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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ 73 914 Tan interior Refurbish Suggestions

Posted by: LPmold Aug 9 2015, 06:58 PM

I have a 73 with the lighter color Tan interior. Its completely in need of replacement. I see carpet kits, door panels and seat kits from a few internet stores.
Looking for YOUR experienced opinion of Quality vs Price and good service??
Price matters, but not as much as fit and finish! I want to keep the factory color as close as possible. I can do some R&R, cut fit glue, etc. The more complete I can buy the better.

Thanks in advance for your comments!!

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 9 2015, 07:04 PM

First take a look at 914rubber.com .
Seat kits, carpet, etc.

Posted by: LPmold Aug 9 2015, 07:26 PM

They only seem to have black for the earlier model...
Price seems fair, but I want to keep the Tan color

Posted by: rick 918-S Aug 9 2015, 07:28 PM

914rubber.com is as close as you will get to color. You will need to do the full interior regardless of where you buy as the factory light tan is NLA. But 914rubber.com will be really close and unnoticeable with a full replacement.

Posted by: Philip W. Aug 9 2015, 07:30 PM

Check world upholstery.com

Posted by: rick 918-S Aug 9 2015, 07:33 PM

QUOTE(LPmold @ Aug 9 2015, 08:26 PM) *

They only seem to have black for the earlier model...
Price seems fair, but I want to keep the Tan color


They have tan. I've seen it.

Posted by: Johny Blackstain Aug 9 2015, 07:56 PM

I can tell you now that no one has anything close to original tan carpeting, at least as far as I know. You might be able to match the color but not the original texture. I happen to own an original tan interior in near mint condition & have been trying to replicate it in my six. I took the seats, seat back, door panels & center box/pad out of another 74 like mine & put them in my six, but had to "settle" on the tan carpet kit AA sells for that car. Tan, otherwise known as cinnamon, is pretty much unobtanium. sad.gif


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Posted by: LPmold Aug 9 2015, 10:42 PM

Thanks everyone! I'll look at these places and get the best match I can!

Posted by: dlkawashima Aug 10 2015, 09:45 AM

Somebody somewhere makes a tan carpet kit ...
IPB Image

One of the problems I see is the name of the color. I've seen it called Tan, Beige, Light Brown, Oatmeal, and now Cinnamon.
Seems like you'd have to get a sample swatch before ordering to make sure the color you expect is the color you get.

Also, and I may be wrong about this, but it seems like the square weave cars of '75-'76 had interiors with more of a golden brown color, like this one:
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... not to be confused with the Brown or Dark Brown interior
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Posted by: Johny Blackstain Aug 10 2015, 10:05 AM

QUOTE(dlkawashima @ Aug 10 2015, 11:45 AM) *

Somebody somewhere makes a tan carpet kit ...
IPB Image

One of the problems I see is the name of the color. I've seen it called Tan, Beige, Light Brown, Oatmeal, and now Cinnamon.
Seems like you'd have to get a sample swatch before ordering to make sure the color you expect is the color you get.

Also, and I may be wrong about this, but it seems like the square weave cars of '75-'76 had interiors with more of a golden brown color, like this one:
Attached Image

... not to be confused with the Brown or Dark Brown interior
IPB Image

Wow, that 1st pic you posted is really what I'd call tan or beige. The middle pic looks a lot like my 74 & my COA calls that cinnamon. One thing I've noticed is that cinnamon showed up in 73 & you can tell those apart from the later cinnamons because the door armrests are partially covered in cinnamon. I'd say the last one is definitely brown. Getting back to the 1st pic, that looks like a six interior so I'd have to add that it's an early color. I'm not sure but I think the cinnamon & brown are later colors.

Posted by: Tom_T Aug 10 2015, 11:22 AM

Ok folks, having been thru this name & color & materials sources morass for my own 73 914's resto, the facts are:

That in the day Porsche called the interior color "Beige" in both 72 & 74 (& I assume 73) according to the factory sales documents which can be found on Jeff Bowlsby's website. PCNA's current COA staff seem to put whatever they want on the COA's - including trying to erroneously call my #31 interior "Black" (which is actuially #11 in Porsche code) - instead of the correct "Beige" So they really don't know & eventually corrected my COA on the 3rd try! IIRC "Cinnamon" wasn't used until a slightly more swirly brown in beige/tan from the 75-76 MYs, but I never researched that myself - so check Jeff's website.

