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PostPosted: September 17, 2009, 2:22 pm 
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I hope you guys realize it is not actually leather but a high quality urethane vinyl like Gary Sells. It is still a fair price, but the title says leather.

I'll be using the same type material and definately not leather.

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PostPosted: September 17, 2009, 3:31 pm 
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Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:
I hope you guys realize it is not actually leather but a high quality urethane vinyl like Gary Sells. It is still a fair price, but the title says leather.

I'll be using the same type material and definately not leather.


Not trying to scam anyone lol this is why i offered a small free sample if anyone wants one. Also if you read the first post I say "leatherette". Fixed the title for your approval :cheers:

What people don't realize is when they buy a high end "leather interior" usually less then 30% of the material is actually real leather. The reason goes beyond costs, but more into environmental conditioning and test specs. This stuff will out perform leather in UV aging, spills, scratch and mar, dimensional stability, and all. How do i know this? Well we are the number one Tier 1 interior supplier in Europe and slowly working our way up on our side of the pond.

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


Last edited by blue devil on September 17, 2009, 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: September 17, 2009, 3:32 pm 
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gtivr4 wrote:
So how much of this stuff do you think it would take to do a dash, and a few interior bits? 2-3 yards maybe?


Depends on the side of the interior bits. For a dash i would say 2 yards to be on the safe side.

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PostPosted: September 17, 2009, 4:23 pm 
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And how would you apply it to a given surface? Some specific glue?


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PostPosted: September 17, 2009, 4:33 pm 
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You can use a solvent based or water based adhesive. For production we spray a waterbased adhesive to both the back side of the material and the substrate. We kick the adhesive off using heat.

For prototype applications which will suit us, we use 3M Super 77 or 90. Spray the part you are covering, spray the back side of the material and wait 1-2 minutes. After the wait lay the leatherette up and apply pressure. It will stick really well. Around the backside edges we will sometimes use a one minute epoxy for the added strength. If possible you can also use staples around the back side edges.

Best advice is to lay the material without adhesive on the part and rough cut the shape. Spray adhesive, apply leatherette, trim and fold over the edges.

If you have access to a sewing machine you can make some really nice complex part. I plan to use red french stitching for the added effect!

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


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PostPosted: September 18, 2009, 12:37 pm 
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blue devil wrote:
Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:
I hope you guys realize it is not actually leather but a high quality urethane vinyl like Gary Sells. It is still a fair price, but the title says leather.

I'll be using the same type material and definately not leather.


Not trying to scam anyone lol this is why i offered a small free sample if anyone wants one. Also if you read the first post I say "leatherette". Fixed the title for your approval :cheers:



My approval means nothing. I saw "leatherette". There are people who think it is some type of leather. If you'd said naugahyde, PETA would be all over you; those poor little naugas.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12


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PostPosted: September 18, 2009, 3:51 pm 
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Miatav8,MstrASE,A&P,F wrote:

My approval means nothing. I saw "leatherette". There are people who think it is some type of leather. If you'd said naugahyde, PETA would be all over you; those poor little naugas.


You make a good point haha. Anyways the appeal of real leather would be nice, but ill take something that has the same haptic feeling and better properties to withstand time.

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


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PostPosted: September 18, 2009, 4:08 pm 
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I have had a number of cars with leather, they all needed a lot of up keep to prevent creasing and wear patterns.
When I ordered my 4Motion Passat I had the choice of leather or leatherette (actually ebony black). I decided to try the leatherette and have never regretted it.
It is just plain more durable, it doesn't sweat anymore than leather, is very easy to clean, does not get scratched if you have a dog on it, doesn't crease or show lines.
I have about 55,000 miles on mine now and the interior still looks just like it was when brand new, and to tell the truth the average person looking at it is not sure if it is not real leather. This discounts people on this forum who are smarter than average. :lol:

Todays leatherette is definitly not the same product as yesterdays vinyl car interiors.
One less decision to make on my build :D
Al

