Most of my leather is in good shape, I picked the worst (and probably only) bad section for a pic. What is a good method to clean this up? Image Unavailable, Please Login
It's hard to do properly with results that last. My recommendation is to find a local leather restoration place and have them do it. I am getting my seats done next week since someone did some dye to keep the seats looking new but the prep was not great and some came off when cleaning them. Stripping and re-dying whole seats properly takes about a week with all the steps and full drying between the steps etc. Typical leather restoration on high wear areas shown below. Your seats are very vert fixable and should come back looking almost new. Cost typically about $300 a seat for full seat. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Problem I have had is nothing lasts. When. i drive my car lots like 4 times a week it only lasts the summer. Easy to touch up but a constant pain.
https://www.jerseycoastleather.com/ They pick up and deliver. The seats I have now look quite good generally but a previous dye job started to flake off I am assuming it was done at a Ferrari shop. For leather repair and full strip and re-dying it is hard to believe there is a place to take it to other than a place where that is all they do. When places like this repair leather in spots they match the dye exact as opposed to store bought. My current seats are 2 color tan with the dye gone in spots. I will have then put back to the actual color with a dye job that is designed to last not rub off in a few months. Classic coach in NJ pretty much told me their re-dying is temporary. Actually a good dye job is permanent, cows are not red or blue or tan and dye should not peel off like a sticker. Guess we'll see... I'll be posting before and after's. For the OP find a leather restoration/repair place. Don't DIY. I'm sure someone has done it themselves and it turned out great for years, not disparaging anyone's work I am speaking generally. For $300 a seat, it hardly seems worth trying it on your own is all.
40 years ago I stumbled onto neoprene custom seat covers. Same material wet suits are made off. A custom interior shop can get the fabric and cut and fit them to perfection - duplicate all yours seams, contours, head rests, french stitching and all. Great looking, wear like iron, no break down, comfortable, repel dirt and liquid, sun and fade proof, stain proof. Have them on 6 vehicles, one a black set on an open topTarga for 30 years - still bran spanking new. Pricier but worth it.
My dad used to have a cherry '88 Mercedes-Benz 300 SE with an ivory beige interior. At the time, I was working for a local dealership that contracted a guy to come in a restore leather on old Saabs to repair this type of damage. Long story short, my dad spilled some cleaning solution on the back seat that contained some sort of bleach or chlorine in it and stained a large area of the seat back and cushion pink. Rather unsightly on such a magnificent W126. I asked the restorer if he could possibly fix this, which he confirmed, and then watched him work his magic. He color matched PAINT to the rest of the seat and airbrushed the stain away. It was not noticeable in any light or from any angle - absolutely amazing! The restorer said that the fix was permanent and colorfast. While I was amazed with this process, I doubt that it would be quite so permanent on a seat bolster that sees so much wear... but I'd be willing to give it a try. He charged my dad $100 for his efforts.
The trouble with the "spray tan" leather fixes is that the leather can't breathe or take on conditioner. It will dry and crack and get worse. I'm stripping a spray-tanned interior little by little and the rejuvenation of the leather without that stuff has been incredible to see. When I started, I could literally knock on the thigh support on the seat bottom and it sounded hard and hollow. sjd
You could probably get them dyed with limited success. Jim @INTMD8 I believe has a very low mile set of pristine seats for sale
If I told you how I touched up my seat bolster you would laugh me off the board, but it's held up well for 5 years now. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Nope - and I know but I've been sworn to secrecy Just remember, John's a bit frugal so that might give you a clue
It can be done. I had a leather repair guy in Northern California who made it look like new and the repairs last a very long time. Like anything else it is all about the expertise of the guy doing it.
If its black or other basic colors Aniline dye is top notch stuff. Leather must be in good shape with no oils Had a seat done 2 years ago and looks like new today A very close friend does high end leather work and it's all she will use on exotic leathers. I seen bright white and black done 10+ years ago and still looks great That lethertette latex junk just will peel this is an actual dye. Works best edit this stuff, must know what your doing and condition of leather https://www.leatherworldtech.com/Aniline-Leather-Dye-p/a101.htm
Be interesting to see her work. From the research I have done, aniline dyes are penetrating dyes that allow the natural characteristics of the leather to show through. We have an aniline dyed chair at home. It's noting automotive leather. The aniline dyes I am familiar with will color the leather but they won't match the texture or sheen of the surrounding leather unless some top coat is applied. Aniline dyes leather lacks uniformity as subtle changes in the color of the natural leather show through. The dyes used in the automotive industry are generally surface dyes which are polymer based and act as a top coat, which is why they wear off. They give a uniform color to the surface and, at best, allow only the texture of the leather to be apparent. A good acrylic dye, properly applied, should not peel or crack but it will wear over time, just like the original leather.
1) Hard to fix tan leather with shoe polish. 3) Inexpensive doesn't necessarily mean "cheap" Like I said, lasted well for 5 years so far. Some "educational" reading. https://www.leatherworldtech.com/Leather-Dyeing-s/1881.htm https://www.leather-dictionary.com/index.php/Leather_dye_-_Leather_color_-_Leather_colour Image Unavailable, Please Login
The reconditioning guy claimed that he had a flex agent added to the paint that prevented it from cracking, much like is used on bumper covers. I saw him mix the paint and there were many ingredients. It held up fine for the next 5 years or so until my dad sold the car. And no, it was not MBTex on this particular car. I hear you about the inability for the leather to breathe or take conditioner. Conditioning your leather is the best way to keep it nice.
Shes up your neck of the woods by Laconia, She was in my motorcycle club known here forever. Had her just do a tote for my wife. $$$$ for a f'n bag. Try's to stay away from car stuff mostly a fashion designer that works in very rare leathers, imports lots stuff from african tribes that's just beautiful. Yuup they need clearcoat of you should want a commercial looking finish, I like it raw and natural Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Totally agree Generally ,not all ways, you get what you pay for from the bolt to thesteak, to the medical tools. Dont get me wrong , nothing like being an informed consumer but I have seen far more to good to be true scenarios.
I've been a fan of the color plus people. I've used their condition on past BMWs and the big Healey we have. https://colorplus.com/ with my interior being black and my seat bottoms torn, I figure once I get it all stripped, I'll go back and re-color with their stuff. sjd
Regarding leather dyes and topcoats, is the latter applicable to 80s and 90s Ferraris? I know that most newer cars, their "leather" is generally something else.