leather restoration - any experiences?
Discussion
good or bad, please share.
i have been offered a fellow pher's car [911] for an attractive price. the main reason i'm dithering is that the interior has seen better days and needs the leather restoring/re-connolising. he has had this priced up but i am worried as to how effective this is and how often it would need re-touching? it'd be a daily driver for me so would be a pain if dye is rubbing off on clothes and it looks rubbish in a few months.
before/after pics and anecdotes from anyone who's had it done would be most helpful.
i have been offered a fellow pher's car [911] for an attractive price. the main reason i'm dithering is that the interior has seen better days and needs the leather restoring/re-connolising. he has had this priced up but i am worried as to how effective this is and how often it would need re-touching? it'd be a daily driver for me so would be a pain if dye is rubbing off on clothes and it looks rubbish in a few months.
before/after pics and anecdotes from anyone who's had it done would be most helpful.
Been there, seen it and done it 
It's not a difficult process, just a bit detailed at times . . . have a look at the results this lot can turn out, for not a huge amount of money.
http://www.leathercaredirect.com/renovation.php
ETA: To answer your question on wear rates, if done properly, its almost as wear resistant as new
It's not a difficult process, just a bit detailed at times . . . have a look at the results this lot can turn out, for not a huge amount of money.
http://www.leathercaredirect.com/renovation.php
ETA: To answer your question on wear rates, if done properly, its almost as wear resistant as new
Edited by AndrewW-G on Sunday 7th August 15:06
There's really nothing to be too concerned about. I've been using gliptone scuffmaster on the p38s seats and it's really not that complicated. What matters is time and being methodical and thorough. Brilliant results are possible but it does take time particularly getting the leather clean enough to be able to apply the treatment.
Gents
As an update, The Furniture Clinic have finished refrurbishing my Mexico interior and i'm chuffed to bits with the results:-
Before
After
The colour was matched to a section of the original that was hidden under the rear arm-rest if you were thinking that the colour is different...
Paul
As an update, The Furniture Clinic have finished refrurbishing my Mexico interior and i'm chuffed to bits with the results:-
Before
After
The colour was matched to a section of the original that was hidden under the rear arm-rest if you were thinking that the colour is different...
Paul
Where there is a split section they glue something to the back to hold it together. It works really well. Small wholes can be fixed that way too. After reading an article in Octane I took my seats to the Leather Conservation Centre at Northampton University for them to work their magic on my seats. They came up a treat, pity I've abused them so much since :-)
http://www.leatherconservation.org
They were working on a old Victorian carriage when I was visited them, its amazing what can be done with old leather.
http://www.leatherconservation.org
They were working on a old Victorian carriage when I was visited them, its amazing what can be done with old leather.
The cracking in old leather is in the coloured coating which The Furniture Clinic strip off as part of the perparation. Any serious cracks are then filled with a flexible filler before the colour finish is re-applied.
There was a serious cut across 3 flutes in the rear seat base which they replaced and again you just can't see which are new, and which is original.
After the prep and repairs, they apply the colour which is custom mixed. It's quite a skilled process and they originally quoted £600 for the seats only off a photo, but with all the door cards, front and rear centre consol parts, replacement new gear lever and handbrake gaiters, and the leather repairs the cost is circa £1,000. It may sound quite a lot compared to the ebay kits etc, but the finish is very professional and Craig (at the Furniture Clinic) was very good to deal with. Compared to a full re-trim, I think it's amazing value and keeps an element of originality which is sometimes lost with a re-trim
There was a serious cut across 3 flutes in the rear seat base which they replaced and again you just can't see which are new, and which is original.
After the prep and repairs, they apply the colour which is custom mixed. It's quite a skilled process and they originally quoted £600 for the seats only off a photo, but with all the door cards, front and rear centre consol parts, replacement new gear lever and handbrake gaiters, and the leather repairs the cost is circa £1,000. It may sound quite a lot compared to the ebay kits etc, but the finish is very professional and Craig (at the Furniture Clinic) was very good to deal with. Compared to a full re-trim, I think it's amazing value and keeps an element of originality which is sometimes lost with a re-trim
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