Leather or Not?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
Leather or Not?
I have been working on a project car since May. It is a mechanical salvage car that I have rebuilt the engine, suspension and brakes on (the 02 coupe).
I still have the center console removed and I need to remove the dash to fix the HUD.
While those Items are out I am thinking of wrapping them in leather. The hard part is that the pieces are in such good shape.
If any of you think it is a good Idea to go with leather then what do you like on a black car. I'm thinking black with red stitch. My pockets aren't real deep and some of it will be DIY.
I still have the center console removed and I need to remove the dash to fix the HUD.
While those Items are out I am thinking of wrapping them in leather. The hard part is that the pieces are in such good shape.
If any of you think it is a good Idea to go with leather then what do you like on a black car. I'm thinking black with red stitch. My pockets aren't real deep and some of it will be DIY.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,844
Likes: 375
From: San Jose, CA
For the dash?
Honestly, I'd keep it in the stock trim. The leather will over time fade and stretch and not look so good. Besides which, it's kind of an expensive thing to do with no real benefit other than looks.
Yeah GM kind of cheaped out on the interior stuff, but we mostly paid the price for the drivetrain, not for the dash quality.
Honestly, I'd keep it in the stock trim. The leather will over time fade and stretch and not look so good. Besides which, it's kind of an expensive thing to do with no real benefit other than looks.
Yeah GM kind of cheaped out on the interior stuff, but we mostly paid the price for the drivetrain, not for the dash quality.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
For the dash?
Honestly, I'd keep it in the stock trim. The leather will over time fade and stretch and not look so good. Besides which, it's kind of an expensive thing to do with no real benefit other than looks.
Yeah GM kind of cheaped out on the interior stuff, but we mostly paid the price for the drivetrain, not for the dash quality.
Honestly, I'd keep it in the stock trim. The leather will over time fade and stretch and not look so good. Besides which, it's kind of an expensive thing to do with no real benefit other than looks.
Yeah GM kind of cheaped out on the interior stuff, but we mostly paid the price for the drivetrain, not for the dash quality.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 31
Likes: 2
I asked this of 2 respected local upholstery shop owners. I was getting prices on rebuilding and recovering my seats and had to ask. They both told me that they wouldn't do it. They both said that it would look awful after a summer or two with even good care. I was hoping for a different answer as my driver's side or panel has a small spot of delamination, but they said without a redesign that the doors too would eventually look bad.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 471
Likes: 69
I asked this of 2 respected local upholstery shop owners. I was getting prices on rebuilding and recovering my seats and had to ask. They both told me that they wouldn't do it. They both said that it would look awful after a summer or two with even good care. I was hoping for a different answer as my driver's side or panel has a small spot of delamination, but they said without a redesign that the doors too would eventually look bad.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 31
Likes: 2
I'm sorry, my post was unclear. They were speaking about the dash and door panels not the seats. My seats will be reupholstered next week. $550 for leather and reforming. I'm also going two tone black and original light gray with black stitching.
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If you can do the work yourself and save on labor, then going with a leather dash or other components might make sense. If over time it fades or has other problems, you could try to fix it again yourself. But if you have to pay someone to do the labor and if you daily drive the car and park it out in the sun, I doubt I would go to the expense of re-doing the dash in leather. But, the choice is yours.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
Well, It looks like dash and doors are not a good idea, especially in Fl. I would hate to go through all that just to have it delaminate.
You all may have saved me a lot of trouble and saved my interior parts.
What do you think about doing just the center console and radio bezel?
You all may have saved me a lot of trouble and saved my interior parts.
What do you think about doing just the center console and radio bezel?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 734
Likes: 45
From: Over in the UK
Well, It looks like dash and doors are not a good idea, especially in Fl. I would hate to go through all that just to have it delaminate.
You all may have saved me a lot of trouble and saved my interior parts.
What do you think about doing just the center console and radio bezel?
You all may have saved me a lot of trouble and saved my interior parts.
