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Thread: vader seat restoration and colour change DIY

  1. #1
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    vader seat restoration and colour change DIY

    i have basic seats in my car, green leather, and i just hate them! i decided to get myself a set of vaders, holding out for a green set would take forever, if they even exist.

    so i bought myself a set of grey ones.

    they are really tired with a few cracks, no holes though.

    so i am going to try to colour them to match my green leather interior.

    I HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE!!!! will post pics along the way.

    wish me luck! ha ha

    the first step is to remove the seats from the vehicle, just 4 bolts and out they come.

    the next step is to take off the seat back. undo these 2 screws...
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  2. #2
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    the next step is to remove the side handles (if you have them) just pull them out and then pop thier surrounds out carefully, so you dont break the seat back panel, then pop the headrest off and remove the plastic surrounds in the top of the seat........
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  3. #3
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    Go to a shoe repair shop. They sell dye in many colors for dying leather shoes. Should have what you need.

  4. #4
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    the seat back panel will now pull away, now unclip the leather from around the frame being careful again not to cause any damage. the seat back padding will just pull off after this is done.

    the pic here shows the seat back after using the leather prep solution. i bought a kit for about $70 which should have everything needed to do this job... we` see. first up. leather prep...

    i had to remove to top shiny coat on the leather, this ids done using leather prep. quite easy. just apply with a scratch pad until all the top coat has been removed.

    then use an alcohol cleaner to remove any gunk left over on the leather.

    this pic shows my seat back after these stages......
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  5. #5
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    next remove the seat base.

    underneath the seat, undo to screws at the front, and pop to black plastic clips at the rear, the seat base will pull up, under the seat base you will be able to see 6 large screws, the front 4 are holding on the extending peice at the front of sport and vader seats, take these screws out and the seat base is free.....
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  6. #6
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    subscribed

  7. #7
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    when all the leather has been prepped and cleaned (mine took a lot of hard work because some clown had already sprayed some grey paint over them to make them look better for selling)
    you should use a very fine sand-paper 1200 grit and use it wet!
    just to smooth everything over.

    as with all jobs of this nature preparation is the key.

    clean the leather again, dry, now i`m ready to add some colour. this is just the base coat, applied with a sponge. making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies, vaders sure do have alot of nooks!!
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  8. #8
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    thats as far as i got today, about 4 hours work, stripping down the seats, one seat has a complete base coat, the other seat is in pieces and the leather is waiting to be prepped.

    if you are thinking of doing this, and your seats have not been attacked by some idiot with a spray can, prepping them will take minutes rather than hours, i had to cut through a few layers of spray paint before reaching the original finish coat.

    if i was just removing the shiny finish it would have been so much easier!! will post more as soon as i have prepped the other seat and added more coats to show progress.

    check back soon....

  9. #9
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    Excited to see how they turn out.

  10. #10
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    the next pics are the comparison between the two seats, one is untouched (but off the seat frame obviously) the other has the base coat on.
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  11. #11
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    two coats on.....
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  12. #12
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    a bit more info.....

    the kit i bought was from furnitureclinic.co.uk in england (where i am).

    they do ship wordwide, but i would have thought similar kits are available in your country.

    the kit comprised of

    1 bottle of leather prep
    1 bottle of alcohol cleaner
    1 bottle of colourant
    2 cans of compressed air
    1 airbrush
    2 sponges
    protective gloves
    clean rags for wiping down
    cotton wool
    instructions!

    i have never used an airbrush before but it does seem a bit crappy, so i have borrowed a compressor just in case the results with the compressed air are not very good.

    these kits are not only for people who want to colour change, you can also get colour match kits for repair of you bolsters etc.

    i am going from light grey to dark green, the site says you can go from black to white even!! just takes more coats of colour.

    just hope the finished result is good enough......

    oops, in the list above, kit also has finish coats satin and gloss

  13. #13
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    i was going to do that to a set of vaders, but there were some tears... so I bought enough alcantara to cover them... just never found the time to get them done
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
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  14. #14
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    I didn't know BMW made green interiors. Pretty cool.


  15. #15
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    they do indeed do green, here it is.
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  16. #16
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    i now have 3 coats done, takes about 5 mins to apply 1 coat. then dry with a hair dryer, and do another. one more and i`ll give the airbrush a shot......its almost too easy!

    could easily have had this done in a day if someone had not sprayed them with they grey shite!

  17. #17
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    hahahaha you said shite that is sooo british.

  18. #18
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    just an afterthought...
    while your seats are in bits, check the condition of the bowden cables, my original seats no longer allow access to the rear because the cables have broken, check if they are frayed and replace if needed.

    and when re- assembling, put the passenger side on the driver side and vice versa, because one will be worn more than the other.

  19. #19
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    OP, you need to get this over in the DIY section soon as it's done. Lookin good though!
    05 BMW X5 - 09 Yamaha R6 - 04 Ski-Doo mxzX 440 lc race sled - 04 Ford F350 SCrew PSD

  20. #20
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    ^^^^^

    i tried when i started writing, but it wouldnt let me. maybe the moderators here could move it for me??
    E36 323I M50 MANIFOLD CONVERSION, M3 EXHAUST CONVERSION, CAI, CDV REMOVED, M6 WHEELS, CUSTOM COILOVERS, REMAPPED, BREMBO MAX DISCS

  21. #21
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    I commend you for taking on such a project.... BTW Green Leather FTW!
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
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  22. #22
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    as you can see by this pic, things are really starting to come together.

    this is with 3 coats applied using the sponge.
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    E36 323I M50 MANIFOLD CONVERSION, M3 EXHAUST CONVERSION, CAI, CDV REMOVED, M6 WHEELS, CUSTOM COILOVERS, REMAPPED, BREMBO MAX DISCS

  23. #23
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    Wow that is turning out awesome. Green does look good sometimes.

  24. #24
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    today i started to prep the other seat, here is a pic of it prepped and ready for the colourant....
    Attached Images Attached Images
    E36 323I M50 MANIFOLD CONVERSION, M3 EXHAUST CONVERSION, CAI, CDV REMOVED, M6 WHEELS, CUSTOM COILOVERS, REMAPPED, BREMBO MAX DISCS

  25. #25
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    after adding 3 coats, as before, with the sponge, i got the airbrush ready. as i said previously, i also had a compressor but thought i would try this rather crappy airbrush as i came with the kit. here is a pic of the seat with one coat of colour using the airbrush.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    E36 323I M50 MANIFOLD CONVERSION, M3 EXHAUST CONVERSION, CAI, CDV REMOVED, M6 WHEELS, CUSTOM COILOVERS, REMAPPED, BREMBO MAX DISCS

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