Seat upholstery - 81 spider

[Willabram]

Hi everyone,

I'm a first time spider owner, but this is my 3rd fiat. (New fiat 500 sport an 79 X1/9)

The car I have purchased has dried and cracked leather seats and I would like to retrieve with a perfect match color, but with better leather.

The instrument panel, doors, and console are also wrapped, but the appear pretty good.

Are there manufactures in USA or Italy that sell perfect color match covers and stitching?

Color is like a cream color.

I may be going to Turin in the next month, so I could ship them back with me.

Will

[azruss]

It is a guaranty that whatever you have in your car as faded unless its been stored the the "bat cave" for the last century. Expecting a color match is fantasy.

[Exit98]

Like Azruss said you'll never match them.

Also its highly unlikely the present seats are leather unless a prior owner spent $$$ to have them done. The factory seats are vinyl.

I have an unusual green interior which needed work. After much searching I found a place in Toronto that said he could match the color. I sent him a small sample of my vinyl, not really expecting it would work. $100 bucks or so for 6 arosol spray cans.

The match was absolutely perfect. I was amazed.

I've used all but one of the cans so I ordered another batch just so I have it. I can't be sure he'd still be around the next time I might need it.

So if you or anybody wants the name and address just let me know.

The idea being, do you seats then send this guy a sample piece and re-dye all the rest of the stuff.

After a while it does kind of rub off at the wear spots, like around the back folds of the shift boot and where the seat rubs against the dyed boot. I just respray it at those points. Its easy.

[Willabram]

The car first owned by a doctor. Also, just recently had looked at an 81 parts car, it had definitely leather factory seats that were in pretty bad shape. The lower I/p and console were also wrapped.

Very Low quality leather.

Will

[So Cal Mark]

the anniversary cars had leather seats and wrapped dash and consoles

[vandor]

There were also some non-Anniversary Spider 2000s that had the 'leather option' with the same leather seats, covered consoles and lower dash covered in leather.
The story I heard is that some anniversary Spiders were damaged in port so they transferred the interiors to regulars Spiders and made a 'leather option'. Not sure if it's true.

[MrWampus]

I have an '81 with wrapped console and leather wrap on the lower dash. The other difference is the dash itself is dark brown instead of black. The steering wheel and shift knob are also wrapped in brown leather. The visors and top of the door panels are brown vinyl to match the dash. The original seats in my car were recovered by the PO so I don't know if the were leather but I suspect so. It's a really nice color combination to me. I plan to have my dash covered in brown leather with a cream stitching and new cream leather knee roll at the bottom. I may also spring for new leather seats but the current vinyl is in perfect condition so maybe wait a while.