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PostPosted: September 18, 2009, 8:37 pm 
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raceral wrote:
I have had a number of cars with leather, they all needed a lot of up keep to prevent creasing and wear patterns.
When I ordered my 4Motion Passat I had the choice of leather or leatherette (actually ebony black). I decided to try the leatherette and have never regretted it.
It is just plain more durable, it doesn't sweat anymore than leather, is very easy to clean, does not get scratched if you have a dog on it, doesn't crease or show lines.
I have about 55,000 miles on mine now and the interior still looks just like it was when brand new, and to tell the truth the average person looking at it is not sure if it is not real leather. This discounts people on this forum who are smarter than average. :lol:

Todays leatherette is definitly not the same product as yesterdays vinyl car interiors.
One less decision to make on my build :D
Al


Wouldnt be suprised if this is the same brand. Beneke is German and is pretty much the number one supplier of its type to the European OEMs.

Raceral- ill be shipping it out tomorrow as i didnt make it to the post office before it closed today.

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


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PostPosted: September 19, 2009, 12:52 am 
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Just a small update. I decided to recover a few chair cushions with the leatherette. I sprayed the cushion with 3M super77 and then sprayed the back side of the leatherette. I let them dry for 2-3 minutes and stuck them together. I tried to peel up an edge and it ripped the foam. So if your worried about bonding this stuff its so easy! Cant wait to do the interior of my car!

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


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PostPosted: September 30, 2009, 4:50 pm 
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Well we had some customs holdups with Racerals material, but he should have it by friday. Hopefully he will chime in with his opinion of quality.

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PostPosted: September 30, 2009, 5:12 pm 
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blue devil wrote:
Well we had some customs holdups with Racerals material, but he should have it by friday. Hopefully he will chime in with his opinion of quality.


Definitely will chime in, we had a slight miscommunication on shipping between my US address and my Canadian address.
In this regard 'blue devil' on his own initative went way beyond what most people would to get it sorted out for me and for that he has my deepest thanks. :cheers:
Al

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PostPosted: October 7, 2009, 8:13 pm 
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I got my leatherette today and am very pleased with it, although I didn't weigh it the weight feels good.
As I am not the fabric expert in my house I asked the Mrs what she thought and she thought it was very nice quality.
She mentioned that the backing was a tight weave and it was difficult to grab a thread to pull, so that is a good sign, she also grabbed a handful and squeezed it in her fist for a few moments and released it to see how easily it uncreased, she was happy to see it didn't hold a crease, she folded it a number of times on itself to see how workable it was.
She says it has very good flexability. She also liked the full 60 inch width. She makes a point of being no expert either, but it had her thumbs up as well.

I added a few photos, the one photo makes it look gray, but it definitley is an ebony black, the camera didn't show much detail when it was shot black so it is lighter to show the pattern, the other one is the backing.
The grain pattern is a touch finer than the pattern in my Passat, but the colors are identical.
I am happy with it and wouldn't hesitate to order more.
Al


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PostPosted: October 8, 2009, 12:15 am 
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Wow thanks for you honest opinion. I had some sewn up at a shop that I work with today to use as headboard inserts (yea I kind build everything). Well the owner does all development work and was working on a set of Mustang seats for Ford to send to the SEMA show. He just about fell over dead when I told him what I was doing. The commercial rate for the mustang leatherette was around $25/linear yard when this is upwards of $40/linear yard. He's now convinced without site that I probably have a badass bachelors pad... Well I guess if 24 year old girls like tools, cars, motorcycles, and gasoline I do!

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On the cool points scale you rank just above Isaac Newton and just under Batman.


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PostPosted: October 8, 2009, 12:28 am 
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FYI if you do have a slight wrinkle before instalation (as its designed not to wrinkle) just wet it with a rag and hit it highly with a heat gun or blow drier. Just a tad bit od heat and it will go perfectly smooth.

Ill be dropping my CF seats off at the mentioned shop next week to have covers sewn up with this Cadillac black leatherette, Mustang red leatherette, and alcantara from a lambo. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. Next ill drop off the instrument panel I make. Mmmm leather interior and CF body...

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