Where's the best place to find leather seats?

Hello,

I bought a Mk1 GTI cab last October. It is pretty much original as far as I can tell. As it's lasted through the winter with no leaks, no problems of any kind (and I have driven it daily…) I think it is worth investing in. I haven't taken on a project before like this and I need a bit of help.
I am not mechanically minded in the slightest. I have had handed down to me a couple of Mk1's over the years when my mum worked at a VW dealership in Ashford, Middlesex, but short of this I am pretty much a total novice.

Firstly, I understand leather seats are best bought with matching rear seats and door panels, possibly also a gaiter for the gearstick too.

Would anyone be able to point me in the right direction to find these? (Tried eBay but all a bit hit and miss…)

Thank you very much in advance.

Alex

Finding second hand parts isnt like buying stuff in a shop. We cant tell you if places will have them. Its just a case of keep looking on ebay and waiting for some to pop up. Or on here look in the classifides. Seats will fit out of all mk1 mk2 and mk3 golfs aswell. Just keep an eye out is the key

That's great, I didn't realise that Mk2 and Mk3 golf seats fit too. I'll keep an eye out.

Trial and error it is then.

Thanks

I think that the mk3 are to wide,but deffo mk2 and carrado :dontknow:

Nah mk3 seats are exactly the same as mk2 seats. And will fit. And from a corrados and from scirrocos and prob most of the 80's to 98 vws seats will fit.

lukeybabes said

Nah mk3 seats are exactly the same as mk2 seats. And will fit. And from a corrados and from scirrocos and prob most of the 80's to 98 vws seats will fit.

i learn something new everyday, :wink:

Got a black and grey interior from a 3 door Mk2 in VGC.It looks like leather but I think it is leatherette a synthetic leather,which is easier to maintain and is harder wearing and might be great for a cabby where there is chance of weather exposure(bright sunlight etc)anyway £140 takes it away

So this is all good, thank you everyone.

The cab is really very original, it doesn't seem to have been mucked around with at all. Also my VW-head mates will chastise me for considering anything but Mk1 original parts, etc. but logically enough, original seats will be getting on for 20 years old at best, right?
Were there many Mk1 seats produced? Mine is a GTI, which I would have guessed was kinda high up the food chain (??), but still only came with cloth trim. Did the original purchaser have to specify and pay extra?

The cab is sapphire blue, quite a light colour. It currently has a sort of dark blue tartan/check seat and door card fabric, with a hint of red in it. Which in itself isn't particularly in-keeping with the bodywork colour.
Also, my passenger seat is sun-bleached as is the drivers side door card. (Wierd, must have been parked for a long time in such a way only to bleach these two bits… don't get it myself, but there we go.) And my drivers seat is a bit hammered. Not the fabric, but there is a line of springs going up my back which is not ideal. Small amount of suffering I have been happy to put up with this far.

Just leaves vanity really. Want leather, like the smell, feel, etc.

Thanks Collo16v, where are you based? And do you have a photo of the diver's side? (alexlangdon@gmail.com, if that's cool…)

Anyone have any black and grey door cards…?!?

I am in Herne Bay ,Kent will get some more piccies up this weekend

hmmmm!
Although the seats may fit the fronts, are the rear seats different?
I know that the ones from the tin tops, are to tall and need cutting down.
What about the door cards from the other donor cars too, would these fit?
If they don't you will end up with odd seats and door cards, unless you have them all retrimmed the same colour.
under those circumstances you can wait for a complete set or have what you got retrimmed.
That is not cheap mind,
However you could go down the route I was thinking about, there is an e bay seller who does the seat covers in a faux leather, these are a proper replacements, you would need to strip the old covers off and replace, I am not sure wether they would supply some spare material for you to trim your door cards yourself or wether they would make a gear stick bag for you?
Just a thought.
I was going to put heated seats in too, whilst re trimming.
They did a set for a rivage for one of the members on here. I think it was boucahy, should be able to find in the search facility

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=66262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=rivage+interior&start=30

http://stores.ebay.com/KR-best-shop  for the heated seat kit


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEAT-COVER-FOR-VW-GOLF-MK1-MK4-CUSTOM-MADE-IN-6-COLOURS_W0QQitemZ260548297770QQcategoryZ9889QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7793740455211220086

 For the covers.

