seat restoration

[p5andrew]

I have acquired a set of seats which I am going to restore and fit to my P5B coupe, the leather to my current seats being more like heavy cardboard.  Fortunately the leather to the replacement seats is all still remarkably supple and without any tearing at the seams so re-stitching the seams is viable and something I am able to tackle.  As is usual with P5B seats, the chip foam used for some of the filling has almost entirely rotted away, though fortunately the moulded (looks like Dunlopillo to me) parts are still pretty much like new. 

I have tried to establish what the thickness of the rotted chip foam might originally have been by packing out the cover until all creases have gone from the skirts and it all looks about right.  This suggests that the chip foam might have been somewhere around 2 1/2"-3" thick.  Does this sound about right to those who know?  Is the chip foam parts to the other seats the same thickness?  Also, is there a specification for the density of foam required?

Any other tips and tricks very welcome!

[Welsh Warlock]

I replaced the foam in my seats about 7 or 8 years ago as it was crumbling and had turned to a gooey mess.

I spoke to a local foam supplier (Leicester) who advised it would be best to make up of more than one grade of foam. I can't remember the spec but speak to a local upholsterer who may be able to help and either do the foam work or supply the foam if you want to do it yourself.

Getting the right shape isn't easy.

For treating the leather, rather than using Furniture Clinic or Woolies or other brand names you can get the same products, save some money and get great advice from the company who manufacture the restorers and colourants for the likes of FC and they are Nuera based in Leicester www.nueraproducts.co.uk/

Mention the Rover P5 Club and you may get additional discount.

One if the advantages of going direct to Nuera is that they will supply solvent based colourant whereas Woolies and FC will only supply water based recolourant. The spirit based recoulourant is harder wearing and better to apply.

I'd love to add some pics but it would take ages to resize them.

[p5andrew]

Many thanks for your good advice on this.  I have now been in contact with Neura and am only awaiting their answers to a couple of queries before proceeding to order.  

I note what you say about the foam.  We have a good automotive upholsterer in Bridport where I work but given the lockdown I cannot call in on him at present.  Difficult to describe what I need by telephone - much easier to show him what little is left of the original foam! 

Hopefully the situation is made at least a little easier by the fact that the moulded foam parts to my seats are more than good enough to re-use.  It is only the chip-foam parts that I need to replace.

[biffofo]

hi 

be very careful when recolouring seats , some products are more like  a paint and will recolour OK but will seal the leather so you cannot apply leather cream afterwards to keep it supple.

I recently acquired a Vanden Plas princess with grey "painted" seats, they looked really smart but were as hard as plastic and had no feel to them at all.

Furniture clinic are my recommendation www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/ 

good luck