Looking for old saddle "pigskin" leather pieces to repair my front seat.
Anyone replace or planning to replace their old tired leather?
Anyone replace or planning to replace their old tired leather?
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WTB: original tan ("peanut butter") leather
- Thread starter Bez
- Start date
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Do you mean saddle?
Bez,
You might want to clarify your post by changing the name of the color. If your car was a US delivery '72, which is indicated by the 224 VIN, the interior should be "saddle" leather (07/07). Sometimes called "English Saddle" it was almost always standard for Hoffman imported cars with tan/brown leather. The saddle leather is unique in that it has a tiny perforation pattern, sometimes called pigskin, that looks like little hair follicles. My '73 came with it and as far as I can tell, it is nearly impossible to find hides of that style these days.
Here are a some images of an original piece and a sample from an old XKSS (now World Upholstery) sample book.
Bez,
You might want to clarify your post by changing the name of the color. If your car was a US delivery '72, which is indicated by the 224 VIN, the interior should be "saddle" leather (07/07). Sometimes called "English Saddle" it was almost always standard for Hoffman imported cars with tan/brown leather. The saddle leather is unique in that it has a tiny perforation pattern, sometimes called pigskin, that looks like little hair follicles. My '73 came with it and as far as I can tell, it is nearly impossible to find hides of that style these days.
Here are a some images of an original piece and a sample from an old XKSS (now World Upholstery) sample book.
Attachments
The '73 coupe I had from '75 through '80 also had the dark tan leather with the pigskin appearance. VERY durable leather it seemed, and "I" thought it was pigskin!
Thanks Bill
That's the one. I also have the sample from World Upholstery from years ago. Wish they could source the same leather.
That's the one. I also have the sample from World Upholstery from years ago. Wish they could source the same leather.
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I am back to trying to source the original tan/saddle leather. World Upholstery still does not have it and no colors that are close. GAHH has no colors that are close.
Does anyone know this seller on eBay or used their covers? Not sure of the quality of the keather. The color looks like a close match...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E9-3-0CS-2800CS-FRONT-SEAT-KIT-SET-100-LEATHER-NEW-BEAUTIFUL-KIT-NEW-/352152984817?epid=1668025859&hash=item51fdf41cf1:g:6S8AAOSwol5Ywyft&_trkparms=pageci%3A9af587e8-8cb9-11e7-9f4a-74dbd180ff79%7Cparentrq%3A2e11649c15e0ab6b444937bffffe9dd8%7Ciid%3A37
Does anyone know this seller on eBay or used their covers? Not sure of the quality of the keather. The color looks like a close match...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E9-3-0CS-2800CS-FRONT-SEAT-KIT-SET-100-LEATHER-NEW-BEAUTIFUL-KIT-NEW-/352152984817?epid=1668025859&hash=item51fdf41cf1:g:6S8AAOSwol5Ywyft&_trkparms=pageci%3A9af587e8-8cb9-11e7-9f4a-74dbd180ff79%7Cparentrq%3A2e11649c15e0ab6b444937bffffe9dd8%7Ciid%3A37
So that's 2000+ for front and rear
Plus install
Total about 4500
Any problems- oh whoops
I think I would walk away.
Plus install
Total about 4500
Any problems- oh whoops
I think I would walk away.
I'd love to see an example of the ebay kits installed. From the images the leather looks pretty good, but it is hard to confidently tell how well the fitment and feel will be once stretched over the seats. Is it me, or does the leather look like "basketball" leather? I have blue seats, but would like to swap them (or recover them) for a tan or light brown leather. I had been eye balling World Upholstery but did not realize they were out of stock of some material.
Basketball leather is very low quality leather that is run though a machine to give it a uniform pebbled texture.
Avoid.....
Avoid.....
Lo and behold....can this be true???
https://www.gahh.com/salerno-leather-916-saddle-sq-ft
Wonder if we can get them to make the kits In 916 Saddle for the E9?
https://www.gahh.com/salerno-leather-916-saddle-sq-ft
Wonder if we can get them to make the kits In 916 Saddle for the E9?
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Does anyone know if Gahh do some E9 seat kits... the website shows Mercedes and Porsche but did not see BMW?
Yup
GAHH is better quality than World Upholstery and you pay for it
https://www.gahh.com/interiors/seats/
GAHH is better quality than World Upholstery and you pay for it
https://www.gahh.com/interiors/seats/
yikes, 22 bucks / sf ... very expensive leather. their basis is probably 5 to 7 bucks / sf. yes GAHH is better quality, but recently their costs aren't that much higher than WH as they have raised their prices.
I've checked with friends in the know here and they did not recommend.
Both suggested dealing with one person -the installer who sources the leather.
Both suggested dealing with one person -the installer who sources the leather.
Don---"did not recommend" what? The eBay covers?
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Bez,
Contact my friend Rob Budd at www.classic9leathershop.com (Detroit area). He may be able to find this for you. I'd suggest cutting about a 1-2" square piece from some of the leather on the back side of the rear seats, as that is not faded, and should show the 'pigskin' type texture. You could send that to him as a sample. You can use my name as reference.
He might sell a 'hide' of the leather, or his shop can replace your leather with new, copying the same design. I had them install new padding for the seat bottom and backrest when they did my '74 last year. Not fast, but good.
Gary Knox
Contact my friend Rob Budd at www.classic9leathershop.com (Detroit area). He may be able to find this for you. I'd suggest cutting about a 1-2" square piece from some of the leather on the back side of the rear seats, as that is not faded, and should show the 'pigskin' type texture. You could send that to him as a sample. You can use my name as reference.
He might sell a 'hide' of the leather, or his shop can replace your leather with new, copying the same design. I had them install new padding for the seat bottom and backrest when they did my '74 last year. Not fast, but good.
Gary Knox
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not to speak for Don, as i am not sure that i am qualified to do that ... but i took him to mean, don't by a kit from somebody and have somebody else install it. by the manufacturing and installation from the same quality individual.
now for the hard part ... finding the right person with experience on e9 seats. if you're not in california near Coupeking's guy, Juan Ortiz, or the guy that Don knows / uses ... or near another restorer like Mario or the Werk Shop ... you might not find somebody with significant e9 experience
