Notices
944 Turbo and Turbo-S Forum 1982-1991
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Clore Automotive

Best value leather upholstery available?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-12-2021, 08:32 PM
  #1  
s85b50
Racer
Thread Starter
 
s85b50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: global
Posts: 405
Received 46 Likes on 42 Posts
Default Best value leather upholstery available?

Looking for leatherette(vinyl on the side and rest leather) replacement upholstery for an '89 turbo. I am looking for a factory finish.

I searched the forum and it seems most refer to classic 9, but I have seen some threads stating that it is NLA.
I have also found a long time eBay seller who sells leather&vinyl upholstery, but unsure if Rennlisters have used him. Feedbacks would be appreciated.

I am also open to any other suggestions.
Old 02-12-2021, 08:55 PM
  #2  
996AE
Rennlist Member
 
996AE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SoCal
Posts: 7,535
Received 1,450 Likes on 956 Posts
Default

My local upholstery shop had a good line on German leather and vinyl

Seem its readily available and matches 1980s Porsche colors exactly

Old 02-12-2021, 08:56 PM
  #3  
Chapman951
Pro
 
Chapman951's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Arcata, California
Posts: 618
Received 48 Likes on 38 Posts
Default

https://www.only944.com/partscatalog/only/seatcovers/
Old 02-12-2021, 09:14 PM
  #4  
MAGK944
Nordschleife Master
 
MAGK944's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 6,769
Received 295 Likes on 231 Posts
Default

Pretty sure Kyle doesn’t do leather, only vinyl. Last time I looked the best 944 specific seat work was @lart951 or Classic 9, and I think C9 still does seats for the 944 they just stopped doing dashes.

Btw the kits sold by eBay seller Lseat are very poor quality and don’t last, amhik.
Old 02-12-2021, 09:18 PM
  #5  
s85b50
Racer
Thread Starter
 
s85b50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: global
Posts: 405
Received 46 Likes on 42 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by MAGK944
Pretty sure Kyle doesn’t do leather, only vinyl. Last time I looked the best 944 specific seat work was @lart951 or Classic 9, and I think C9 still does seats for the 944 they just stopped doing dashes.

Btw the kits sold by eBay seller Lseat are very poor quality and don’t last, amhik.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-944...0AAOSwM91abokS

Are you talking about this seller's?
Old 02-12-2021, 10:45 PM
  #6  
Mike Goebel
Burning Brakes
 
Mike Goebel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SoCal Baby!
Posts: 806
Received 76 Likes on 65 Posts
Default

I have read some reviews and this stuff is pretty ok

Leather seat Covers

As usual I waited too long and they are now $829 instead of $700. hahaha

Mike G.
Old 02-13-2021, 09:47 AM
  #7  
MAGK944
Nordschleife Master
 
MAGK944's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 6,769
Received 295 Likes on 231 Posts
Default

No, this is the Lseat you need to avoid, he has sold by various names on eBay. Very cheap but really thin and poor quality leather.

That link you posted looks like pretty good quality but do your research, with leather the more you spend generally means the higher the quality of both leather and workmanship.
Old 02-13-2021, 04:07 PM
  #8  
Millermatic
Rennlist Member
 
Millermatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Maryland
Posts: 503
Received 129 Likes on 102 Posts
Default Only944

As stated... it’s vinyl... but I’ll vouch for Only944. Kyle sent me lots of samples and got me two tone covers I’m very happy with. I’ll see if I can find a picture.

The rear covers could have used better instructions... and I had to bolster the cushions to get it to stretch right... but it worked.

I used Classic 9 for reupholstering my dash. Great stuff... I just wasn’t quite willing to shell out $$$ for the seats. I had other priorities.

See below. I’ll eventually redo the door cards in two-tone to match.

