Real Leather ?

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MrJLR

MrJLR

Built, not bought
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Does anyone make REAL leather seat covers for our A-bodies?
I've looked but no success. .....
 
Real leather was never offered originally in an A-body.

Even the B and E bodies only got leather inserts in the center part of the seat.

You could have a place make them. I am almost sure Legendary will make you a custom set with original pattern and try to match the grains of the material with leather as close as they can.

I bet it will cost 2 to 3 times as much as a stock Legendary Vinyl seats for you car.

For really nice leather (especially colors)you pick the skins ahead of time and have them dyed all at once so they match. That's leather you don't see in production cars. Then have a high end custom interior shop try to match your original design or come up with another design. http://www.thorsencustom.com/ does the work for www.purevisiondesign.com That would be the level of shop appropriate to tackle a job like that. A whole interior from him would be about the value of your car when you got it.

Leather or not, it's still a production seat. Are the leather skins over your seats going to feel $1000+ more comfortable to you? Or make you car $1000+ more enjoyable over some other improvement?
 
Hmmmmm.....I knew it would be expensive.
I'm thinking I'll only recover the front low - back buckets in leather.
 
I priced getting my high backs done in vinyl from someone I know, and it was 600 from scratch.

I'd bet leather would be double that.
 
Bad Sport said:
I priced getting my high backs done in vinyl from someone I know, and it was 600 from scratch.

I'd bet leather would be double that.
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When I did my Corvette, just the covers (I installed myself) were $800. I would hope these would be in the same ballpark.
 
MrJLR said:
When I did my Corvette, just the covers (I installed myself) were $800. I would hope these would be in the same ballpark.
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Yeah, but did you buy those or were they custom made?

I think leather in a Mopar you'll have to get them made.

Call around, I wouldn't be surprised at 5-6 hundred a seat.
 
Bad Sport said:
Yeah, but did you buy those or were they custom made?

I think leather in a Mopar you'll have to get them made.

Call around, I wouldn't be surprised at 5-6 hundred a seat.
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There is a guy (Mr Mikes) that made them....
Dang.....guess I'll probably just get vinyl. ..!
 
MrJLR said:
Hmmmmm.....I knew it would be expensive.
I'm thinking I'll only recover the front low - back buckets in leather.
Click to expand...

Is your interior black or some color?

Have your rear seats been recovered before? Was it repro factory-like skins?

Are your front seat skins torn now? What specifically don't you like about the front seat now?
 
autoxcuda said:
Is your interior black or some color?

Have you rear seats been recovered before? Was it repro factory-like skins?

Are your front seat skins torn now? What don't you like about the front seat now?
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Interior is black. ....don't know if or when it was recovered.
The foam needs to be replaced and there are minor cracks in the vinyl. If I go to all the trouble to do the foam, I wanna replace the covers at the same time.

The back seat is cherry...!
 
MrJLR said:
Interior is black. ....don't know if or when it was recovered.
The foam needs to be replaced and there are minor cracks in the vinyl. If I go to all the trouble to do the foam, I wanna replace the covers at the same time.

The back seat is cherry...!
Click to expand...

:eek:ops: Price just went up.


Seriously though, I would at least call around and get an idea. That doesn't cost much.

I'd be curious as to cost.
 
Bad Sport said:
:eek:ops: Price just went up.


Seriously though, I would at least call around and get an idea. That doesn't cost much.

I'd be curious as to cost.
Click to expand...

I'll do that......I'll post about what i find!
Price? It's just money. ..lol !
 
I would have the foam custom done to increase the side bolster a bit which is pretty much non existent. I have considered trying it myself when I redo my seats.

If only I can sneak the electric turkey carving knife out. :glasses7:
 
MrJLR said:
There is a guy (Mr Mikes) that made them....
Dang.....guess I'll probably just get vinyl. ..!
Click to expand...

At http://vetteco.com 1976 Vette buckets not on sale are $369.99 in vinyl and $759.99 in Leather. They seem to be running a sale for a little over 10% off.

At http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/2193/BARRACUDA-1964-69/catalog.html 1968 Vinyl seats are $382 for Deluxe and $382 Standard. Usually you can buy Legendary stuff at Places like www.dantes.com for a little cheaper. But you have to specifically ask for Legendary seat covers. There are at least two companies making Chinese skins out there.

Of course they don't list 68 Cuda in leather since that's non factory. But for comparison purposes, 70 Challenger seats in black color with leather inserts only (just the pleated sections) are $1074 a pair. http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/2440/7071-CHALLENGER-LEATHER-BUCKETS---BLACK/detail.html 70 Challenger all vinyl seats are $397. So I'd guestimate a similar bump for leather added to a 68 Cuda.

BUT what might be interesting to you is Legendary's new Rallye seat kits. Those are more modern side bolster seats with the same patterns as original seats applied to them. The rallye seat kits is they come with special foam bottom and tops. So you are getting new foam included with the price of those skins. As opposed to regular skins where you have to buy the foam separate.

Those Rallye's in Vinyl for 68 Cuda deluxe or standard are $646 http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/30451/68-CUDA-DLX-RALLYE-BUCKETS---BLACK/detail.html for vinyl.

I don't see 68 Cuda in leather on their online catalog. But 68 Charger is $1266 for leather. A 68 Cuda in leather may be similar. Call them.


Here's Legendary's custom design center portal: http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/CustomDesignCenter.html

Charger%20Rallye%20Seat.jpg
 
Bad Sport said:
Das what I'm talking about. ^^ Those look nice and comfy.
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Here's side by side comparison pictures I took myself at the 2013 SEMA show....
 

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In comparison here is a 68 Barracuda standard seat

68%20Barracuda%20Standard%20(1).jpg.ashx
 
MrJLR said:
Interior is black. ....don't know if or when it was recovered.
The foam needs to be replaced and there are minor cracks in the vinyl. If I go to all the trouble to do the foam, I wanna replace the covers at the same time.

The back seat is cherry...!
Click to expand...

I'm in Florida so prices may vary due to location.
I'm doing part time work (making some molds for hard to make parts and so forth) at a custom upholstery shop and I saw the invoice for just 2 blue dyed hides to do a 67 Lincoln convertible Cost was 1650 for just 2 hides and 2300 for all the matching vinyl died to match but that should be enough to do the whole car. so cutting it in half for one hide you looking at 825 per hide. plus cutting it out if they have templates if not using your vinyl as a template.(more hours= more money cost to you) you could be looking at 1200+ since prices have gone crazy in the last few years
 
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