Some help please
Discussion
Greetings,
I have a request for some help, or pointing in the direction of someone who can help.
I have a '67 Alfa Gt Junior. It has a rare colour combination and I need to get the interior sorted.
Now whilst this would be something I would be happy to spend hours finding the 'right' company/individual to do the work if I was in the UK, I have left teh UK and am struggling here.
Ideally, I like to strip the original interior, ship it to a restoration specialist and have the whole thing looked at. (Is say ship, I'd bring it back tho the UK on a visit)
It is in a pretty woeful state, the front seats have sagged, split on the bases and have various marks/spills from the body and engine work I have completed. The door cards have, unsuprisingly, rotted away and the trim has also suffered badly here. The rear seats and sides are actually in very good condition, but would need a spruce up to get the colour back.
I have tried here, but the locals just want to rip it all out and re-upholster in black. I rather like the red it has in there at the moment.
So the help boils down to this.
1. Good upholstery specialist
2. Who will work without the car as far as possible
3. Who will match to existing interior and not tell me - 'These were never made in this colour, lets go black leather'
4. Preferably in the South-East as it makes delivery easier, although this isn't essential.
Thanks for the upcoming advice - if I get seats in her then the OH might just stop moaning about the heap in the garage........ Heathen.
I have a request for some help, or pointing in the direction of someone who can help.
I have a '67 Alfa Gt Junior. It has a rare colour combination and I need to get the interior sorted.
Now whilst this would be something I would be happy to spend hours finding the 'right' company/individual to do the work if I was in the UK, I have left teh UK and am struggling here.
Ideally, I like to strip the original interior, ship it to a restoration specialist and have the whole thing looked at. (Is say ship, I'd bring it back tho the UK on a visit)
It is in a pretty woeful state, the front seats have sagged, split on the bases and have various marks/spills from the body and engine work I have completed. The door cards have, unsuprisingly, rotted away and the trim has also suffered badly here. The rear seats and sides are actually in very good condition, but would need a spruce up to get the colour back.
I have tried here, but the locals just want to rip it all out and re-upholster in black. I rather like the red it has in there at the moment.
So the help boils down to this.
1. Good upholstery specialist
2. Who will work without the car as far as possible
3. Who will match to existing interior and not tell me - 'These were never made in this colour, lets go black leather'
4. Preferably in the South-East as it makes delivery easier, although this isn't essential.
Thanks for the upcoming advice - if I get seats in her then the OH might just stop moaning about the heap in the garage........ Heathen.
jeff m said:
Have you considered buying the leather/nagahide, or whatever is used in an Alfa and taking it to a local shop.
Did you do an exhaustive search in Lux?
Gone to car shows etc asked other car owners "where did you get your seats done?"
I would think that would be easier.
I have done a search in Lux, language is the problem. The other factor is cars are very young here (average under 4 years old), classic cars or 'oldtimers' are pretty rare, most are owned by German nationals living here. Did you do an exhaustive search in Lux?
Gone to car shows etc asked other car owners "where did you get your seats done?"
I would think that would be easier.
There isn't a decent supply and servicing scene here, with the limited competion the standards fall. I have looked at some of the work of the 'recommended' locals, and to be honest, it is rubbish. All filler and patches.
There is one classic show here, on speaking with the owners all the responses were that they had the work done in Germany, France, by a friend etc and wouldn't use local garages.
If I am going to be transporting the interior I'd rather deal in English. Simply for clarity of expectation, I probably could do it in German, I just don't fancy it.
Am considering buying the materials, and taking that somewhere here, but it really still comes down to the standard of workmanship. Or lack of it.
A friend of mine is a specialist car trimmer who has a particular interest in Alfa's. He has access to many of the old Alfa materials, ie original colours and textures. He repaired part of a seat I had on early Sud Sprint, and it was hard to tell anything had been done. He also makes hard to find trim pieces for bertone and zagato 105's.
If you're interested I can pass on the details.
If you're interested I can pass on the details.
taznuv said:
A friend of mine is a specialist car trimmer who has a particular interest in Alfa's. He has access to many of the old Alfa materials, ie original colours and textures. He repaired part of a seat I had on early Sud Sprint, and it was hard to tell anything had been done. He also makes hard to find trim pieces for bertone and zagato 105's.
If you're interested I can pass on the details.
That would be great.If you're interested I can pass on the details.
Have been through Alfaholics and classicalfa, they had nothing to match the colour and refused to believe it was original.
Thanks
Where are you? If you are paying to ship to the UK look at shipping to Malaysia or Thailand instead, there are loads of good trimmers, and the cost is much less, Just had my 4 wheel drive leathered to my spec for less the 500 Pound, Vinyl BRG on a race seaat in my Sylva was 50 Pounds,I know loads of people who have had great work done RR, Stag, Merc, Range Rover.
If your intersted I'll collect a card fromm the trimmers and post the full details here so yu can contact.
If your intersted I'll collect a card fromm the trimmers and post the full details here so yu can contact.
Berw said:
Where are you? If you are paying to ship to the UK look at shipping to Malaysia or Thailand instead, there are loads of good trimmers, and the cost is much less, Just had my 4 wheel drive leathered to my spec for less the 500 Pound, Vinyl BRG on a race seaat in my Sylva was 50 Pounds,I know loads of people who have had great work done RR, Stag, Merc, Range Rover.
If your intersted I'll collect a card fromm the trimmers and post the full details here so yu can contact.
Yep, I would look at that option. Shipping no problem - have contacts will call in favours!If your intersted I'll collect a card fromm the trimmers and post the full details here so yu can contact.
http://www.randjsportsandclassiccars.com/
Try above, just outside Kuala Lumpur. English owned business, the guy in charge is Robert, he's just did a full rebuid of my Terranno for me with full leather, (I now that sounds mad but car was mechanically great, got the car I wanted). He did the body work on my Sylva race car and it is fantastic, His business is classic cars and he can do any work, Currently I know he is doing a Healy 3, a TR6 and a 308, so he knows his stuf.
Only problem you may have is that the custom will want duty in import, as there is no concept of a bond and re-export, but old car seats will be worthless, so just declare a low value.
Kelvin
G
Try above, just outside Kuala Lumpur. English owned business, the guy in charge is Robert, he's just did a full rebuid of my Terranno for me with full leather, (I now that sounds mad but car was mechanically great, got the car I wanted). He did the body work on my Sylva race car and it is fantastic, His business is classic cars and he can do any work, Currently I know he is doing a Healy 3, a TR6 and a 308, so he knows his stuf.
Only problem you may have is that the custom will want duty in import, as there is no concept of a bond and re-export, but old car seats will be worthless, so just declare a low value.
Kelvin
G
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