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Thread: extended leather repair question

  1. #1
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    extended leather repair question - DONE!!!

    this august I'm gonna make a not so uncommon work on extended leather dashboards: repair the leather that, with sun and time, peeled of the dashboard



    I have a question on how is composed the 3 parts of the dashboard. When disassembling the plasitc parts from the leather-covered ones,there's a little part of the coated ones that remains "hidden" by the black, plastic one?

    I see the coated parts that wedge into the remain part of the dashboard (as in the photo), but I can't figure out if there are some millimeters or more.

    I was thining to put in addiction to the cements some staples on those lower parts, if they remain hidden. Is there a part that remains covered by the central dashboard part to put them?

    here's a stupid schematic:

    Last edited by resunoiz; 08-20-2012 at 03:20 PM.
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  2. #2
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    I dont think theres a specified amount to be pulled under and "hidden" as you say. I think its just whatever excess from covering the panel is there, tuck some away them trim the rest.

    I would be hesitant using staples unless you know they wont penetrate both layers. You may end up seeing the staple ends through the leather if you wrap tightly over the plastic with staples through it

    Did you get the full taninrot extended interior that was for sale here or your car came with that interior?

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  3. #3
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    mpire will chime in, but this will not be what you want to hear. Beyond stapling it where it is now, or stretching it maybe just ever so slightly, you cannot repair leather that has pulled away that much.

    Look at a piece that has not stretched, and you'll see that it goes a full half an inch or so around the plastic on the underside. Now look at yours and you'll see that the leather has lost almost an entire inch.... it's highly unlikely you can do anything about it. It's an issue on many leather wrapped dashboard cars, and if you google it there's a decent bit of info on people with Ferraris and the like having similar problems.

    That's what I learned when i wanted to buy an extended leather interior for myself- but realized that without getting it rewrapped, it's beyond repair.

    I have photos of the underside of a peeling red leather console which i'll post here for you.
    Last edited by hexagone; 07-13-2012 at 04:55 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    I dont think theres a specified amount to be pulled under and "hidden" as you say. I think its just whatever excess from covering the panel is there, tuck some away them trim the rest.

    I would be hesitant using staples unless you know they wont penetrate both layers. You may end up seeing the staple ends through the leather if you wrap tightly over the plastic with staples through it

    Did you get the full taninrot extended interior that was for sale here or your car came with that interior?

    is "mine" taninrot, bulti with my car

    I acnt' understand very well your post, you use some terms (surely ccorrect!) difficult for a poor ignorant italian



    As in the schematics above, i'd like to put a staple ONLY in the leather piece one, vertical (as in the scheme, in orange) or better horizontal (to be most sure it remains "hidden" by the plastic part).

    Do you think that the part whre I put the orange staple isn' bigger enough to "hidden" it?
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  5. #5
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    For some reason I took for granted the fact that he knew he would have to reupholster it...

    Yeah as hexagone said, you cant mend that. The leather needs to be replaced.

    Ill buy your extended interior if you dont want it! Heck Id even trade for my imola interior

    edit: if you put the staple there, it should sufficiently hide it behind the black console piece. But it definitely needs to be redone.
    Last edited by BimmerBreaker; 07-13-2012 at 04:59 PM.

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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by hexagone View Post
    mpire will chime in, but this will not be what you want to hear. Beyond stapling it where it is now, or stretching it maybe just ever so slightly, you cannot repair leather that has pulled away that much.

    Look at a piece that has not stretched, and you'll see that it goes a full half an inch or so around the plastic on the underside. Now look at yours and you'll see that the leather has lost almost an entire inch.... it's highly unlikely you can do anything about it. It's an issue on many leather wrapped dashboard cars, and if you google it there's a decent bit of info on people with Ferraris and the like having similar problems.

    That's what I learned when i wanted to buy an extended leather interior for myself- but realized that without getting it rewrapped, it's beyond repair.

    I have photos of the underside of a peeling red leather console which i'll post here for you.
    know is hard to do. and for the tacho part, I'm almost sure I have to rebuild it. but for the side parts I think there's enough chance to put it "under" , maybe not at the original lenght, but to cover holes..

    PS: the pics can't show it, but the leather haslost not so much as you said. It simply "popped out", there are at least 1,5/2 centimeters of leather simply.. unattached and raised, if you put a finger on it is easy to understand: between the leather and the plastic you could put a finger
    Last edited by resunoiz; 07-13-2012 at 05:07 PM.
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  7. #7
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    if you're doing a complete job you may possibly be able to add "extension" leather by gluing additions to the oe stuff..sewing it additionally would be nice, but probaly not necessary..you then have a bigger tab to work with..Color matching would be good, but again probaly not necessary..choose a thin high strength extension material..goat skin works well..Be careful when working the oe leather, it might be rotten..in which case you are toast and will get burned(it'll seem like it if it tears..)..There are specific leather glues(check Tandy) but Gorilla may work and good old contact cement works well also..Good luck!(it ain't easy) Z3Cheers! dk '97 2.8 bg R+

  8. #8
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    thanks to all for suggestions. I live in a zone where the principal job is making shoes (think marks like tod's, prada are common there in the usa too), there are no problems on working with leather and gluing it. Think the best thing to do is try to use the oem leather, and IF is not possible to fix it, thinking about rebuilding.