Last edited by Millermatic; 02-13-2021 at 05:08 PM.
The following users liked this post:
VanDuro (05-20-2022)
Old 02-16-2021, 10:08 AM
  #9  
will951
Rennlist Member
 
will951's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Durham, CT
Posts: 1,266
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Millermatic
As stated... it’s vinyl... but I’ll vouch for Only944. Kyle sent me lots of samples and got me two tone covers I’m very happy with.

See below. I’ll eventually redo the door cards in two-tone to match.
I am also about to recover a set of sport seats. My intention was to purchase the only944 kit.....but that area at the shoulder height concerns me. Seems pretty consistent on the examples I see using the kit. Any feedback on that Millermatic? Maybe it has tightened up?
Old 02-16-2021, 11:13 AM
  #10  
Gage
Rennlist Member
 
Gage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,531
Received 330 Likes on 267 Posts
Default

Those look quite amateurish to me. Perhaps with a professional install they could be better but the segmented quality of the curves suggest the sewing is not to a high standard. Concessions for an affordable alternative I suppose.
Here are the shapes originally achieved by Recaro.

Old 02-16-2021, 11:25 AM
  #11  
Millermatic
Rennlist Member
 
Millermatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Maryland
Posts: 503
Received 129 Likes on 102 Posts
Default

A bit. You can use a heat gun and stretch and mold it. It's a multi-part problem. The underlying foam needed work. The covers are, as has been stated, cheap(ish). I'm not an upholsterer... and so forth.

I used the money I saved over Classic 9 (it would have cost several thousand dollars) and put it towards rebuilding my head, turbo and a host of other parts. Getting the seats perfect wasn't really high on my list right now.

Old 02-16-2021, 11:36 AM
  #12  
Millermatic
Rennlist Member
 
Millermatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Maryland
Posts: 503
Received 129 Likes on 102 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Gage
Those look quite amateurish to me. Perhaps with a professional install they could be better but the segmented quality of the curves suggest the sewing is not to a high standard. Concessions for an affordable alternative I suppose.
Here are the shapes originally achieved by Recaro.
Well... Some perspective is probably in order. I was looking at Classic 9 (used them for the dash). But the covers for the front seats are $1000. Installation is another $940. Plus, presumably, a couple hundred dollars to ship my seats to them.

I paid $370-ish and did it myself. With zero experience. The money I saved went to learning to rebuild the engine. I'll redo the seats after I've had a chance to actually enjoy having the car back together for a while.

Old 02-16-2021, 11:56 AM
  #13  
Gage
Rennlist Member
 
Gage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,531
Received 330 Likes on 267 Posts
Default

I hear you man, priorities. You're driving your car which is way ahead of (probably) most of us!!!
Truth be told, those shapes are really challenging and it is unlikely, even for most pros with the best materials, that the original quality could be achieved.
Old 02-16-2021, 03:00 PM
  #14  
Millermatic
Rennlist Member
 
Millermatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Maryland
Posts: 503
Received 129 Likes on 102 Posts
Default

Well... Funny you say that...

The car started up fine after the (almost complete) engine rebuild.

Drove great. Until 50mph. When the vibration and noise got almost unbearable. It's now getting a new ring and pinion. That part I'm _not_ doing myself.

Some day...
Old 02-16-2021, 03:46 PM
  #15  
will951
Rennlist Member
 
will951's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Durham, CT
Posts: 1,266
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Millermatic
Well... Some perspective is probably in order. I was looking at Classic 9 (used them for the dash). But the covers for the front seats are $1000. Installation is another $940. Plus, presumably, a couple hundred dollars to ship my seats to them.

I paid $370-ish and did it myself. With zero experience. The money I saved went to learning to rebuild the engine. I'll redo the seats after I've had a chance to actually enjoy having the car back together for a while.
Thanks for the feedback. For the value and look....I'd say they are the best deal going. If my car were perfect in every other way (and with factory extended leather option) I'd spend more $$. In this case, I think the kit from only944 does a great job.


Quick Reply: Best value leather upholstery available?



All times are GMT -3. The time now is 04:35 PM.