Refurbing red leather

[mario andretti]

I bought a nice 300ce a few months ago and it has a red leather interior but it needs to be softened up and a redying. I am wondering what products people have used that they found good as I am keeping this car as I am loving the way it feels and drives.

 

[whitenemesis]

You wont go far wrong with Gliptone cleaner and conditioner.

They also do a great range of recolouring products

Car Leather Cleaner

 

[Sp!ke]

I might even have some gliptone colour dye lurking in my garage for your red leather as I had the same colour in my old W124 CE. I cant promise that I still have it but I'll take a look.

If I recall correctly, you just dab it on with a sponge and build up layers - very simple but effective.

 

[mario andretti]

Spike how did you find it to apply as the front sets have gone darker then the back and there is a bit of scuffing on the bolsters

 

[mikec32]

Another brand to look at is the furniture clinic. They do fantastic products as well as building a kit just for your interior.

Furniture Clinic - Leather Care Cleaner, Furniture Repair & Restoration

 

[mario andretti]

Cheers for that as now I have to decide are my seats red or according to my daughter pink. But how do you find that stuff for rejuvenating the leather as it is along time since this car was done

 

[navzptc]

Have a look at this site - I have used their products and did a great job on our slk seats. They also have useful videos on the site.

 

[mario andretti]

I don't see a link there

 

[Sp!ke]

Spike how did you find it to apply as the front sets have gone darker then the back and there is a bit of scuffing on the bolsters

I think you may be better served buying the kit as it sounds like you need to use the special cleaner solution first which should lighten up the fronts prior to using the scuffmaster on the bolsters.

 

[mario andretti]

It would be the full kit for what I want as I am loving my pimp interior as it really catches people's eyes

 

[Chrishazle]

If you don't want the time and elbow grease part of the operation, do what I did, cheat and get a specialist interior refurb man in! After recommendations from Porsche Tonbridge, Motorcare Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge Coachworks - he does all interior and trim work for all 3! - (and Drive 'n Shine Godstone making a complete horlicks of refurbing the seats!), I called Keith Abraham of Trimline Systems to do the front seats of my 968 cab. Took the seats out and put them on an improvised workbench in the garage, Keith thoroughly cleaned, de-creased, recoloured and sealed the 2 seats for £220, they came up almost new and have been admired many times since. He's based in SE London but travels a certain distance - I think I'm about as far south as he'll go, don't know about other directions. If you're interested his phone number is 07778 262509.

 

[mario andretti]

Chris I will be doing it myself as I am living in southern Ireland so it would be a long drive

 

[Chrishazle]

When I booked Keith to do mine, he told me to give the seats a good feed of Gliptone leather conditioner every couple of days for the 2 weeks before he arrived - it did the seats the world of good and made his job a lot easier. I went through the best part of a bottle of conditioner in that 2 weeks, but it was worth it!

 

[mario andretti]

Brilliant thanks for that piece of advice

 

[navzptc]

I don't see a link there

oooops Old age creeping up!

here you go - Leather Repair Hull, Leather Repair Kit, Leather Repair Training

 

[EVL]

Both gliptone and furniture clinic kits are easy to use and give good finishes.

 

[mario andretti]

Thanks for all the info lads as I am going to start treating the seats and I have been onto gliptone and I just need to send them a sample of the leather so I might send a seat pocket.

 

[Superspec]

The Gliptone stuff is very easy to use.

If you get some 4000 grit paper and very lightly sand the final layer after it's dry it makes it even softer....when you clean the seat there's no evidence of the sanding. (I sand the build up layers with 2000 as a matter of course.)