Anyone consider "stitching up" their own custom interior? If so, please let me know any ideas you may have had or info I would need to know.

I actually want "sport cloth" style seats for my car, but dont want to lose the airbags (as I sadi on the old forum). And all the aftermarket places make ONLY Leather covers.

I think you can find some company to stitch up the covers if you "C.O.M. --...customers own material" to them. It will cost you.

I used to do upholstery. I will tell you that it is a pita. I did furnature for a living for 15 years. I did some boat seats and custom car interiors for classic cars. NOT EASY!!!

If you are really hell bent on it, I would order a seat cover from your dealership. take all the sewing apart and use the parts for patterns. Sew all the new ones together and put it on. Sounds easy huh? NOT

Using the stock upholstery as a guide is a damn good idea. But, I'd also agree that it wouldn't be too easy. I'm sure there has to be some upholstery shop that could make something for you, although it could be pricey. Take a look in the yellow pages and see what's close, give them a call, and see what happens, it's worth a shot.

I just finished upholstering two bucket seats and a rear bench, and it was not easy at all!!! The seats covers were already made in fabric and vinyl. The foam padding was glued on also. Making the cover from scratch, requires high end sawing machine and lots of experience!!! I paid $450 for my kit, but I'm around $1,300 right now on the interior. I'm making repairs and replacing some panels. The headliner and the lower panels I'm recovering, and it's not easy...

however, that being said, the estimate to re-do my interior, in fabric and vinyl was between $5K to over $10K for leather.

I just finished upholstering two bucket seats and a rear bench, and it was not easy at all!!! The seats covers were already made in fabric and vinyl. The foam padding was glued on also. Making the cover from scratch, requires high end sawing machine and lots of experience!!! I paid $450 for my kit, but I'm around $1,300 right now on the interior. I'm making repairs and replacing some panels. The headliner and the lower panels I'm recovering, and it's not easy...

however, that being said, the estimate to re-do my interior, in fabric and vinyl was between $5K to over $10K for leather.
Got Pictures???

sorry, I have never posted a pic before... I hope this works!!!


http://groups.msn.com/JMONTIGNYSHYUNDAIPICS/silet.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1414

http://groups.msn.com/JMONTIGNYSHYUNDAIPICS/silet.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1413

Not bad at all!

Boy, that looks pretty good. It is tough.

Oh, and get a digi camera you cheap bastard. You'd think you owned a cheap *** Hyundai or sum um. jk :tongue:

Boy, that looks pretty good. It is tough.

Oh, and get a digi camera you cheap bastard. You'd think you owned a cheap *** Hyundai or sum um. jk :tongue:

She won't let me get one :redface: , so I used digi camcoder... sorry!!!

Actually it's better when you take things apart to have it on video. You can move around the parts and identify them by just talking... but yeah, I'm cheap :D

I'm considering getting custom seat covers made much like Katzkins, but in fabric instead of leather. Do you think this would bring down the cost? I wonder if I could but a set of Katzkin covers, have someone make the patterns using the katzkin ones, then sellt he katzkin covers.

Or maybe I should just deal with getting the leather covers.

I'm considering getting custom seat covers made much like Katzkins, but in fabric instead of leather. Do you think this would bring down the cost? I wonder if I could but a set of Katzkin covers, have someone make the patterns using the katzkin ones, then sellt he katzkin covers.

Or maybe I should just deal with getting the leather covers.

The price for leather will be much more than cloth. I did not have any other choices. My seat kit was $450, but $990 was the regular price. I bought a returned set and had some customizing to get it to fit to the frames. Leather would have been more than double the regular price. You have many choices and check with an upholstering shop on what they can do. Some can get the pattern from your seats...

I wonder if I could but a set of Katzkin covers, have someone make the patterns using the katzkin ones, then sellt he katzkin covers.

That would be sweet.


You have many choices and check with an upholstering shop on what they can do

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL!!! Not all upholstery shops are created equal. And most SUCK ***!!!! If you are going to do this and want it to look "right" just pay the money and have them done by katskins or....****.....there is another company that escapes me right now. Skimping here will make your car look ghetto big time.

Also don't forget when redoing your front seats, we have an airbag in them and you need to make allowances for that. If you look at katzkin's site, their covers work with our airbags.

I wish Katzkins made cloth covers. I already asked them and they said no deal.

For those of you with beige interiors, they have desert colored seat cover sets (katzkin) for $400 at autoleathers.com. It's in the deals section.