Hey folks,
im getting ready to recover my seats with colorplus, and I've got a question on the seat sides and door cards - are these vinyl or leather?

I read somewhere that the VDP should have all leather seats and the non VDP has vinyl sides. My car is a Canadian V12 VDP, 1988. ( XJ12)

I can see that the sides/back of the seat and some parts of the door card are a different type of material, and I reckon some of you experts can set me straight

 

I'm not sure about the seats, but you can easily check by taking it out and looking round the back to see the edge/back of the material.

Door trims and centre console are almost invariably vinyl. Some very high spec cars like the UK Daimler versions did have extra leather but it is difficult to know what went to the US as Daimler versions weren't sold there.

 

the door cards are vinyl.

 

On mine (Also 1988 Canadian VDP) the door trim panels themselves are vinyl but the armrests and storage cubbies are leather. Seats are leather only on the actual seating surfaces.

This vintage of Canadian Ser III VDPs was not the *highest* spec in every respect. Some of the later versions were higher.... full blown Daimler DD6 level.

Some of the USA Ser III VDPs (which were 6 cylinder cars) were close to DD6 spec.

It's all very confusing . Lots of variances from year-to-year and according to market as well.

FWIW. My 1988 XJS had a true 'full leather' interior: door panels, the entire console, all areas of the seats, etc.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks guys, Doug's explaination is what I suspected. So Jaguar decided to shortchange the canucks on the vdp after giving them the v12, huh

I've also been told by some on the other forum that my seats were not the sovereign seats that should come with the vdp, I assumed this was due to regional variances with Jags

 

You should have the seats that look essentially the same as the standard XJ6 seat but they're a bit bigger...at least the front seats. The style and pleats look like standard XJ6.

(or...dang it....maybe a bit smaller? Now I'm getting myself confused)

You should not have the 'flat' style used on USA VDPs or DD6s.

Cheers
DD

 

I'm also redoing all my interior. If you would like to talk with my upholstery guy, let me know. Please, send me an email or private msg. He has a pretty good knowledge.
Debbie.

 

Here's some rear seats that are individual buckets and quite different from my bench seat in the rear

Art and Machine - 1979-1986 Jaguar XJ6; 1982-1986 Jaguar Vanden Plas | Hemmings Motor News

To quote: "An even more upscale Series III variant arrived for 1982: the $32,000 Vanden Plas. This Jaguar treaded on Bentley territory with its special metallic paint colors and hand-painted coach stripes, as well as sheepskin fleece throw rugs, a burl walnut-trimmed dash, console and door panels, and swiveling rear compartment reading lamps. Connolly leather covered the seats, door panels and console, and the rear compartment swapped a bench seat for two individually sculpted buckets separated by a fold-down center armrest with integral storage."

 

Right, that's the USA "VDP". Essentially the same as DD6

But only six cylinders!

Cheers
DD