Repair of aging & cracked leather seats
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From: Old Town, Fl.
Repair of aging & cracked leather seats
My '99 XK8 had not been all that well cared for over its life and in the 7 years before I bought it had been someone's 'winter car' here in Florida and had been driven an average of about 1000 miles a YEAR and probably sat outside year round. It's going to need a complete repaint in the not distant future and I've been plugging a way over the last 3 years doing catch-up repairs.
Anyway it has had a fairly deep set of cracks in the driver's seat and was beginning to come apart along one of the seams on the outboard side of the driver's side backrest. I could probably get a set of front seat leather 'skins' for about $800-1000 and have them installed by the local upholstery guy for another couple of hundred but I only drive this car about 3000 miles a year and I have other priorities for my money at the moment. Besides I like working on things and learning new skills so I looked around and settled on a company that specializes in leather and vinyl renewal products and how to articles.
Here's the result of that search and their products in a few pictures. I still have a bit more work to do on a couple of small areas but considering that I had never done anything remotely like this before I think it's a marked improvement. Believe me, if I can do this anyone of us can do it as well and for a cost of under $35 and a couple of nights work in my family room while watching TV it's a bargain.
I removed the seat (4 torq headed bolts and one electrical disconnect and it lifts right out) so I could more easily do everything but smaller jobs could be done in the car.
By the way, the busted threads in the seat back required that I get a fairly stout curved needle combined with a light colored thread that would absorb the paint and disappear. I then carefully sewed the seam; not as difficult as you might think so just be patient, it's leather after all not tissue paper.
The first couple of pictures are obviously before and my sewing skills are only boy scout average at best but at 10 feet it deserves a passing grade<G> The first ones show what I started with. The next couple of shots are after repairs but before any leather paint and the last couple are of the seat almost finished. I still have a couple of small defects that need attention.
The web site for the company I dealt with is here:
https://www.leatherrenew.com/product...ithout-sprayer
and their "kit" includes enough material to do at least two seats with paint, filler, adhesion additive, rubber gloves, paint strainer, brushes. patch panels, etc. It's a bargain in my book.
Follow the instructions carefully, apply the paint sparingly and in thin layers, and if you have any deep slits like I had get a tube of Loctite flexible vinyl/fabric adhesive (available at Wal-Mart) and you're ready to go.
Anyway it has had a fairly deep set of cracks in the driver's seat and was beginning to come apart along one of the seams on the outboard side of the driver's side backrest. I could probably get a set of front seat leather 'skins' for about $800-1000 and have them installed by the local upholstery guy for another couple of hundred but I only drive this car about 3000 miles a year and I have other priorities for my money at the moment. Besides I like working on things and learning new skills so I looked around and settled on a company that specializes in leather and vinyl renewal products and how to articles.
Here's the result of that search and their products in a few pictures. I still have a bit more work to do on a couple of small areas but considering that I had never done anything remotely like this before I think it's a marked improvement. Believe me, if I can do this anyone of us can do it as well and for a cost of under $35 and a couple of nights work in my family room while watching TV it's a bargain.
I removed the seat (4 torq headed bolts and one electrical disconnect and it lifts right out) so I could more easily do everything but smaller jobs could be done in the car.
By the way, the busted threads in the seat back required that I get a fairly stout curved needle combined with a light colored thread that would absorb the paint and disappear. I then carefully sewed the seam; not as difficult as you might think so just be patient, it's leather after all not tissue paper.
The first couple of pictures are obviously before and my sewing skills are only boy scout average at best but at 10 feet it deserves a passing grade<G> The first ones show what I started with. The next couple of shots are after repairs but before any leather paint and the last couple are of the seat almost finished. I still have a couple of small defects that need attention.
The web site for the company I dealt with is here:
https://www.leatherrenew.com/product...ithout-sprayer
and their "kit" includes enough material to do at least two seats with paint, filler, adhesion additive, rubber gloves, paint strainer, brushes. patch panels, etc. It's a bargain in my book.
Follow the instructions carefully, apply the paint sparingly and in thin layers, and if you have any deep slits like I had get a tube of Loctite flexible vinyl/fabric adhesive (available at Wal-Mart) and you're ready to go.
