Seat resto advice...

[TomJ]

Complete premium resto on a 1987 Grand Wagoneer (that was written about in "Jeep Shorts," Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...t_bibl_vppi_i3 )


Anyway, after $8k in paint, then another $1700 in vinyl siding and wood (and incalculable engine/driveline rebuild)..., need to redo seats. Seems no one has the correct color of leather, so thinking of having them done in vinyl leatherette. Two fronts, sand colored with typical cracked leather, tears in drivers seat.


Anyone making a cover to replace the stock, or any covers even worth using?


Suggestions on shops that "might" have the right color leather for reupholster?

[MysticRob]

I had a thread here asking the same Qs weeks ago, and I called numerous upholstery shops, wagoneer resto shops, and others, and NOBODY makes a stock appearance kit without you having to drop some serious coin, to the tune of $3-4.5k depending on materials.

If you have the coin, then great, but to hopefully drop the price maybe you can reuse your covers for a template and hopefully reuse your existing carpet and fabric. Plus leather dyes can get you very close to original. Contact local shops and see what they offer.

Katzkin does a great cover kit thru BJ's, which is how I went, and am very happy for it.

https://www.bjsoffroad.com/Katzkin-Seat-Covers-Kit-1983-1991-Fully-Customizable_p_943.html

See my build thread in my sig for pics of what kind of nice kit you can have custom made by them. It's not stock by any means, but it was at least $3k cheaper than anything else I could have had made.

[TomJ]

.....

See my build thread in my sig for pics of what kind of nice kit you can have custom made by them. It's not stock by any means, but it was at least $3k cheaper than anything else I could have had made.

OMG, mine was almost pristine when I started..., I can't imagine starting from where YOU did! Dear gawd man!!!


Well, mines for the primo-crowd market, so I need to get as close to stock (and better in most cases) as I can. I'll check out BJ's. LMK if you need any little BS parts though, I have 40-years of odds and ends...

[MysticRob]

OMG, mine was almost pristine when I started..., I can't imagine starting from where YOU did! Dear gawd man!!!


Well, mines for the primo-crowd market, so I need to get as close to stock (and better in most cases) as I can. I'll check out BJ's. LMK if you need any little BS parts though, I have 40-years of odds and ends...

LOL, yeah it's been a labor of something akin to love. And thanks for the parts offer, I'm pretty close now to having everything I need, thankfully.

I kinda figured yours was a bit higher end resto after seeing you have more in paint than I do in parts starting from almost nothing.

The local shops to me were able to find color-matching leather (or could dye it to get a match), though you need to buy the entire hide lately due to the ccp virus. The biggest cost was just in labor to recreate the patterns, etc., and none of my carpet or fabric was reusable, as it mostly just fell apart when handled.

[TomJ]

LOL, yeah it's been a labor of something akin to love. And thanks for the parts offer, I'm pretty close now to having everything I need, thankfully.

I kinda figured yours was a bit higher end resto after seeing you have more in paint than I do in parts starting from almost nothing.

The local shops to me were able to find color-matching leather (or could dye it to get a match), though you need to buy the entire hide lately due to the ccp virus. The biggest cost was just in labor to recreate the patterns, etc., and none of my carpet or fabric was reusable, as it mostly just fell apart when handled.

The BJ's ones look like they'd do an acceptable job, but I don't need the rear done, it's pristine, just need fronts and $830 is pretty steep, since I can get mine custom done to perfectly match original (though leatherette, not leather) for about half of that. And new padding to firm everything up. And adding seat heater...

[TomJ]

So..., BJ's pretty much blew me off in suggesting any Katskinz colors that might match my "Sand" interior. "Answer: We don't recommend colors, but you can order samples here: ..."


Called Katskinz to order a swatch card and couldn't get past, "You can look online" (colors are different in every monitor and phone I have). Then asking what YMM I have, then stating they don't make them for my vehicle anyway. Explaining that I was ordering from a retailer who deals in only jeep parts only led back to her saying she could, "walk me through" looking at the swatch card online and my once again explaining that colors are rendered differently in every phone/browser and won't be very accurate. Gave up.


So..., who can suggest a Katskinz color that is close to our "Sand" interior? Vanilla? Ivory? Parchment? (Someone who has sand and also katskinz would be ideal...)

[MysticRob]

Just order the color samples directly from BJ's site. Then once you've decided on colors, piping/stitching options, perforations, etc, then order the covers directly from BJ's site. That's exactly what I did and it worked great.

