Subject: Leather Or Not??

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>From: Jpinkowish@aol.com
>Subject: Leather Or Not??
>
>>I have the opportunity to buy a gray leather interior for my silver '85
>4kq(185K miles).  Currently have the gray cloth that is in good+ condition,
>with exc. blk. carpet.
>
>Asking price:
>$100US(seats, doors, and excellent leather wheel. Carpet is marginal)
>

Take it - the price is right!



>Condition:
>Passenger side-	Excellent all around; 
>Driver side-			Split diagonal seams at the upper front corners of the seat
>back(3-4" splits) and some moderate abrasive wear on the lower doorside
>seatback bolster.  Seat cushions are firm; only minor surface wear on the
>outer seat cushion bolster.  Backside of seat is excellent.
>Rear-				seat cushion is excellent.  Seat back has 2 split seams on the top
>surface between the two head rests.  Each split is about 4" long.  Otherwise,
>excellent.
>Door panels-		fronts and passenger rear are excellent.  Driver rear has a
>small warp in the bottom portion. 
>Generally, all cushions are firm.  The leather is slightly firm but not hard,
>cracked, scratched, or faded. 
>
>Questions:  
>- -Buy/no buy?  

Buy!


>- -Fair price?  

Yes.

>- -People's experience with repairing split seams?

BTDT - these seats come apart with a little head scratching and cussing,
but it is far from rocket science. The seams will have to be re-sewn at an
auto-upholstery shop because they have the heavy duty stuff to do it. Make
SURE they are willing to work on a seat that YOU have taken apart - some
won't!!!! Be aware that the cover will probably not fit EXACTLY the same
way as it came off, but after a few weeks it will settle into postion and
no one will ever know.


>- -Condition/soften the leather before repairing the splits? People's
experience
>with softeners(I read Dan Hussey's post in the 12/29 vol. 3274 digest)?

Yes. Do this before you install the (repaired) seats - that way you can get
at everything without being a contortionist.


>- -Does the driver seat easily disassemble to remove the seat back cover(I'm
>mechanically competent)?

Yes. Again, a little thought and some grunting may be called for.

>- -Should I just get some really good wine for the new year and enjoy the
>interior I already own?
>


I did exactly this on my 5K - got a blue 87 leather interior from lister
Brian Armstead who was parting out a car, fixed one seam, conditioned all
the leather, installed seats and door panels. It went into my silver 86 5KS.

Looks absolutely terrific!!!!!

Observations: More work than I expected, but totally satisfied on completion.

Car seems noticeably quieter and solid-feeling. Evidently the leather seats
have better sound-damping that the original cloth seats.

EVERYONE admires the leather interior - even "non-car people" - and at the
risk of being politically incorrect, females especially seem to like it.
(No opinion or conclusions should be drawn from this statement - this is
ONLY an observation and YMMV.)

Do it!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman