I didn't see a thread like this but I thought the subject might be of interest to a few of you.

Let me preface by saying that I bought my car basically for two reasons. 1) To build a nice LS400 on a budget. 2) Learn as much as I can while doing it.

I'm at the point where it's down to aesthetics and I've been watching reupholstery videos. It's really not that hard if you have the right tools and it's especially easy on small things.

The first thing I'm gonna re-do is my torn up arnest in the center. I've covered all the rips with car seat covers except for this. What I will be doing is taking off the original leather and replacing it with black leather. I'm going for a two tone black and beige interior. It sounded weird to me until I saw it coming together.



(The seat covers needs to be held down with something - I'm trying to think of something that won't damage the seats... much. Maybe pins? The ones that look like buttons.)

As you can see, the armrest looks like ****. This should be a simple job and I will post pictures of what I did and then the finished product. I'm thinking of also reupholstering the shifter but does anyone know how easy it comes off? Mine has no button so if it's a simple screw then I'd rather get a new shift ****.

Have a look at . It shows how easy it actually is. You can do it with a needle but it will take forever (for a seat or something) and you need the needle to be strong and finger protection to continually push it through the leather. Although, you could pre-punch the holes for the thread.

So, to all of you, please speak up. Any ideas, I wanna hear. Tell us about your project, big or small. Advice? Pictures of other people's work? Good information or places for it? Thanks guys. I hope this thread eventually helps some people.

 

I'll start the discussion myself. This is the car that inspired me to go for a nice interior.




This is Koey's (hope I spelled that right) VIP build. If you type in "VIP LS400" into Youtube, you should see it come up. The video is worth watching.

What struck me is that even though yes, he put some money into it, it's not as expensive as it looks. There's a dash cover, floorboard floormatts, etc - stuff that you just put down or slip on. Minimum actual upholstery work but this car has a lot of little details.

Can somebody tell me where I can get those curtains?!

 

I've been very interested in reupholstering my interior as well. I also want to start on my shift **** and center arm rest also. I found this armrest replacement cover on ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Armrest-Cons...3D172255691935 I have a sewing machine that could work for this type of work, I just don't have a clue how to use it. If you do go through with this please post pics, or show how you did it. I really want to learn how to do this and I think a thread on this would help many others who's interior leather is in rough shape.

 

Will do, westopill. The way I'm going to stitch it (the lines) is gonna be different simply because it will be easier as you will see. But once I post pics, I think you will understand immediately.

The gist is you seperate the plastic/metal black part from the part that the leather is laid on. From there, you cut your pieces (either how they do it originally or however works for you and fits snug), sew them up, lay the remaining leather where the original trim piece will cover it (you either staple or glue it inside there, I'll let you know), and put the piece on with the 9 or so screws that hold it. This is just for the top part (that opens up) but it's the same idea with pretty much everything.

I want to do this as soon as I get some free time, which I should hopefully sooner than later, but I'm in the process of moving so I'm sorry if it takes a while to make the post.

 

For sure, take your time! I have some other projects to work on myself, I just want to reupholster the interior eventually, doesn't need to be done now. If I do end up doing anything with my interior this summer, I'll be sure to post here!

 

That interior doesn't do anything for me. Looks like a taxi for something ??? To do upholstery you need a heavy duty sewing machine.

 

I appreciate that - DO come back please.

I'm in the process of moving among other things but when I get a couple hours and can go get the stuff I need from my old place, I'll do the tutorial.

As to the person above who doesn't like the interior (dicer? forgot who it was), I can see why. It's a little cluttered? In that way, I agree somewhat.

Will you post an interior you like? I wanna see people's "perfect" interior so post some pictures. Ideas are always good.

 

I've had almost no time at all but I had some time today to start so rest assured I've already started taking pictures for the tutorial.

If anyone is wondering where to get leather cheap (free), drive around on trash day and cut the leather off of a sofa. I've gotten white and black leather and have seen green that is similar to that one interior color - forget what it is exactly but it's greenish?

This is the piece I'm gonna use. I washed it after this picture.

 

I have to apogize. I should've posted the writeup already buy on top of everything, I just started a new job.

Next time I get one day off, I'll do this.

But for those who are waiting, I can tell you what you need to do. I actually started so I can see how it comes out and it's pretty easy.



As you can see in this picture, I started on it but I was interrupted.

You have to remove the black piece from the part that holds the leather. You're gonna take off a bunch of screws. There is one in the back that is accessible from the back seat that I would take out first. Close the console and look under it (the back of it, by the back seats). There's one screw. The rest are accessed by lifting the console up.

So right before I took it off completely, something came up and I didn't want to drive around with a missing center so I had to put it back for now. But what you do is pop the black part out. Start at one end and work down. I would start at the back so everything is lined up for the most important area, the hinge. But just pop it out little by little.

Now you should have the piece that holds the leather seperate.

You have two choices. Use the original leather, if there is enough left, as stencils to recreate the same look. But this way you will have to sew it on the inside which is possible to do with just a needle but I'm taking a different route.

What I'm going to do is overlay the leather I cut on top of the naked console (take the leather off). It's up to you how you want to do the corners. I plan on folding them over, cutting i

 

I have to apogize. I should've posted the writeup already buy on top of everything, I just started a new job.

Next time I get one day off, I'll do this.

But for those who are waiting, I can tell you what you need to do. I actually started so I can see how it comes out and it's pretty easy.



As you can see in this picture, I started on it but I was interrupted.

You have to remove the black piece from the part that holds the leather. You're gonna take off a bunch of screws. There is one in the back that is accessible from the back seat that I would take out first. Close the console and look under it (the back of it, by the back seats). There's one screw. The rest are accessed by lifting the console up.

So right before I took it off completely, something came up and I didn't want to drive around with a missing center so I had to put it back for now. But what you do is pop the black part out. Start at one end and work down. I would start at the back so everything is lined up for the most important area, the hinge. But just pop it out little by little.

Now you should have the piece that holds the leather seperate.

You have two choices. Use the original leather, if there is enough left, as stencils to recreate the same look. But this way you will have to sew it on the inside which is possible to do with just a needle but I'm taking a different route.

What I'm going to do is overlay the leather I cut on top of the naked console (take the leather off). It's up to you how you want to do the corners. I plan on folding them over, cutting off the extra, and sewing that together. This way there will only be stitching on the corners.

You can play around with this. Use two different colors of leather, whatever. The possibilities are endless.

So if anyone does this before me, please post.

Also, I never did pull the top part completely off (I was only seeing how) but if there's a trick to something (I'm worried about the hinges but in other cars I've seen, it comes out with the black part), let us know.

 

Thanks for the update! Sometime in the next week I'll be heading to an auto upholstery shop and getting some leather to match my shift ****. Then I'll be tearing off the old leather, stitching it, and replacing it with the new leather. I'll post here once I get around to doing said things.

 

Anyone have a rough idea what it would cost to get the bottom section of the driver's seat reupholstered?

 

My guess would be anywhere from $100-200. I would ask around and get a quote.

 

Awesome! I'm so glad I could lead you in the right direction. So it looks like you might do it before I do so please post the finished product and also if you had any problems seperating the two parts. Thanks man!

Derek, are you saying that the bottom of the seat (where you sit) is ripped up or something? If so, I agree it's probably gonna be $100. Maybe less if you have small tears. Add money for each section (seperated by stitching) if they're really ripped up.

 

Owners that have VIP curtains installed in their cars, after a while has anyone else experienced the little beads that holds the curtains down to the rails fall off? if so how can i repair that or would i just have to buy new curtains.