Porsche 911 Seats

Seats do wear out. Recently a customer came to me with the front seats out of a Porsche 911 circa 1985 which were showing severe signs of wear. The customer had fortunately obtained enough of the original specification cloth to replace the centre panels and was hoping the original side panels could be re-used.

The sides of the lower squabs were parting company from the cloth centre panels which were also worn through in places.

The side panels were reusable, but only if the new stitch line was away from the original weakened stitch line. This meant that the new centre panel would have to be wider to accomodate narrower side panels.

The centre fabric panel is made up of three elements which are glued together. The rather eye-dazzling patterned cloth on top is backed with quarter-inch foam. This in turn is covered with linen cloth to enable the sewing machine foot to get a grip. Spray glue is used in order to get an even coverage that is not too thick. The foam is used purely to raise panels across the seat when stitch lines are put across which compress the foam.

Sewing a double row of stiching across the centre panel to indent the section.

The machine is what is known as a 'walking foot' type; the top foot moves as well as the lower to pull the cloth through evenly.

Old side panels stitched onto new centre panel. A strip of linen is sewn into the side pieces to be led down slits in the shaped upholstery foam shown, plus another across the centre fabric for the same purpose. This holds the cover securely centred on the foam, while not restricting vertical movement.

This can be seen here as strips of white on the orange of the foam. The linen is pulled through and glued before the side panels are fitted to the base.

The finished article. The centre panel is cut more generously than originally ,as described before, plus a little more to relieve the strain on side panels that are weaker than they were when new. The side panels could have been renewed, but this would have meant sourcing leathercloth in the right shade and making piping for the edge. In all restoration a call has to be made between 'all new 'and 'keep what you can,' and this is as good a compromise as can be had.