That's the ticket! thanks for the steer.
So these are the same seats, old covers stripped, new covers… I had spotted this listing on eBay previously but was a bit wary of a seat with a cover on it. But now understand the old covers come off first.

Don't like the idea of trimming things down, far too much margin for error for novice. Only concern is Bouchay's comments:
"Rears are in but not stretched enough yet as i've got to make an internal support for the rear headrests and I need to take them apart again to weld them in. Then I need to make a new rear panel for the back seats."
Make a what now? Take what apart? Did he say welding? Eh? Really? (Run away!!!)

Not sure I want the heated seats. Too comfy. All I'd need is the cat on my lap and a cup of tea and… zzzzzzzzzzzz!

Tell you what though, I could get a bit carried away with this. First the seats, then door cards, then carpet… This is addictive, right? Do you guys have enough money left at the end of the month to fill up the tank and drive the things?!?

Seems my thread has moved… sorry Mr website man, oops

LOL I think bouchay rear seats had been adapted at some point for headrests, so they had been altered.
If you are doing a straight recover on what you have already in the car, then you won't need to do anything alteration wise.
Yep it depends on how deep your pockets are.
Buying the covers and fitting will save loads etc and trimming the door cars should not be too difficult, you could even ask your local trimmer for a price just to do the door cards for you. Or even the whole job, as they wont need to make the covers.
It's all personal to be fair, I was just trying to put a little more in the mix, you can buy leather paint etc, that would colour all your stuff at the same time, its called vynilcote, I think its spelt that way, If you google car trimming or something similar you may find a tutorial on youtube or something to assist the general Idea.

iv got scirocco storm leather in my mk1 gti, fit straight in….

ans4r said

iv got scirocco storm leather in my mk1 gti, fit straight in….

Nice!!! but would the door cards fit a cabby front and rear?

chortle said

However you could go down the route I was thinking about, there is an e bay seller who does the seat covers in a faux leather, these are a proper replacements, you would need to strip the old covers off and replace,
They did a set for a rivage for one of the members on here. I think it was boucahy, should be able to find in the search facility

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=66262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=rivage+interior&start=30

I have just ordered these seat covers for my cabby. Should be here within the next week or so so i will add pics here as soon as they are fitted  

D4VEB said

chortle said

However you could go down the route I was thinking about, there is an e bay seller who does the seat covers in a faux leather, these are a proper replacements, you would need to strip the old covers off and replace,
They did a set for a rivage for one of the members on here. I think it was boucahy, should be able to find in the search facility

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=66262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=rivage+interior&start=30

I have just ordered these seat covers for my cabby. Should be here within the next week or so so i will add pics here as soon as they are fitted  

ok brill mate,
have you had the same design as the ones in ebay piccy look all quilted centres etc.
would you need to ring them to make sure you get the rivage look?
what colour you having?

chortle said

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=66262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=rivage+interior&start=30


have you had the same design as the ones in ebay piccy look all quilted centres etc.
would you need to ring them to make sure you get the rivage look?
what colour you having?

I have been intouch with them and they sent me the link that is above to show me some they had already made. I have opted for the same thing but in white. Looking forward to recieving them so i can get them fitted ASAP

D4VEB said

chortle said

However you could go down the route I was thinking about, there is an e bay seller who does the seat covers in a faux leather, these are a proper replacements, you would need to strip the old covers off and replace,
They did a set for a rivage for one of the members on here. I think it was boucahy, should be able to find in the search facility

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=66262&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=rivage+interior&start=30

I have just ordered these seat covers for my cabby. Should be here within the next week or so so i will add pics here as soon as they are fitted  

I'll be watching this one, good luck with it.

T :mrgreen:

Didn't want to high jack this thread to much so i have started my own.

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=535201#535201

Let me know what you think?

Thanks Chortle - have followed up D4VEB's thread and requested a sample of the PVC from Eurothingy's site. I am reassured it cannot be too difficult via initial boucahy's link, thanks for the link by the way. (Soon find out!)
£150 will do the practical job I want it to, if not the ideal.
Thanks ANS4R, not for me at the moment.

Still at a loss as to door cards… all ideas greatfully received!
I might one day get around to taking a picture of my door cards, they need doing.
The speaker enclosures are for 6x4's speakers from memory.

I have what seems to be the original cards in the rear,. with vents for speakers. If anyone could advise whether they're 6x4 in the back too?
My next project will be the stereo… I'm investigating cleverly concealed active subs in the back of cabs…

Thanks