Exotic Hides for interior trim - Zebra

Has anyone done an interior using Zebra hide? I want to do the rear window shelf and the door panels in Zebra with the hair on. I am a bit concerned that said hide will be too thick to tuck around the edges. Anyone?

 

http://thesteepletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Zebra-hide-interior-of-the-vehicle-1.jpg

Its been done on seats and such in older ultra lux cars...

 

Zebra with the hair? (Checking calendar... nope, it's not April 1)

IMHO, a Ferrari with hairy zebra interior is about as tacky as the legendarily tacky Rolex Leopard Daytona.

 

IIRC, about 25-30 years ago I did some work on a 1956 Imperial that was some special order example gifted/delivered new to a CEO/Chairman/Heir/President/something of some fire arms/rifle manufacturer (Remington perhaps ?) and it had Zebra insert sections on the seats and door panels, along with its two-tone (red & white) leather interior. The Zebra hides were said to have been from the actual hunting kill of the recipient himself. I probably still have pictures of the car and its original interior somewhere.

 

This is the technical section, not asking for aesthetic input. If you like vinyl, which is the factory finish on the door panels, more power to you. If you like that berber cloth on the rear shelf that collects dust like crazy and comes unglued when you try to clean it, go ahead.

It's my car and yes I killed the zebra.

 

AWESOME!! I killed 5 myself and have the skins in the house

 

How sad and tasteless you are.

 

100% AGREE👎😡

 

I like fine watches, but never heard about that. Just googled a bit. OUCH!

Best
Martin

 

Well the prancing horse and the zebra are closely related, so I think Enzo would be pleased.

I once did a gun case in Eland hide, was very pleased with that. The gun is a 20ga Jones underlever Paradox made in England in the late 1800s with hammers. It still works as intended. Hence the Eland.

(P.S. You all have leather seats in your cars right? Do you think the leather came from a factory someplace? Every cow has a mother, a father, sisters and brothers ... )

 

What car?

Please fill out your Profile.

 

+1

 

Well the car is not correct to start with. It's a 288 GTO recreation by Norwood on a 308 chassis with a 355 motor and manual 355 transmission ... so I am not concerned about correctness, political or technical.

 

Russ, since your quest is strictly technical in nature I'd suggest asking the question elsewhere.

My impression, many of the negative responses here have to do more with the purists view of what a Ferrari is, and how it should be presented.

For example, this F-40 owner can do what he wants but it's pitiful to me.

Ferrari Purists Turn Away, Because This F40 is Hell Bent On Doing Things an Ultra-Rare Supercar Shouldn't be Doing - Moto Networks

Maybe try this:

The Hog Ring ? Auto Upholstery Community

And if you're not in a hurry, wait for their new discussion forum to come online:

How Do You Like Our New Look?

 

+1 on the tackiness. truly a poor choice.

 

My car is currently being redone in Spotted Owl. I cant wait to get it back. Feathers from Bird Land.

 

What's the point of this question? I mean, you have the hide and the door panel and parcel shelf, can you wrap it around the edge?

Post something you know will be controversial and act surprised at the responses?

 

I don't have the hide, it's still in Africa and I have to make a choice as to what I am going to do with it .. floor rug or upholster the car. The tanning process is different depending on the end use. So I wanted to know how difficult it would be to use in the application suggested. But it seems that this, as Wade said, is the wrong forum. I need a technical forum, not a "correctness" or "good taste" forum.

 

It seems like that type of hide would be better on a floor.

 

I don't think you need any forum, just need to decide what to do.

If you can manage an F355 drivetrain into a 288 conversion surely you can manage to get some Zebra wrapped around the interior panels.

If the thickness is too great for the panels to fit take some material off the edge of the panels to compensate.

 

Or even better: on a zebra.

 

Puhleez!

 

To each his own... but the best exotic car interior I've ever seen is John Mozart's Bugatti Corsica, with Crocodile hides... I think it looks great!

 

Russ - If you are going to use the hides for upholstery work, DO NOT have the hides tanned in Africa. Get them tanned in the States as they will be much more supple and will hold together much better. In order to answer your question, I think it would be best to talk to an upholsterer as I'm sure there will be limitation in terms of what can and cannot be done due to the hair pattern.