New seat upholstery

[Godabitibi]

Hi Canadian Corvette owners. My new to me C4 is in need of new seat skins. I have compared most of what is offered on the market an still not easy to decide. The real leather which is what I would prefer is not cheap. The new leather LIKE vinyl makes me uncomfortable as I feel like I'm cheating on the REAL THING and scared it will look like FAKE leather.
To make even more expensive we canadian have to add the dollar exchange to any price you see is multiplied by 1.40 plus 15 % taxes over the total in cdn dollars.

I contacted two local upholstery shop for all in quotes and it's even worse. $2600 and $5000 cdn for the 2 seats in real leather.

Lseat.com. is the best deal I found. I ordered their sample card and I'm a little bit disapointed because their leather is COARSE grain and they told me thay have no smooter grain leather. I guess that is the reason why they are much cheaper than other kits.

Here are their leather sample on my seat, their website corvette seat with the sport seat option with perforation and corvette embroidering and a customer finished seats.

Their full kit for perforated sport seats is LESS than $500 in REAL leather. That is why I'm very tempted to order from them.

 

[Godabitibi]

Well, I just ordered their kit.
Will keep you posted when I have news.

 

[Dave91TM]

Well, I just ordered their kit.
Will keep you posted when I have news.

I put a pair of fully mounted "Driver Leather " (all leather but a bit less uniform in grain) seats in mine, came out to about $1500 all in. Way less than an auto upholsterer who quoted me "at least $4,000". IMO they look great and are very comfortable, especially compared to the old beaters I took out. I bought them from Top Flight Automotive (Corvette America).

 

[Godabitibi]

They are probably black right ?

 

[Keith Tedford]

Both our 1997 Oldsmobile LSS and our 2005 Corvette have leather seating surfaces. The only ratty parts in these cars are the leather parts. Perhaps if the factory used quality leather, there would not be a problem. I had a 1969 Chevelle SS396 with the original all vinyl interior. I had the panel where the driver sits replaced. The rest of the vinyl was still like new after well over 200K miles.

 

[Dave91TM]

They are probably black right ?

Right

 

[VikingTrad3r]

hey abitibi did you get them? i need to order a set.

 

[Godabitibi]

They are supposed to be here tomorrow. I will post some pics and impression soon.

 

[Godabitibi]

Just got them. And very frankly no deception.
The coarse grain doesn't bother me at all.
Soft and nice new leather with that good smell.
For less than half the price of others I think it's worth it.
Let me know if you have any questions or want specific pictures.

 

[Godabitibi]

I will also post pics when I'll install them.

 

[Hanko_]

I will also post pics when I'll install them.

What's the white stitching? on the forward edge of the seat bolsters?

 

[Godabitibi]

This is not stitching, they are marks where you should cut for the sport seat switches.

What's the white stitching? on the forward edge of the seat bolstert switches.

 

[Godabitibi]

Give me your opinions.

 

[Hanko_]

This is not stitching, they are marks where you should cut for the sport seat switches.

Ah, ok.
To me, they look great. Be prepared for sore fingers when you pull it tight on the seat and backrest. There's a fair bit of tension from the partially compressed foam.

 

[Godabitibi]

BTW cost is $716.03 plus $59 import fee when delivered. So around $780 canadian here at home.

Ah, ok.
To me, they look great. Be prepared for sore fingers when you pull it tight on the seat and backrest. There's a fair bit of tension from the partially compressed foam.

Ah, ok.
To me, they look great. Be prepared for sore fingers when you pull it tight on the seat and backrest. There's a fair bit of tension from the partially compressed foam.

Oh I know, I've done many seats in my car guy life.

 

[VikingTrad3r]

BTW cost is $716.03 plus $59 import fee when delivered. So around $780 canadian here at home.



Oh I know, I've done many seats in my car guy life.

wow i love them. will order for my 89 zf6 and my 91z

thats cad$ prices you quoted?

 

[Godabitibi]

Yes.

 

[Godabitibi]

Ok, working on the preparation to install I scrutinized my
new cover a bit more.
Here is what I found, the little edges pieces and the two exterior sides of the seat bottom are vinyl not leather.
You can see the very small difference in color and grain.

 

[Godabitibi]

And by the way, I have to redye mine. The seats in my car were dyed in the past and I didn't know. I found that today taking them apart. Original color was much darker. And the sample from Lseat does not have the color I would have needed anyway.
I will probably use water base dye that are offered by leather specialist and should be easy on brand new clean leather.

 

[VikingTrad3r]

You likely had “graphite” interior colour.

SEM has a vinyl and fabric dye which is incredibly good, called Colour Coat, graphite 15303, and it is a dead perfect match to the factory Graphite.

You can redye your carpets with this stuff. My daughter is doing it on her 84 4+3 graphite right now. Works on the seats too.

That said, pity to do that to those brand new skins.