348 Leather restoration part 2

I had my seats professionally "restored" due to them having some silicone protection package on them that started to peel when I cleaned the seats. (I actually did not know that was the issue till the restoration guys explained it to me, I thought I ruined the leather initially). The effect was multiple shades where the original leather was bright and orange underneath but the protection was more tan less orange and dull and dirty. I panicked and thought about having them recovered but that never fits right unless you spend a lot of money and then I remembered there were places restore leather couches etc. Long short short the did it it turned out great. But now the seats look newer than everything else. You can see that post here as well as the place I used. https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/348-seat-refurbish.592374/page-2#post-146407472

Well that was great except the rest of leather looks lo longer looks like seat with the seats looking new and like actual leather now. Especially the parking brake cover. Well the seats started peeling when I used GYEON cleaner. I thought to myself I bet I could clean the smaller panels myself. So I pulled out my interior and started cleaning it. Some color came off but it was coatings, surface layer, dirt, oils and probably some spray dye with no prep as patch fixes instead of cleaning.

Quick tip, I went to the drug store and got ultrasonic Nutrogena face scrubber. When you apply the cleaner to the leather and apply the scrubber it foams up and deep cleans, And I mean cleans. The leather in the car has probably had nothing more than a wipe with cloths and third rate polish treatment and seems to have had misc spot fixes and some coatings to protect applied.

As I cleaned on some parts you could see layers being removed and a much more vibrant color coming up. Other parts no color removed so it was not treated but you could see black come up from the saddle leather which was dirt. It definitely looks cleaner and newer. Definitely pull the interior and get in the with a cleaner of your choice (I found Zymoil cleaner to be a bit more gentle). Once the sun comes up I'll hit it with Letherique to re-nourish it.

I thought my interior looked nice before but what a difference a cleaning out of the car makes. The ultrasonic brush makes short work of it. Stuff that would not come up with hand scrubbing came right up with that little device.

Few sample pieces below, need to clean the screw tab on the bottom of the parking break cover still. Darker sections are shadows from lighting.

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Quick note on color coming up, my black door sections got ruined, not because I cleaned them but because someone painted/dyed them. Actually I can see that stuff a mile away now, looking on BAT for example, I can tell doors on cars had the same thing done. The leather should look like an eggshell finish not shiny with a film, streaks or patchy. Apparently there is a common cheap cover up that is used frequently, not sure what it is. Bit I see it everywhere now in pictures.

When cleaning the black came up then kept coming up and kept coming up almost like shoe polish was applied also. I used alcohol which is a no no but I wanted to see when it stopped. Under the color coating it was in GREAT shape and it actually looked way better than the shiny painted version, it looked like actual fine leather again not pleather, but the leather color was thin around the bends. Probably wear and sun etc hence the cheap in car dye job or what ever was done.

So I took them to a ferrari restoration place that has the oem smooth leather and will have the 2 tiny panels per door 4 total re-covered a great expense. Yes the guy who did my seats could have restored those and redyed them properly but I just decided to replace that with new fresh leather as the leather that is there has had enough abuse. It will look good with nickel door handles lock knobs. Hence there is no black panels in the pictures.


Powdercoat your seat levers people don't spray paint them for gods sake. My door sills are currently getting done with powder coat too (pulling them out with out damage take time and is a serious pain.) Then stainless inserts go in. Then carpet time (whole story there) but not till winter now as it's time to drive!
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Here is stuff I am referring to, old coverup stuff. You can see its actually the wrong color too. Once I remove that strip at the top edge designed to protect it it will look a lot better.

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Getting my interior back in now and maybe I'm just picky but while it is better than it was by far, and its fine in the interim while I do the carpet, and is probably better than most out there, the whole interior just needs to be re-leathered. All of it... everything in 3218 needs to be redone. dash, seats, doors, ecu covers all of it. ugh....

 

Nope not yet, I was using re-originals. I found their carpet to be my favorite. I got carpet template kit from them from a 348 challenge but it was different in a few ways besides the rear deck. So I had to send it back no templates to make a kit from.

The bulk carpet itself in the right color took him a while to get he ordered it, it is no longer being made so it took hunting, it is coming over by boat. I then have to pull my carpet and send it to him to make templates and a kit. We've been going round and round for 3 months now on this.

XKSS has carpet sets but the colors are too light or too dark they use Feintuft Velour for the sets. Problem is its driving season so I'll start driving when my doors get back together and will probably wait til winter for carpet now.