How to tell Leather vs. Vinyl? (Or just a 308 GT4 list..)

I'm preparing to use the Leatherique leather rejuvenating kit and want to make sure I use the right products on the right surfaces. How can I tell which parts are leather and which parts are vinyl? Or, more specifically, what parts in the 308 GT4 are leather and what parts are vinyl?

Thanks,
Chris

 

It depends but on most US cars the seats, wheel, door panels and tunnel are leather, the headliner and dash are vinyl. BTW the Pristine clean works good on the headliner it also works great on the bumpers and tires!!!

Rob

have we seen pics of your car?

 

Yeah...we have....it's just about the nicest looking GT4 in black I've ever SEEN!!!! The wheels really accent the paint nicely - very classy looking car. But of course, more pics (even reposts of the originals) are always welcome!

 

Thanks Aaron... just for kicks, here is a generic "my car in front of oil storage" picture.

My car is a '75 308 GT4. Rob, do you know if the arm rests are vinyl or leather in that particular car? I read somewhere that the vinyl had a "fake" pattern to it. Is it that easy to tell the difference, or would it take a trained eye to figure which is which?

-Chris

(my profile has a decent picture too)
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That car looks fantastic...!

 

Carbon,
The GT4 beckons you......do it.

 

I AM AN UPHOLSTERER BY TRADE. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE. VINYL ALWAYS HAS A COLORED WOVEN BACKING THAT TYPICALLY DOES NOT MATCH THE SURFACE COLOR. LEATHER IS SUEDE ON THE REVERSE SIDE. VINYL IS THINNER THAN LEATHER. ON MY 308 THE DASH WAS VINYL INCLUDING THE POD FOR THE GAUGES. THE SEATS DOOR PANELS AND ARM RESTS WERE ALL LEATHER. IF YOU SEND ME SOME PICS OF YOUR ARMRESTS, ESPECIALLY WERE IT IS STAPLED TOGETHER, I WILL BE ABLE TO VERIFY FOR YOU.

 

They are leather. inside the rest pouch it is linen or felt

 

Regarding the 308GTB from the same era (1979), my seats and door panels are leather. Console, arm rests, dash, instrument binnacle, rear window trim AND headliner are vinyl. As for the vinyl headliner, my car is a Euro and does not have the cloth used on most of the later cars. The whole dash, binnacle and console on my friend's 328 are leather. Perhaps this helps a little.

 

I agree with Rolindsey...a shop tore my map pocket on the door, it was vinyl as well. Only door panel itself is leather, arm rests and pockets are plastic..

Unless re-done in the past 25 years....it is a nice grade of vinyl.......patterned as mentioned.

 

I DIDN'T SAY I WAS UNSURE. I WAS SIMPLY RELATING WHICH PIECES ON MY CAR ARE EITHER LEATHER OR VINYL, AS I HAVE ALREADY REUPHOLSTERED THEM. 79 308

 

I cant speak for later cars but the gt4 is all leather on the door, Ive had all the pieces off, The Euro ones had lots of viny and cloth.

 

Leather on the door

CAPS = shouting

 

Your car looks great! I have the same rims on mine (yellow 75 GT4). My center cap flew off and I can't find a replacement...

Everything on my car is leather except the headliner, trim and dash. The steering wheel, door panels and center are all leather.