Some questions about leather interior...

[Sean]

I'm hoping on getting a chance to swap the gray leather sport interior from a 1988 325is, sometime soon.

However, I had a few questions:

The driver's seat has some normal wear, a quite a few cracks - the seat is in really good condition for having 181,000 miles on it. The left side bolster also seem to have been pushed out a little bit? Am I just seeing things, or is it really pushed out from the side of the seat? If I am seeing things correctly, how would I go about fixing it?

Also - would I just find some leather condition to help take care of the cracks in the leather? That's really the only thing that's wrong with the front seats, the passeneger seat looks amazing.

And, can't you switch the passenger and driver's side seats around? or, is that only for the non-sport seats?

My final question is about the backseats - on the top on either side, there is a small rip where the seam is - like the seam just let loose and will no longer hold the seat together. Can I just sew this back together, or will it be harder than I think?


Thanks in advance! :D





EDIT:


Here's some pictures of the interior - got the car today:

Rips in the rear seat (just these two)






Here's a few of the front seat - it really isn't all that bad. But, you can see the side bolster is kind of bent out, and the numerous cracks.






Passenger seat - in really good condition. That's why I want to switch sides :D

[/img]

[Jordan]

leather conditioner used properly will prevent cracks.

it cannot magicly heal cracks that formed from neglect.

[Sean]

leather conditioner used properly will prevent cracks.

it cannot magicly heal cracks that formed from neglect.

Well, yeah. I was more of thinkin of just disguising the cracks.

[bimmerphile]

contrary to common belief, there is no "leather reconditioner" that will take hard, cracked, sun-damaged leather, and make it soft, pliable, and supple like it originally was.

[natorious]

there are products that can strip seats and then redye them and it will disguise the cracks... but its more effort than its worth...

[Sean]

Bummer..ok, well, scratch that. How bout the other stuff? :D

[rscheiring]

Re: Some questions about leather interior...

The left side bolster also seem to have been pushed out a little bit? Am I just seeing things, or is it really pushed out from the side of the seat? If I am seeing things correctly, how would I go about fixing it?

And, can't you switch the passenger and driver's side seats around? or, is that only for the non-sport seats?

My final question is about the backseats - on the top on either side, there is a small rip where the seam is - like the seam just let loose and will no longer hold the seat together. Can I just sew this back together, or will it be harder than I think?


Thanks in advance! :D

The bolster frame is essentially a metal rod with foam around it that is welded to the main frame. Either it is bent, or more likely, the bottom weld has broken. This can be rewelded, or a quick solution is to hold it in place with cable tie(s), then use some liquid steel epoxy.

I doubt you can move all the mechanics, but you can certainly remove the leather pieces from each seat and switch them around.

The thread has just let go in the rear. Remove the seat, then remove the cover from the seat (its all one piece, but held in place lots of different ways. then resew the seam (not by hand - use a machine or get someone you know who has one to do it for you. You can get upholstery thread at fabric stores.

You'll need hogrings and hogring pliers to reattach the material (many online upholstery shops sell them).

Any more Q's, just ask!

[Jon '92 325ic]

A company called Leatherique (www.leatherique.com) sells kits for treating cracked leather. I have not used this product, but have read it is "the best" on different Detailing Forums. So, I can't recommend it, but just letting you know it's out there and you can research it.

With regard to the seam in your back seat. You'll probably have to replace the strip of leather where the seam has separated. I have a convertable and had a seam separating on the middle section. The upholstery shop just replaced the strips of leather that had separated (rather than do the whole back seat.) You can't tell the difference.

[bwanac]

Rob is that avatar, your car?

[rscheiring]

Rob is that avatar, your car?

No, at least not yet. I've got some sport evo fabric at long last, so all I need to do is buy some SRDs, then buy an M3

Is your avatar you?

[rscheiring]

If that was you, you would have a lot more folks coming to look at your for sale items ;)

[LikeCDoos]

isn't your avatar that really hot Carmella chick?

[Sean]

:ot: :dot:

;)

Thanks for the info, Rob. I'll have to look into that leather treatment stuff.

We have a sewing machine here.

I'd definately look into switching the pads/leather from the driver's seat to the passenger's seat. Is that pretty simple?

For teh rear seat, you're saying I will need to take the leather off the seat, and re-sew it? Is that pretty simple too?

Thanks!

[rscheiring]

I'd definately look into switching the pads/leather from the driver's seat to the passenger's seat. Is that pretty simple?

For teh rear seat, you're saying I will need to take the leather off the seat, and re-sew it? Is that pretty simple too?

Thanks!

Neither are complicated, just take a lot of time. Once you get the back off your front seats, there are just a variety of tabs to bent up, and lots of hogrings that hold the material in place that need to be taken off. Just use needlenose pliers to do all that. Don't take the cover off the leg extension - just remove the tab and bolt that holds it to the seat (you'll see what I mean when you do it). Then switch the pieces and reattach (you'll need hogrings and hogring pliers).

Same for the back. Just remove material, repair, and return. It is also straighforward but time consuming.

[Sean]

I'd definately look into switching the pads/leather from the driver's seat to the passenger's seat. Is that pretty simple?

For teh rear seat, you're saying I will need to take the leather off the seat, and re-sew it? Is that pretty simple too?

Thanks!

Neither are complicated, just take a lot of time. Once you get the back off your front seats, there are just a variety of tabs to bent up, and lots of hogrings that hold the material in place that need to be taken off. Just use needlenose pliers to do all that. Don't take the cover off the leg extension - just remove the tab and bolt that holds it to the seat (you'll see what I mean when you do it). Then switch the pieces and reattach (you'll need hogrings and hogring pliers).

Same for the back. Just remove material, repair, and return. It is also straighforward but time consuming.

And I could probably pick up the higrings and hogrings plyers from some sort of craftstore, right? (or, online as you mentioned?) I guess I can take my time, since I'll have my original interior until I put this interior in.