I have three rips on the side of my driver seat. Any suggestions how to repair this well? I have a 1' square of OEM vinyl for repairs. If can't be repaired but needs to be replaced, who has OEM replacement upholstery (or the closest thing to it so no difference is noticeable)? Thanks.

Click to view attachment

It needs replacement. Go to an auto upholstery place near you. Good ones should be able to source a material that is very, very close.

Figure a few hundred dollars to have the work done.

Replacement! The rest of the Vinyl may be aged from Heat as well

I know places make replacement upholstery that is OEM or close to OEM vinyl. I'd rather get something made specifically for the car rather than someone try to find something close to it (one place I went to had nothing close). AA makes replacement fitted upholstry, claiming it's OEM vinyl. Anybody have this or anything close to OEM (and where did you get it and how does it differ from OEM?).

I've been told that the domestic stuff is really good and a close match, but in my opinion you should bite the bullet and get the OEM stuff ... your car is worth it.

World Upholstery has some sample images of Porsche vinyl. You'll need the early vinyl for your 914.

http://www.worlduph.com/samples/porvin2.htm

Rather than a seat kit, I think buying raw vinyl and having a really good upholsterer do the install gives the best results. Seat kits never seem to fit quite right and have wrinkles that spoil the look ... maybe it's because it's the DIY guys that buy the kits.

There's one thing on your picture that puzzles me ... is that a heat sealed seam on the side of your bolster (by the seatbelt)?

I just picked up two seats with new bolster vinyl replacing the classic electrical tape application by PO. Don't screw around if you are not a pro in this arena.

Shop around too, my price spread for two seats was $1,000!!!!

I have two more to do in September for my second 914.

Hey, my friend is parting out a 914. If he redoes the seats, what can he sell them for?

i have an upholstery guy that just did this on a customer seat. $125. You have to do the top and bottom bolsters, because the material shrinks, from age and heat.
Craig AT CAMP

I'm not sure if they are heat sealed. Will have to check.

Yeah I'd rather have OEM to keep my LE as OG as possible. But not sure where to find it. Thanks for the link. Will check it out. AA says they have OEM replacement vinyl kits and not expensive. My concern with having someone stitch it together (instead of a kit) is that the stitching won't be exact from original vinyl.

Anybody have pictures of their replacement vinyl kits?

Just like the dent pulling guys, there are people who specialize in vinyl repair. From close up in your pics, the damage looks awful, but some of the guys are true artists and maybe the final result will be acceptable. Might want to call around local car dealers, they often have a relationship with repair people when those new car mishaps need fixing.

Paul

Here's a gigantor image of my driver's seat that looked very similar to yours. German OEM vinyl (or so I was told) was used to fix the bolster. Click the image so you can see it humongous size. Notice the stitching on the edge of the bolster. I wasn't happy with the way it was done the first time, so I had the upholsterer redo it. Truth be told, I'm still not 100% satisfied because I think the stitching is slightly wider than the way it was originally done. But overall, I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

Click to view attachment

Yes, I see what you're saying. I want the stitching to match to OEM plus it will need to match the other seat too. Did you use a seat replacement kit or just had some vinyl and had it stitched to fit? If so, where did you get it? Thanks for your input and pic! VERY nice looking Signal Orange 73, btw!

Go to AA web site you can get just back piece's for $82.50. John

No, not a seat kit, just straight vinyl that the upholstery shop, Aby's Custom Upholstery in San Jose, Calif. did up for me.

As I mentioned previously, I don't think a seat kit will get you the tight, wrinkle free fit that you want.
Look at the seat below. See the wrinkles on the bolster? See how the seams looks wrong around the headrest?
Click to view attachment


Remember the Wheeler Dealers episode about the 914? Edd China reupholstered the seats using a seat kit. Same problem as the one above ...

Click to view attachment

Yeah, that would drive me absolutely nuts.