    A lot of local craftsman told me to put the leather in water for at least half a day, wait it to be re-soften and stretch it. wait to dry, glue.

    what you mean with "extension" leather?
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by resunoiz View Post
    A lot of local craftsman told me to put the leather in water for at least half a day, wait it to be re-soften and stretch it. wait to dry, glue.
    I am looking at the same job as soon as we get another car so I can have the Z down for a while tearing the dash out. I have heard this technique as well, and was going to give this a try.

    Obviously you will want to use the dash sections as a form while it's drying. Since, based on the info on your other thread, the leather wraps around the edge it may be possible to stretch it and hold it in place with spring clamps until it drys.

    I'm thinking that given the cost of replacement materials and labor to reproduce the panels, even if I have to refinish the leather (leatherique.com) it may be a viable option. So far I'm leaning toward contact cement as an adhesive if I can find some in the right temperature range. I have had great success using contact cement to edge glue worsted-wool billiards cloth to slates, but those are under much milder ambient temps.
    Last edited by dkindig; 07-14-2012 at 12:39 PM.

  10. #10
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    Ill never put my leather in just water... especially used leather. The leather will dry out significantly more and faster after getting soaked. I guess if you did that, apply conditioner very liberally after all is said and done and try to get some moisture back into the leather...

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    I guess if you did that, apply conditioner very liberally after all is said and done and try to get some moisture back into the leather...
    I'm conditioning leather from months in order to do it, and I'm obviously planning to do it after work
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  12. #12
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    I'm on the go! the cover for the cockpit was replaced because of too dried leather, and preferreid it black. The side leather parts were wixed with original leather..and super-stapled!





    Last edited by resunoiz; 08-12-2012 at 12:27 PM.
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  13. #13
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    Looks gorgeous. Onec day I will have to replace my interior with a two tone one.


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  14. #14
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    work done! here are some pics of all done.
    and, for all of you that think the original leather can't be re-used, for the strument cluster part it was so. was too stretched. But for the side parts, I was able to reattach it, with a new (and stronger) glue used for shoes, and stapled it in an invisible mode. Here are some picrs of the work done!







    the new black dashboard cover

















    ssssoooo happy =D
    Last edited by resunoiz; 08-20-2012 at 03:15 PM.
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  15. #15
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    Congrats, looks good.Too bad the leather couldn't be stretched, but I think the black looks great. I'm sure you thought about re-covering the airbag panel in black leather. IMHO, it would make for a more consistent look.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by robrez View Post
    Congrats, looks good.Too bad the leather couldn't be stretched, but I think the black looks great. I'm sure you thought about re-covering the airbag panel in black leather. IMHO, it would make for a more consistent look.
    Yes, I did. seemed too much "noisy" the continue black/red alternance. the cockpit element is an emerging on, the airbag cover is flat instead. tried, was too much like a Dalmata Dog
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by resunoiz View Post
    Yes, I did. seemed too much "noisy" the continue black/red alternance. the cockpit element is an emerging on, the airbag cover is flat instead. tried, was too much like a Dalmata Dog
    Lol. I hear ya. Glad it worked out. I just finished an extended leather project, but luckily my leather dash pods hadn't shrunk and just needed to be re-glued. I never considered using staples, now I wish I did, because I don't ever want to take things apart again if they ever become unglued

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by resunoiz View Post
    Yes, I did. seemed too much "noisy" the continue black/red alternance. the cockpit element is an emerging on, the airbag cover is flat instead. tried, was too much like a Dalmata Dog
    I think you made the right choice. Looks great.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWin View Post
    I think you made the right choice. Looks great.
    thank you very much!

    Quote Originally Posted by robrez View Post
    : I never considered using staples, now I wish I did, because I don't ever want to take things apart again if they ever become unglued
    it was my fixed tough in every moment!
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  20. #20
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    Awesome work! It looks fabulous!
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  21. #21
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    Looks great! Fantastic workmanship. Before I picked up my coupe a couple years ago, the previous owner agreed to have a leather shop fix the same areas, the leather had pulled off similar to yours. Turned out great, yours looks just as flawless.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zman57 View Post
    Looks great! Fantastic workmanship. Before I picked up my coupe a couple years ago, the previous owner agreed to have a leather shop fix the same areas, the leather had pulled off similar to yours. Turned out great, yours looks just as flawless.
    Sorry for OT, but I'd like to see pics of your extended leather coupe. You can email them to me at dorkfest.org [at] gmail.com

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