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80 Series Seats (again!)

Dave_S

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
1,657
Hi all

So, after advice on what to do with the front seats on the 80 Series - after 250,000 miles they aren't too bad, but the leather is badly cracked, made worse by a poor leather "treatment" done by a so-called specialist a few years back (which seemed to mostly involve painting plastic stuff into the cracks). Anyway, they are looking pretty tatty and given we've sorted the body on the truck it seems reasonable to sort the interior a bit more now. Back seats are good, so its the fronts I need to sort out...

So - options as I see them:

1. Get an upholstery shop to have a go at them. There is no specialist motor place local, so we'd be taking a gamble on a domestic upholsterer.

2. Buy some proper fitted front seat covers. Escape Gear look pretty decent, though expensive at around £250 for a pair.

3. Buy some cheapo covers - reluctant to do this generally the fit is pretty horrible and kind of defeats the object.

4. Fit some different seats - Audi, BMW or whatever. Challenge is to find something suitable that will fit properly and not look a dogs dinner with the existing standard back seats.

Any and all advice welcome!

Thanks guys.
 
This was where I was act some years ago Dave. Like you looking at the options you shared. For me having cloth trim choose to get them rebuilt and re-stitched the cloth in places. It saved the seats and feels like new in all respects now.

Aftermarket was an issue for me although seats can be bought for the same price to rebuilding them I found. Fitting them is the issue especially calculating them being too low, too high and the 80 figment seats are quite narrow. Plus missing the lumber support and originality made rebuilding them the least hassle and most cost effective for me. Something to consider.

The Uphoustry guy from the uk here in Cyprus who done mine refurbished many leather seats too and got to say was very impressed. They looked spot on brand new.

Get some reputable quotes for rebuild I would say first. Mine after the rebuild. No more sagging corners and sunk in seating position.

Others here may be able to help with their expertise I’m sure.

Best of luck
 

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Mine were professionally recovered before i bought it so i don't know when or where other than the door cards etc are marked Connelly which may or may not be these guys ? News - CONNOLLY - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club] and if so i would highly recommend them .

I remember a taxi driver complaining at the price of his remarkably good white leather seat covers "they wanted over £300 where i usually go in Swansea so i went somewhere else" . To add context it seemed they had up the price since last time .
 
I bought Escape Gear covers which are great.
But, and its a big but, i had a work colleague bring them from South Africa. The price is very reasonable in rand but not at all reasonable in pounds from uk-based suppliers. It seems to me the mark up on Sth Af equipment brought in by official suppliers is prohibitively high.
FWIW i was looking at Nat Luna fridges the other day and same issue - nearly 3 x's the price here in the UK. But harder to ask a colleague to bring back a fridge!!:sunglasses:
 
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Thanks guys.

HW - I like the look of those Aussie covers - did you see what the postage would be to the UK by any chance?
 
Hi Dave.

They come in various versions but the full set (front and back) With a full back on the front seats with map pockets is $549 AUD + $150 AUD postage so all in 350 GBP. Then comes the demon duty and taxes. I'm gonna hold off till I either go through or someone comes through when this covid nonsense calms down.
 
I seem to remember that for my 100 front seats, dash cover and transmission cover was about £350 in total with duty direct from Escape Gear direct. Easy to fit and top notch quality. I fitted them primarily to keep the mint front seats mint.
 
I am looking for a complete cloth seat replacement, I have seen a couple of places on the 80 seats that break, make sure if you go for a refurb the frame is in good shape.

regards

Dave
 
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