Is proper leatherette unobtainable?

[Einar Irgens]

I had my beloved, original Recaro Sportsitz re-upholstered last year. Did not want to, but it was in really bad condition (exept for the Scheel corduroy fabric, which was almost immaculate).
I had it shipped to a shop that is supposed to have much experience with this type of seats. When I got it back I was very disappointed finding that the vinyl on the side bolsters and back was totally wrong. The surface has no gloss at all, and is also wrinkled or knotty, like the pepple pattern on the outside of the targa top.





I contacted the shop, and they agreed to do the job over if I would purchase the right type of fabric. I consequently ordered a roll from sitzklinik.de. It looked a little bit better, but far from enough to defend ripping the seat cover apart again.

Is it really not possible to find perforated vinyl that looks the same as it tid fifty years ago? If so, can someone please explain why?

Einar Irgens

[uai]

I contacted the shop, and they agreed to do the job over if I would purchase the right type of fabric. I consequently ordered a roll from sitzklinik.de. It looked a little bit better, but far from enough to defend ripping the seat cover apart again.

Is it really not possible to find perforated vinyl that looks the same as it tid fifty years ago? If so, can someone please explain why?

No but you'll have to use it, or you can try to polish the vinyl.
It's like stonewashed or sandblasted jeans
See also here: this seat has been used 1.5 years
https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...l=1#post918565

Another important question which Year are you looking for? As the corduroy seems to be like '73 (or Scheel) - '73 the vinyl wasn't perforated and the "wrong" vinyl in your pictures looks pretty good for '73.

Here a comparison 67 vs. 68 vinyl left is 67 right is 68 they are completely different in touch&feel

And here pictures of an original unrestored 2.7 RS in the 200-300 VIN region
Left is a sport seat right is a standard seat - this looks closer to your vinyl, it is matte and completely different to the ones above.

[911int]

Hallo Einar, you have pm

best

Michael

[Einar Irgens]

UAI,

My seat did not originally have perforated covers on the bolsters. I ordered it because I think it looks better. The vinyl of the original, unrestored Carrera RS seat in the picture is identical to the vinyl my seat had before it was renovated. It doesn's have as much gloss as the older vinyl, but far more than the new, aftermarket vinyl.

An even bigger fault with the renovation done on my seat is that the fabric underneath the vinyl has a very dark colour. As shown on the pictures of the '67 and '68 seats above, the vinyl should be wrapped aroundt the bolsters without any fabric in between. The bright background created by the foam makes the holes much more visible, which is of course a lot cooler.

[Unobtanium-inc]

These were in a time capsule 69E, car was parked in 72. For comparison.

---Adam

[john rice]

Time changes everything, including the sheen on the original materials. I've got a few original seats in storage but the only perfect and unused example is a Sheel which doesn't count except it gives a perspective of how exposure to air and light changes the surfaces. I experienced a ton of early 911s and I remember only the standard seats as having that much gloss to the texture. I suspect that replacement material might be closer to the sheen the originals had when new.

I'm sure that this place will have some more studied enthusiasts who may have very precise details that will make my statement look silly- which is great if we can keep learning, and possibly find better sources. I spent several years trying to find a rather exotic original fabric seat material and finally bought a German reproduction, but it doesn't have the same color saturation, density, or feel and "just ain't right". Perhaps we are chasing the unobtainable.