I just got a 1994 Corvette Coupe with 92k miles but it has a few problems I need to address.

The passenger seat is starting to year and I don't know if it would be better to get covers, new seats, or have it taken to an upholstery shop. What is your recommendation for all 3.

The parking break is non functional. Is this something I can fix myself? I'll look for a guide on the forum when I have more time.

The little strips on the doors are kind of banged up but the doors are fine. What are these called so I can look into new ones?

 

There is a man named Al Knock and he lives in Texas. He has a company that makes really nice seat replacement parts among other things like proper fitting convertible tops and all the parts to do it yourself.
Al is also e very good guy to business with as he saved my butt once. I bought a set of leather seat covers and cushions from him at Corvettes@Carlisle and did my own installation. A few months later the threads started popping along one seam. Al asked me to ship the seat to him and they would take care of it. A couple weeks later both of my seats came back re-covered in brand new leather seat covers. Bu they did not stop there, they replaced the backs of my seats and swapped out re-plated hardware and this is on a one year Corvette a 1968. The seats they repaired are still as beautiful as they were the day he shipped them back to me. Not many business do things like what AlKnockinteriors did for me and when possible I strongly recommend them to you as they don't mess around. A very customer oriented business that I am proud to support! The workmanship is excellent and of unusually high quality since it is all done in Texas! Not to mention that Al himself is a great guy to spend time with. Carlisle is coming fast as they will fix your car at the show if you schedule ahead.

Here us a link:
http://www.alknochinteriors.com/

An extremely satisfied customer of alknockinteriors!

Best regards,
Chris

 

Not trying to be a smart A**, but do you know how the brake works? It does not work like most cars you might be familiar with.

When you pull it up it engages the brake but then there is no tension on the handle.
To release pull handle up and press button and lower handle.

Or is it totally something different like the brake pads are not contacting the rotor?

 

To be honest, I haven't tested it. I signed the title to the car and had to go to work 5 minutes after and haven't gotten a chance to drive it more than the test drive. The guy just told me it has been none functional so maybe he does not know it is different.

 

I'll second the recommendation for Al Knock. I've done business with him off and on for 40 years.

 

So your hardly out of the gate with the car. Well congratulations getting the car.
Give a try as to what I said and see if there really is a problem or not. If it does not work you can get plenty of help.

 

Congrats on your new '94 Vette and welcome to the Forum.

Can you post pics of the damaged seat and doors??

If you pick up a copy of the GM Service Manual for your '94 it will explain brakes service along much other useful info.

 

Here are the seats, correct me if Im wrong but these are the standard not sport Seat https://imgur.com/gallery/tJJL7zv

 

I bet a local shop could resew those. The leather itself is not that bad.

 

I realize this thread is a week or two old, so apologies if you've already sorted the problem and im just being redundant.

When I bought my 96 the parking brake was also non functional. You could feel tension when you pulled up on the handle.... but no ratcheting/ locking in place and holding the car. If what's going on with your brake seems similar, before you go any further with it, but a can of PB blaster from your local hardware or auto parts store and squirt a bunch of it through the slot in the plastic boot of the parking brake using the little straw it comes with. Try and coat the internals as well as you can. Let it sit for a few days or at least overnight to do its job, and then work the parking brake a bunch of times and hopefully it'll free up and start ratcheting and holding like it's supposed to. Mine works as intended now. I believe non use for a length of time causes the emergency brake levers to stick or sieze up and no longer want to lock in an engaged position.

 

You'll never get the smell of PB blaster out of your car. A dry lube would be much better and less stinky too.

 

The smell did linger for a few months. I do believe it's gone or almost gone now as I no longer notice it at all when i get in the car.... even after it's been sitting in the garage a few days closed up. That smell isn't particularly offensive to me anyways. My understanding was that you wanted to use some sort of penetrating oil to loosen up the pawl rather than just a lubricant. A dry lube may very well do the same thing without an odor though.

 

I thought the same.

When I got my 96 in December, it also had this issue. I took out the lower seat cushion and took off the E-brake cover. I put a small shop towel under the mechanism and sprayed with electronics cleaner (evaporates quickly).
I didn't lube it since I figured that would allow for more dirt/grime to stick to it again.
It's worked for all of these months now.