What do you think about doing just the center console and radio bezel?
I'm also thinking of leather for doors and dash tops... Getting a little put off now ... Although over in UK we don't get extreme temps
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
^Nice. When the entire interior is leather it looks too soft to me. I like the look of a mix in hard and soft surfaces. The bezel looks good painted. I ordered center console leather from UK.
What do people think of the Vette in UK? It seems like it would be a bit more rare.
What do people think of the Vette in UK? It seems like it would be a bit more rare.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 734
Likes: 45
From: Over in the UK
^Nice. When the entire interior is leather it looks too soft to me. I like the look of a mix in hard and soft surfaces. The bezel looks good painted. I ordered center console leather from UK.
What do people think of the Vette in UK? It seems like it would be a bit more rare.
What do people think of the Vette in UK? It seems like it would be a bit more rare.
Vettes over here are great.. Not a lot of people know what they are, or in my case how old the actual car is... Always surprises people.. They are rare.. In fact you see far more Ferraris, Lambos etc.. So they have quite a presence .. also cheap to run in comparison to the likes of Porsches etc..
Funny where ever you drive people's Windows go down for a listen, or they take photos or videos while they are driving!!
My old C3 used to literally stop traffic! People letting it out at junctions purely to have a look at it.
Last edited by Brit dex; Aug 31, 2016 at 01:50 PM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 734
Likes: 45
From: Over in the UK
Last edited by Brit dex; Aug 31, 2016 at 01:55 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
Was it off eBay ? I've found some nice pieces on there for C5 .. Still fancy dash top and doors.. With twin stitch seams... Bit like you have in an Aston Martin.. Not going to do too much..
Vettes over here are great.. Not a lot of people know what they are, or in my case how old the actual car is... Always surprises people.. They are rare.. In fact you see far more Ferraris, Lambos etc.. So they have quite a presence .. also cheap to run in comparison to the likes of Porsches etc..
Funny where ever you drive people's Windows go down for a listen, or they take photos or videos while they are driving!!
My old C3 used to literally stop traffic! People letting it out at junctions purely to have a look at it.
Vettes over here are great.. Not a lot of people know what they are, or in my case how old the actual car is... Always surprises people.. They are rare.. In fact you see far more Ferraris, Lambos etc.. So they have quite a presence .. also cheap to run in comparison to the likes of Porsches etc..
Funny where ever you drive people's Windows go down for a listen, or they take photos or videos while they are driving!!
My old C3 used to literally stop traffic! People letting it out at junctions purely to have a look at it.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 471
Likes: 69
I went through same thought process, but decided on gloss black paint which I think is quite striking, done door opening surrounds to Match
I'm also thinking of leather for doors and dash tops... Getting a little put off now ... Although over in UK we don't get extreme temps
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 734
Likes: 45
From: Over in the UK
.. Put in corvette cross flags on main screen so it looks like it's meant to be there!
Have to say Impressed .. Does loads more features I will never use!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Reversing Camera at the top
Last edited by Brit dex; Sep 2, 2016 at 03:53 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
I did a near complete mechanical restoration on a black 02 using suspension parts from a 2013 Z06. There is not much to see in the suspension.
I have some of the interior apart. I live in FL where things get real Hot year round, and come unglued.
The pro's are saying to use this.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...esive&_sacat=0
You can only get it in one gallon containers.
I have some of the interior apart. I live in FL where things get real Hot year round, and come unglued.
The pro's are saying to use this.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...esive&_sacat=0
You can only get it in one gallon containers.
Last edited by Rob 02; Sep 2, 2016 at 09:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 432
From: Atlantic Beach FL.
My OEM door panels are delaminating from heat and age in FL heat anyway. I'm going to try the center console DIY first and see if this is in my wheelhouse.
If I like the UK sellers leather, then I may apply it. I don't like shinny leather. Hoping for more of a matte finish.
If I like the UK sellers leather, then I may apply it. I don't like shinny leather. Hoping for more of a matte finish.
