Leather refinishing

Background: The 348 came from south florida. It had clearly been caught in a couple rainstorms. I've re-glued a lot of leather, there's a LOT more to do. I did a deep clean and rejuvenate with color plus product. I've used their product for years on BMWs to Austin Healeys, and my friend used them on a complete re-dye of his BMW 745.

During the cleaning, i was getting a dark black residue on my microfiber. I thought it was because the PO enjoyed his cigars. After the cleaning, the leather got sticky. This hadn't happened before. I tried to condition, and the conditioner just fisheyed on the surface. WTF?

The best that I can gather, the car went to a 'spray-tan' redye place (re-dye in an airbrush). or was DIY'd with a lacquer based finish which only seals the leather and makes it more brittle and shrink worse. It also helped that I got to see an original crema interior ('90 348) that made mine feel like hard plastic. I did a ton of reading on re-finishing leather, so with nothing to lose (the seat bottoms are torn anyway), I've begun to acetone strip the old finish, rejuvenate the leather, then will eventually re-dye. I've heard of some dealers doing this sort of refinish on seat bolsters to make the interior look better.

Here's a few pics of how bad the finish is. The shiny is the re-dye that's even stickier now that its had an acetone wipe, the matte finish is where it's about 90% clean. While I was working I could actually see the grain re-appear. I've since gotten the leg bolster to the point where it will take conditioner and is actually starting to feel like leather again.

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This was partially cleaned on the door. The inconsistent thickness (along with some of the runs I didn't photograph) says this was a spray refinish.

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I'll post more pictures as I get further along.

Steve

 

The finish removal is going well, the outside bolster (on the left) actually feels like leather again. Previously it felt like a hard shell was on it, and that was one of the areas that would "fisheye" when the conditioner was used on it.

Reading more, lacquer thinner seems to work as well as the alcohol in stripping it.

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Leather is starting to look/feel like leather again, it's pliable and getting stretchier. The grain has re-appeared, and is starting to feel soft again, but stripping it is taking forever. The door card was already peeling up, so i'll likely disassemble and re-glue. All the shiny areas you can see in the first pic are still sticky to the touch.

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sjd

 

These seats aren't just dirty. Here, this explains it.

1. I did a cleaning and the seats became sticky, just from the ph neutral cleaner i used. The cleaner was too harsh because I didn't know about half assed spray can re-dye.
2. both seat bottoms are torn. I'm taking them apart to have them repaired (I should take some pictures and show this becasue the half assery in the passenger side is beyond description)
3. I've gotten the seat bottom on the passenger side apart, and not only was any earlier repair done improperly, but so far i've found 2 cross threaded bolts and 3 stripped heads. UNBELIEVEABLE
4. The end goal is to get to the grain of the leather, and get the torn areas fixed. Some places have been easier than others, and then i'll dye again with a water based dye that takes conditoner instead of sealing the leather. The only option at this point is to strip the worst parts of the leather.
5. The parts that are "done" and taking conditioner look, feel, and smell SO MUCH BETTER.

I'm learning very quickly that old leathers can't be treated in new ways, so i've been researching place that do leather repair and restoration on old cars (pre-war old) Because newer cars have pretend leather or vinyl, the paint systems work (to a degree), but those paints just seal and ruin old leathers.

sjd

 

Before any of you go full hypochondriac and think you have to strip your seats, you don't. I'm betting less than 1% of people have had this happen.

more pics soon.

sjd

 

I don't have one, but hopefully in my future.

 

To work on things easier, I pulled the seat from the car and separated the back from the bottom. Suspicions of complete morons working on the car were confirmed. 4 of the 6 cap screws that hold the halves together had stripped or partially stripped heads, one of the seat track screws that hold the track to the seat was cross threaded, and one of the Philips screws that holds the leather bracket cover in place was cross threaded and had to be chiseled off.

...and people wonder why i do all my own work.

I've got some technique now, and have switched to initial cleaning with paper towel with a final wipe with microfiber to get all the paper towel bits.

Here's some of the worst of the cleaning. You can see where the grain has re-appeared, and isn't clogged with re-dye, the areas that are done take on a dry/brown color, the black comes back after the conditioner has been applied. After a day of work, the seat back is as soft and supple as expected.

Before:

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After:

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Before:

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After:

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If they can repair the seat bottom and will let me do the final fit, i'll post pics of that. There's some interesting solutions involved in tying the seat cover down. (it's not just hog ringed)

sjd

 

The seat bottom is un-fixable. Weighing my options:

1. get a new cover through the upholsterer.
2. have the upholsterer make one (costs the same as new)
3. find someone taking apart a seat and have them send the seat bottom so I can put it on my seat
4. take the rest of it apart and do something custom...not much to lose, really.
5. buy a passenger seat and keep the parts as part of the hoard.