These area all NLA now, so what Rick said above is correct - you have to redo the whole interior to get a good match - either with a kit by yourself if you're skilled enough, or someplace like Autos International (AI) or World Upholstery (WU) in SoCal, or get the materials & a local shop (see below).

Next - they had 2 loop carpet colors in the tan range (not counting the brown in the 3rd pic of Dave's) - one was an all tan/beige loop as shown in Dave K's lighter one in the 1st of the pix above which they called "Tan", & the other was a flecked or oatmeal-ish tan/beige + brown blend which they called "Dark Tan" in the 2nd pic & what I have in mine, & both of which are NLA except a few bits at Auto Atlanta & maybe a few others.

Now for materials - AI & WU have a decent match for the Beige smooth leatherette vinyl & used to have it in the needed basketweave - but no longer carry the basketweave needed for the seat inserts & door panels.

So fo a perfect match on both I had to go with Lakewell.com in Europe for those & got the material which I'll have AI do my interior with at the appropriate time in my resto. Mark W./Mikey914/914Rubber didn't have any vinyl at that time last year when I finally sourced mine from Lakewell, so I cannot speak to the match.

So I'd suggest that you ask for samples from Lakewell, 914Rubber, AI & WU & any other suppliers suggested of both the smooth & basketweave (not brickweave used in 75-76) & pick the best price & match for those with both types.

Lakewell also had a dead on match for the "Dark Tan" - if that's what you have - but they lost that supply/supplier last I checked, & I'm still checking back occasionally to see if they found it again. AI & WU etc. here in the USA still sell something they call "Cinnamon" etc., but the brown flecks are way too reddish to match the 914 original look.

Lakewell still has the lighter "Tan" in both correct 914 carpet kits & roll stock & it's the good German made material which will last much longer (AI & WU etc. also carry a German made tan), & the added cost will be saved over what I've heard is about 1-2 year life on the less expensive loop pile offered here in the US as "domestic" (per other 914s who tried it then replaced).

So my go-to would be Lakewell, but Mark & the others may have found the same sources, if you want to check those too.

So your 73 interior would be #31 "Biege" with either corduroy or basketweave seat inserts (all door panels are basketweave) - & either the "Tan" or "Dark Tan" loop pile carpet (unless it's a 1.7 with the "Tan" perlon carpet - also NLA).

Hope this helps & Good Luck! beerchug.gif
Tom
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Posted by: rgalla9146 Aug 10 2015, 01:35 PM

The top car is definitely a 6 and an available 1970 color combination.
I owned a 6 with those colors.
I now own that color interior and need material to repair / recover.
For some reason the factory provided two different light tan interior colors in 1970.
The other choice is a bit darker but the same combination of smooth and basket weave
panels.
What are the codes and color names of the two tans ? anyone ?

Posted by: Tom_T Aug 10 2015, 11:14 PM

QUOTE(rgalla9146 @ Aug 10 2015, 12:35 PM) *

The top car is definitely a 6 and an available 1970 color combination.
I owned a 6 with those colors.
I now own that color interior and need material to repair / recover.
For some reason the factory provided two different light tan interior colors in 1970.
The other choice is a bit darker but the same combination of smooth and basket weave
panels.
What are the codes and color names of the two tans ? anyone ?


I think Lakewell may be your best choice too, unless you find a roll of NOS Biege vinyl somewhere, & even then partial replacement won't match due to years of fading. It's still going to be a full redo unfortunately.

IIRC it's the "500 series" 500, 501, 502, 503, 504 etc. - look at Jeff Bowlsby's site in the factory & sales/mktg docs sections & in the interior colors section. I know they're in there cuz that's where I got copies of my long gone docs from my 73.

He has 70 & 71 MY for your -6s on there, but I thought that the 2 tans on the -6s were between vinyl & leather with the different tones to them, but I could be wrong. Otherwise it was probably differing dye lots.

Use the 1970 color manual at this link:
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/Manuals.htm

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zBook_1970Colors_p1.jpg

More MYs are here:
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/PaintFabrics.htm

Colors in the photos are not accurate in most cases, but the numbers are there for reference.

Cheers! beerchug.gif
Tom
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