Updating the Interior on my 355

So I decided to upgrade the interior on my 355 to Daytona style seats. I know, it's unoriginal. Blah, blah, blah. But so what, I love it.

I found an interiors guy in LA (Rafi from Classic Cars Interiors) who has done dozens of classic concours quality Ferraris.

My plan is to do something like the below pic (except I would make the lower dash, door handles and side pockets in red) using the Connolly leathers shown below next to my Rosso Barchetta GTS.

Any thoughts, criticisms and concerns are appreciated! Thanks!

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Love it, do it. Post pics when done and who did it. I would do it on my 348 when they need to be redone.

 

I’m a total purist, but I’d be the first to say to any owner to enjoy their car to the fullest. Some rack-up a ton of miles, some don’t. Some enjoy concours competition, others don’t. Some track their cars while others don’t. Some love mods, some don’t. I may not choose that path for my car, but I’m kind of extreme on the other end of the spectrum. The only right way to own a car is your way. The only exception I have is for the rarest and most valuable cars.

 

The leather looks too grainy imo. If your going to make the change I would try and get the hide to show less grain like the original type. Post photos of the progress, it’s hard that find a trimmer that can match the original fit from what I have seen.

Also love your cars color, Barchetta is one if my favs.

 

That particular black sample had a wide grain. We discussed that today when looking at the samples. I'm told that the actual product will be much more fine, like the red sample. I'll have a chance to look at it before installed. The guy is a mere 15 minutes from my house. So I plan to pop in regularly to check progress, which he actually offered.

 

Respectfully, I agree with Elliot to an extent. Since you are not going original, just find a leather you like.

I'm about 4 weeks from visiting the guy I hope will correct the mess Johann of Coachtrim left me after $8k

 

I'm not a purist per se, except when it comes to very low production or otherwise specialty cars. It's your car. Do whatever you want.

For the most part, I really like the upgrade. I like Daytona style seats on other Ferraris (e.g. 360's). It looks "correct" to my eye from the standpoint that I can easily see it as having been an option that Ferrari could've offered at the time. So it's not stock, but is tasteful, not over the top, and in a way "period" correct/reasonable.

I do agree with Elliott and Dave that I might've aimed for a leather grain that mimicked the OEM leather. But like I said, it's your car. Enjoy it. You've earned it.

 

I think the pics shown in the black interior with red insert Daytona style seats looks fantastic! Love that look. Not sure I could do it, but I can totally dig it. Looking forward to pics!


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Do it. Seats are replaceable in future if purist wants.


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Do it! Don’t worry about originality. Do you think a single one of the multi million dollar collector ferrari have their original interiors?

 

To be clear, I will be using period-correct Connolley leather. But it won't be grainy.

 

Finding a proper leather is not the easiest task. Many state they have but with a detailed eye, it's just not the same.

The original grain is called Autolux. I've received sample from the new Connolley, Connolley Brothers and it's not the same. Elliott however has gotten some in AUS that he states is very good.

 

I visited the Schedoni leather factory in Maranello during one of my visits to the F factory. I don’t recall them telling us what specific leather that they used. I don’t remember ever hearing Connolley being the leather of choice. Is it? The leather I saw and felt was super soft and supple with not much grain that I remember.
p.s. the boss took us up to the attic to show us where the family balsamic vinegar was aged.

 

Connolley was the original leather for the 355 in Autolux grain.

 

I'm all for this, and have it on my "to do " list for my car when that day comes. So I'm very interested in your progress.

For sourcing leather, it's worth having a discussion with Henk Van Lith:
http://www.hvl-autobekleding.nl/index.htm
https://www.hvlclassleathers.com/

 

It looks like Rafi does very nice work. There was an article in the new Forza magazine about Henk Van Lith and his company. He purchased a lot of the Connelly leathers before they went out of business. The article was very interesting. It reported the different leathers Ferrari used over the years and the variations due to different processing techniques. Phil posted the links above. HVL might have what you are looking for.

I wouldn’t worry too much about how exact the leather looks as long as it is reasonably close as this is not going to be original anyway. Good luck with your decision.

 

Were doing a car over with American Indian Bison, totally amazing real deal stuff and naturaly beautiful.


xo
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We have a shop in Dallas, called the Tin Lizzie Affair, owned by Lucinda Howard. Been doing Ferrari interiors since the early 80’s. Buys her leather from Italy and said it is the exact grain and leather used for for each period of car as they were produced. Will not give the source. Has a close relationship with the Ferrari dealership and has some factory connections. My business is next door to hers. Does quite a few 60’s and 70’s cars too. Everything I have seen is top notch.




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Here's a shot of the seats that I had done by Tin Lizzie on my Nero 1995 F355 Spider. Lucinda and her crew did some really fine work and the leather is a perfect match for color and grain. I actually bought a second pair of seats to rebuild for the Daytona look so I could keep my original seats should I ever sell the car and the buyer wants them. I decided not to change out anything else, i.e. door panels, etc., as I thought the Daytona seats were a big enough departure from stock so that the interior did not need anything else.
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I like the Daytona pattern. Prefer all black but the red contrast looks nice as well. Are you going to do contrast stitching like the 1st pic? My previous 355, a 99 GTS had that from the factory and I thought it looked great.

I put carbon 550 seats in my car which have a horizontal pattern but not the same as Daytona.

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You ever sell it, I may buy the seats if the new owner wants stock. They look great!!


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Spider seats are totally different than GTB / GTS

 

They dont have all the adjustments it looks like

 

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Oops.


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Yes, planning a red stitch.