jedcred

I'm going to change out the cloth seats in my coupe for leather ones, as my uncle does this stuff and my brother is going to see him this Christmas. He needs the original seat covers to make the replacement leather ones, as he doesn't have the pattern already. I have three questions.

1. Does anyone know or have instructions as to how to remove the front seat cloth, rear seat cloth, the side panel cloth on the front doors and the back seating area, and the headrests? Is it something one can do without sewing or special tools?

2. If the above is not reasonable, I need to look for an upholstery place in the San Francisco Bay Area to remove and install. Does anyone have any recommendations for a place that has fair pricing and does a good job?

3. What suggestions do you guys have as to the pattern to get? I can really go anywhere here (as it is my uncle doing this), but to stay in the realm of good taste, I was thinking dark charcoal or black mainly on the seats and the sides, with red stitching on the seats and the side panels. The interior parts of the seats (where you mostly sit) I was thinking of doing with the hole pattern, like in the stock leather. I'm just not sure if I should go with red inserts on the seats, or if it will look too gaudy or out of place. The car is Mars red on the exterior and charcoal cloth on the interior. I can provide pictures if people want to play with Photoshop on this. The other question is: suede on the inserts or standard leather?

TIA.

rlee02135

headrests pull right out from the top.

TruTaing

This would be a nice DIY if anyone can do it

jedcred

I was thinking of removing the covers off the headrests, but you're absolutely right; let the installer do the heavy lifting. I just hope they're not dangerous enough to catch the ire of airport security.

Midnight Koop

http://www.classicsofttrim.com/index.html

call and see if they have a local installer (i'm pretty sure they do). i'm going to go through them to get it done once my new job picks up. i have been hunting around for interior ideas for a while now and have a good idea of what i want to do... what interior color do you have?

slowrey

I went through Classic Soft Trim on my last car. My car had tan leather and I wanted something more sporty. Great price and warranty.

Here are photos.

jedcred

Hmm...looking at that, the red stitching is a nice touch, but I don't think the red inlay is going to work. That's a new 3-series, isn't it?

slowrey

Actually it was a 2004 Volvo S60R.

slowrey

Here is the schematic for your 2004 C coupe

rlee02135

that looks very nice! how much did it cost overall?

yeuchau

that's why it looks familiar to me

jedcred

It's hard to tell without seeing any major dash features or the exterior. The lines of the center console and door handles kinda looked like the new 3 to me, but I guess I was wrong :p.

So, any ideas as to color scheme? Or removal of the seats, since we're on that topic?

jedcred

Just for kicks, I got a quote from a local body shop as to the removal and reinstalltion (no sewing, just popping things back in). An estimate of 14 hours and $1300 came up. Three words. Yeah effing right.

Jkw

Real Nice.

jedcred

Indeed.

BTW, does anyone have access to the schematics for the car (the mechanic's software is the best bet, but I can't remember the name) that might give me a clue as to how these panels come off in the back? That's the big question mark; the rest should be relatively straightforward. If someone has the blowup for the rear interior, front seats, and front door panels, that would really be a help as well. I believe the Mercedes digital manual (also can't remember the name of that one either) would have this information as well.

TIA.

jedcred

bump

magnus203

Schematic!!!

lancemb

definitely go with the suede. its like touching clouds.

valexv

the volvo likes nice. I haven't made up my mind for either 2-tone or black with white stitching (this is the one im thinging about more.) I was also planing to go with classic soft trim here in houston. How much did that run?

slowrey

I paid around $2500 for full leather and custom two tone. Also I had the doors done which is extra too.

Blake P

I think black patent leather with gucci inserts would look insanely wack.

jedcred

Cute, but not quite. That's a generic schematic for the chairs that gives one no clue as to how to take it apart. However, the schematics provided for MB techs do in MB's mechanic software, and they're great piece-by-piece blow-apart diagrams. That's what I need.

jedcred

bump

EnkeiDynamics

Bump for a man on a mission!!

jedcred

And now that I have the internets back....

bump.