But like you've already said, if you're going the true resto way and keeping the rear bench, then you might as well bide your time and see if you can score 2 good front seats from a salvage yard, ebay, etc.

[TomJ]

Just order the color samples directly from BJ's site. Then once you've decided on colors, piping/stitching options, perforations, etc, then order the covers directly from BJ's site. That's exactly what I did and it worked great.

But like you've already said, if you're going the true resto way and keeping the rear bench, then you might as well bide your time and see if you can score 2 good front seats from a salvage yard, ebay, etc.

Yeah, been looking quite a while. Gone are the days I could head to Greeley and pic through the 1/2 dozen or so at each yard. Think I've made up my mind to do the Katzkins and gently remove the rear seat cover so I can sell to someone who needs a pristine stock one.


BTW, you removed the stock covers and hog ringed on the Katzkins, right?

[MysticRob]

Indeed I did. The kit quality was way better than I expected, especially for $1010 shipped to the door. I already had some hog rings and pliers, but if you don't have them I'd recommend you get about 200 of them for the full upholstery kit.

These rings worked nicely, though I had to bend them slightly in the pliers before putting them on, as they are one stiff mother and very heavy duty:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HJYPSG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was born in Greeley, a bit over 50 years ago. Trying to get back out there at some point for work/life since I have family in the Fort Collins area...

[61Hawk]

Yeah, been looking quite a while. Gone are the days I could head to Greeley and pic through the 1/2 dozen or so at each yard. Think I've made up my mind to do the Katzkins and gently remove the rear seat cover so I can sell to someone who needs a pristine stock one.


BTW, you removed the stock covers and hog ringed on the Katzkins, right?

My rear seat is in similar condition, but is starting to come apart where the leather meets the leather in one spot. I think what you find when you start handling the seat is the leather and cloth may be fine but the stitching is going to be the weak point.

[TomJ]

Indeed I did. The kit quality was way better than I expected, especially for $1010 shipped to the door. I already had some hog rings and pliers, but if you don't have them I'd recommend you get about 200 of them for the full upholstery kit.

These rings worked nicely, though I had to bend them slightly in the pliers before putting them on, as they are one stiff mother and very heavy duty:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HJYPSG4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was born in Greeley, a bit over 50 years ago. Trying to get back out there at some point for work/life since I have family in the Fort Collins area...

Hey Rob, have pliers and rings that work well (already had one cover off, then decided to let someone else do the upholstery & re-installed), but I'll probably do as you suggest and get more of the rings you mentioned.


So..., Greeley, eh? Have a long history there myself. My name came from a great grandfather who's buried in Evans. Former fiance' is buried in Greeley not far from the Evan's cemetery where grandfather is. Aunt and uncle are buried there too. Seems most are gone now, but I get out to the grave yards now and then.

[TomJ]

My rear seat is in similar condition, but is starting to come apart where the leather meets the leather in one spot. I think what you find when you start handling the seat is the leather and cloth may be fine but the stitching is going to be the weak point.

Perhaps, certainly 35 years hasn't done them any favors, but mine's been garaged or covered most of its life and UV seems to be the worst killer of Jeeps.

[MysticRob]

Hey Rob, have pliers and rings that work well (already had one cover off, then decided to let someone else do the upholstery & re-installed), but I'll probably do as you suggest and get more of the rings you mentioned.


So..., Greeley, eh? Have a long history there myself. My name came from a great grandfather who's buried in Evans. Former fiance' is buried in Greeley not far from the Evan's cemetery where grandfather is. Aunt and uncle are buried there too. Seems most are gone now, but I get out to the grave yards now and then.

Nice. I find the angled pliers work best to get into most seat areas, if you don't already have them.
My Grandparents are buried in Greeley, where they had a 140 acres or so before I was born. My Mom, her 2 sisters, and brother were all raised there.

[TomJ]

Nice. I find the angled pliers work best to get into most seat areas, if you don't already have them.
My Grandparents are buried in Greeley, where they had a 140 acres or so before I was born. My Mom, her 2 sisters, and brother were all raised there.

Def a small world indeed!

[AlwaysInOverMyHead]

Katzkin covers on

I went wih the katzkin covers and had a local upholsterer sew some extra of the carpet I got from acc onto the back, replace the worn out padding, and out them on. Not a pristine resto thing and it would have cost more than I wanted for them to wrap the carpet around like the originals, but I'm happy with it for what I wanted.