Question about restoring a 65 crown? Leather or leatherete?

["Greg and Russell" <65luxuryliner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Lance,

Interesting you would post this message.  It wasn' too long ago this topic
came up and there were many opinions with some for and some against the cost
of going back with leather.  You need to decide whether your car is going to
be a driver or if you want to make the substantial investment bringing the
car back to its original conditon.  Personally I wouldn't spend 800.00 on
leatherette when the real thing is not that far away from that.  In other
words Lance, yes leather is more expensive than vinyl or leatherette (not
sure what that is) but the labor to do the job should be the same.  The
upholsterer is going to have to go through the same steps regardless of what
material he is using.  So, if I were you, I would get another estimate from
a shop that is able to match the pattern and find out what leather would
cost.  Once you have that figure, you ought to be able to decide if leather
is in your budget now or ever.  If you think down the road you would really
want the leather, I'd just get a decent looking seat cover for now and sit
(think) on it for a while.

This is just my two cents worth!

Greg McDonnell
'65 Crown convertible under restoration (with leather going back in)
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lance Bell" <sfnm65@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2003 11:48 AM
Subject: IML: Question about restoring a 65 crown? Leather or leatherete?


> Hi,
>
> Great news my Dad's ol 65 is back on the road with new tires.  I am
getting
> a new car that will not be availble until mid November and thought why not
> actually drive the 65 until the new car arrives.  The Imperial is in good
> running shape but has a lot of warts and pimples, rust, trashed leather
and
> poor paint.  I am thinking that I want to restore it a little bit more,
> starting with the headliner and the seats.  The seats are the patch button
> white leahter.  Amazing I bet when they were new.  I have a guy who said
he
> can do the front and back for $ 800.00 in a leatherete?  What are your
> thoughts on that vs real leather and he said he can match the pattern but
I
> have my doubts?  Are there any leather pattern kits available or actual
> original leather available?  What about a good temporary seat cover, any
> suggestions?
>
> I recently put new window rubbers that I received from Gary G. that really
> helped.
>
> Thanks for your help...
>
> Lance & Julia
> Lance Bell
> Santa Fe, NM 87508
> zozobra2@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>