Topic: Leather Seat Preservation Techniques

[67gtasanjose]

I did not wish to wear out my original seat covers with leather inserts (simulated leather?) on my 2005 convertible.
As mentioned in another thread over in the 2005-14 section, I removed them for the time being to place them into storage, with plans to re-install them at a later date. Obviously that STOPS further damage from drivers/passengers getting in and out of the car.

My questions are (but not limited to):
1.) Should I make any attempts to restore these (now or later, see images below)
2.) How should I preserve them to make efforts against perhaps RODENTS getting into the box.
3.) Methods or ideas to prevent any other storage damage. (I have a safe area on the 2nd floor of my house, a closet but it is not air conditioned, gets warm in summer months but has heat during winter)

[67gtasanjose]

I offer an unrestored example of a seat to use as reference (other make & model) that has been "left alone". I have the dye left over that I used on the temporary replacement upholstery that I could use to "clean up" the worn area with...I just wonder if I should or not it  (dye matches +95% correct color)

FWIW, I'll probably start driving the car now WITHOUT my wallet in my left cheek pocket too (likely source of the rub-marks).

[67gtasanjose]

I was hoping to hear other ideas but without input from others (and since I am reasonably sure my wife doesn't want to see these in our living room another day)...I will default to the "Archival Instruction Rule#1" policy of "Do no damage" and simply put them away.

[67gtasanjose]

OCD got the best of me...I couldn't "NOT" clean up the worn area.

Since nobody seemed to have any thoughts or comments, PM me if you are curious how I did this. I'll post two images (before/after) of the worst area. I only "spot-repaired" it. I left the passengers seat untouched and spot-repaired the worn spot in the lower cushion too.

I'll give the dye a few weeks to cure, vacuum storage bag the sections, bubble-wrap them and box them up for a future day. Unless anyone has ideas of what "not to do" to store these, this is all I could come up with on my own. Maybe it is "taboo" to "cheat" (preserve a driven car) like this, is perhaps why nobody responded yet, idk...but for me, saving the original upholstery AND enjoying the car while preserving it as much as I can, it seems like a good idea to me at least.

[J_Speegle]

Nice job.  Think you have found a subject that many of the member have not had to face or deal with giver the different years and material used.

[67gtasanjose]

Nice job.  Think you have found a subject that many of the member have not had to face or deal with giver the different years and material used.

Thanks Jeff. As many of you know, I work on cars for a living and see the newer cars falling apart faster than most people do. I feared the seats would be the hardest to keep nice because I see 50K mile cars all of the time and leather seats rarely look very good.

A 12-year-old car Classic Stang, driven as most were, also rarely had "perfect" or even "good" interior parts at 12-years old as I recall. The goal with our '05 GT Vert, when I bought it with 12K miles in extra-nice condition, was to drive it to around 40-50K and enjoy it on Sunny Summer days. Easy to keep the mileage down over here in Ohio but sliding in and out of the car, I could see an issue developing a few years back with that drivers seat. I had been looking for a pair of front seats since about '09 or '10...but what I found then was about $850, plus the ride on up to $1200. I had too many irons in the fire to pay that price.

Now, the set I found have been out of the other car for a few years and in fairly good shape. If anyone else reading along has one of these (newer) cars, it might be wise to pony up the dough and get a set for yours too. (if you plan to preserve or show it later). It's just my opinion but I doub you can find a huge surplus of good seats that are already up to 12 years old.