Re-Upholster Seats?

[PaulProe]

Has anyone reupholstered the steel framed seats to get a different covering? I am about to embark on this path and hoping someone can share any knowledge

Thanks

Paul

[Number Six]

I'm going with a Tan interior, so I had mine recovered. It's not something you could easily do yourself, unless you have the right tools (industrial sewing machine) and skill. I chose a really good looking vinyl rather than going with leather. Vinyl wears better, is much cheaper, and can be repaired invisibly if it gets cut. With the good vinyls it's hard to tell they're not real leather even by feeling them.

[abloor]

I've a MK III with a tan interior and the seats have received some damage and are worn. I've tried finding tan interior parts from FF with little success. The new seats are produced by Cobra Seats in the UK. Their website offers "Historic" "Roadster XL" seats in black vinyl and a variety of leathers. I am trying to contact the company for tan leather seats and will post my success (or lack thereof) story. The US supplier (Sube) and the local dealer in Knoxville indicates only black vinyl Historic Roadster XL seats, so I am assuming this is a direct-to-the-manufacturer process.

If that does not work, I will have a set of black vinyl seats recovered by a local Hot rod interior shop. I'll keep this thread in mind for updates.

[Derald Rice]

I had a set of subesport clubmans (aka street performer) recovered 3 years ago. No regrets, I picked the material, and a local upholsterer did it for me. It was really surprising to see how little padding was in the seats originally. They are now padded much better and they are even more comfortable now.

[abloor]

I received a reply from Sube Motorsports, the US supplier of Cobra Seats, in reply to my questions of the company in the UK. The cost for "Historic Roadster XL" seats in tan leather is $1299.95 plus $250.00 air freight charges from the UK ( and that is PER SEAT). The seats could be manufactured and delivered in a time frame of approximately three weeks. I am on my way to a local Hot Rod upholstery shop with a pair of brand new Historic Roadster XL seats in black vinyl to look into the costs of re-upholstering. I sense it will be less than $3099.90.

[PaulProe]

Al,
I ended up using a local guy to re-upholster the black seats. I provided the material to him and he did it for $400. Turned out an excellent job. If you strike out there and need his name, post me back

Paul

[abloor]

Latest chapter in the upholstery story; took the seats to a local shop with a good reputation. With quality tan leather the cost is $650 per seat. Doesn't look like a low budget event to me.

[Cobra232]

Wow I love this car in Portofino Blue. Al I just got done looking at the pics you have posted of your car. The tan interior is going to look great! Post some pics when you get her finished!

[abloor]

Thanks. The car has been finished for almost two years now. Generally, I simply got tired of the poor upholstery job on my original seats. I also had a few instances of installation damage and some wear on the seats. I am not much for pictures but will try to remember to post a few after the seats are reinstalled.

[STEVO]

I bought a MK111 and thought the standard seats were cheapo.. The up charge to leather seats were to unresonably high..
Being an upholster by trade I thought that I would redue them myself down the road..
Well I did one of the seats and then the season came for driving. Well the seats are complex to some extent, but very basic. The stock padding is a joke, the foam is sub par.
Having completed the one chair, it is like night and day. Seening there are many variations of leather if you go with it make sure you get a sample prior.
Leather is natural and will wrinkle and wear like iron. No matter what kind of vinyl you get it is still made from oil.
Much of the cost is the labor when getting anything reupholstered. It is an art and you only get one shot to do it right. The original seats are probably made in some sweat shop with the cheapest materials. A reupholstered seat is done better because the final product is a direct reflection of his expertice----thus the cost....--...stevo