BAD SMELL in old Porsches interior tapestry

[tigrao]

Please,
someone knows and could explain the reason to old Porsches presents bad smell into the cabin? An acid smell suggesting degradation of the tapestry material or glues. The vynil degradation or leather degradation or foam molded parts (seats/ dashboards/ door painel etc...) degradation. Rubber or roof heat isolating material. ??? Where could be the source of this bad smell .
I can use more the car with close winfdows and nominee for a long time with the open window. It's impossible.
Rgds
Tigrao.

[Mark at Pelican Parts]

It would be interesting to know if the car was involved in a flooding incident in its past. Probably wouldn't emit an acid smell but could be something similar.

Anyone experience a similar issue with their interior?

[SiberianDVM]

Only if you pull up the rear seat cushions and expose the padding. Whatever that stuff is, it has some serious pong.

[wgirardot]

are you sure it is not the typical porsche air-cooled smell of: leather, vinyl, fuel, hot metal, oil ?

Bill

[TheSt|G]

Something bad must have happened to yours, because mine smells glorious.

[dpizi]

Check for a leak around the windshield. I had an 83 SC that leaked pretty bad in heavy rain and it got the carpets wet. Mine never smelled bad but I think it would have if I had not dried them out. Ended up replacing the windshield and seals.

[wwest]

"ACID smell" as in sulfur or sewer gas..?

Most commonly because the battery is being overcharged, boiling the electrolyte, the resulting gas seeps into the cabin

[tirwin]

When I first bought my car it had a bad "musty" smell. I know what everyone is talking about when they say the old Porsche smell, but this was not that smell -- it was more like a damp basement smell. It made me want to redo the interior. When I pulled the old headliner out it was nasty on the back side -- covered in mildew. When I pulled the factory seats out I found mildew on the bottoms of them as well.

That being said, I would not describe the smell as "acid". If you are truly smelling something acidic, then I would go along with wwest and check the battery. At least that would give you some peace of mind.

[Nick Triesch]

Old air cooled Porsche cars and old air cooled VW bugs have a similar smell. I love it! I want it! I would wear it as after shave! But I would no longer have a Wife! I would have to go on Porsche rides by myself. Mmmmmmmmm.

[Oh Haha]

Well weathered leather, hot metal and oil....

[mreid]

I think he said targas smell bad.