going to charge me around $1100 for the kit and another $700-1000 to install. The did mention that they rebuild the foam in the seat and side bolsters for that $1K.(I would hope so)
My search for sport seats is now narrowed to blue seats since recovering cost is so high.
Anyone have a spare set of blue sports seats for a late 80's car, give me a call.

Don
87 coupe

[GIBSON]

jguthr, great looking interior. Are the mats sisal? I'm having a hard time finding
a charcoal set for my 73, any idea where I can find them? I've seen Cocoa mats but
I think yours are sisal...
Thanks

Bruce Herrmann
73911S Coupe

[jguthr]

In fact, I was looking around for a set of early Sport Seats, but as you all probably know that's not an easy task and I would've likely had to refinish them anyway because I wanted to maintain the original color (brown). So, I settled for re-foaming and re-upholstering the original seats. I love 'em. The leather vendor did a perfect job of color matching, as did the upholsterer (with the piping). I told them I wanted them to feel as close to a sport seat as possible and they knew exactly what to do. Paul - as a fellow Oregonian you can probably guess who did the job....Guy's Interiors in Portland. Don - $1100 for front seat leather is a rip-off. I deal with cowhide for a living and I'm telling you, even with the recent foot-and-mouth and mad-cow epidemics they're making a killing at that price. Top grade leather can be had for less than $3.00/sq ft. Do the math. Bruce - I have no idea where you could get a set of sisal mats. I don't know if mine are sisal or cocoa. How can I tell? They came with the car, they protect the original carpeting underneath and I really haven't paid much attention to them. BTW - Thanks everyone for the compliments. I thoroughly enjoy the car.

[GIBSON]

I think those are sisal, cocoa have a much broader weave. Both are nice but the tighter sisal weave works better for me.
In the 70's and 80's those were easy to find, now it's all Lloyd mats. Just hoping to get the old look for my 73S. I'm going to post some photos of the interior for you guys opinions, I just put the original Haragan carpet back in, only available in charcoal color now. The rest of the interior is black and brown.

Bruce Herrmann

[Dhc2124]

Thanks for all the good input. This for my 84 911 cab. I may try a sheepskin seat covers for a little while just to buy some time. It would be nice to keep the car to original specs.