Thanks for that info JP, that helps a bunch. I guess too I could easily change to a Satin if the Semi Gloss was too shiny. Maybe if the Duron experts can't direct me specifically, I could always get a quart of each perhaps. Sounds like its an easy fix if that was the case. My outside bolster on the driver's seat & the middle of the head rest on the passenger seat both are showing some wear. This is a must do for me very soon!

Tampa 928s, I wouldn't use acetone. That's too harsh, and it will dry out the leather. If you're concerned about dirt or oil, I'd use a leather cleaner (without conditioner) - something like 409, Simple Green or denat. alcohol for really grubby spots. You're really not trying to remove the old color, just clean it to prep. for the touchup. I'd stay away from acetone, though.

I prepped with denatured alcohol - not rubbing alcohol which contains water.

It's been over a year and my steering wheel still looks great.

I used the Semi-gloss, per JP's instructions, and didn't find it to be too shiney. It still looks great on my light gray seats (see earlier posts on this thread). Ths spring I touched it up in a few places where I thought I saw some wear. The important thing to remember about this paint process is that it is extremely easy and cheap. I almost enjoy finding a spot to do over. I just get the paint can out with a rag and touch it up.

My brother's bright red '65 Caddie seats still look terrific, although that car is rarely driven beyond parade routes.

A few weeks ago I did the black front/back seats in a '86 shark. They were in good shape to begin with, but with the refresher paint they looked noticeably better/newer. I also did the black stock steering wheel.

Note: With the '86, I thought that "black was black" when it came to paint and I could skip the color matching process. But the Duron guys gave me a sample strip of various shades of black and, sure enough, one of the shades was a much better match. For black, I recommend you hold the samples next to your seats/wheel before buying.

This past week I finally pulled the trigger on this project for my driver's seat.

Challenges started with the idea that Duron isn't sold on the left coast, so I went paint shopping to a local paint specialty store, Jill's Paint in the Atwater Village section of Los Angeles. I chose a latex finish called 'Break Through", based on the store guys' recommendation. They use it to paint canvas awnings that flap in the wind, and it also has instructions for use on concrete. Sounds like the right product but only time and use will tell how it wears.

My seats had some pretty good gashes as well as a flock of stress cracks in the seatback bolster. The seat was cleaned thoroughly, out of the car, and left to dry a bit. Then a couple very thin coats of color on them after a very light sanding. That was followed up with some extremely flexible acrylic filler that I found in my garage, to fill those two bigger gashes. The filler's disguised as "Alex" painter's caulk, a few dollars for a 14oz tube at better home centers. A few thin filler coats of that on the gashes, sanding the edges between coats. Then a final color coat of the paint. The pictures tell the story best.

I had to buy a gallon of the paint and used less than one ounce, so if anybody in the Los Angeles area needs a few ounces for their cashmere repair project I have some to spare. OK, I have a LOT to spare. Meanwhile, enjoy the pictures! I have a whole instruction written up, and will add it to this thread as soon as the ink dries on the pictures in the PDF file.

Bob,

This is nice work. It is amazing to see the huge difference between both pics!

Hot Damn!

Bob,

That seat does look nice. Your "before" seat looks like my driver's side now (although mine an '87). Did you "paint" the entire seat, or just the bolster area?

I've been dying to do something similar with mine and will check locally for those products you mentioned.

Mike

PDF Instruction Attached!
 

Hey, thanks J.P.! Remember that your post way back when is the inspiration for this. Even I am more than impressed with how easy the reapir is and how good it looks. Like most projects with pictures, they really don't convey the full benefit of the work. Sharktoberfest is coming up in a few weeks, and it wouldn't be appropriate for the dr to show up with ragged saddles. :)

For those playing along at home, I started this project Friday before lunch, when I pulled the seat and plopped it on the workmate. It took a good hour of scrubbing and cleaniing to get it ready for the work. After everything was dry, the actual work time was not more than another hour or two. Lots of time waiting for stuff to dry. I put the last coat of paint on before breakfast Saturday morning, then worked on another 928 while it dried. By 11am, the seat was back in the car, and it was rolled out into the sun to make sure the paint dried completely. We finished Rolf's car and went to lunch. Washed the car later in the day when the driveway was in the shade. Drove it to the VCR Euro Supercar Sunday event this morning to show off the results. I spent more time wrestling the seat in and out, and cleaning all around the seat area, than I spent on the seat itself. It was that easy.


Mike--

I did both of the outside bolsters, although the bottom bolster was pretty much a touch-up compared to the effort on the upper bolster. The painter's caulk for filler was 'wonder if that will work... It should work!' thought that appears to be working fine. The inner bolsters were rubbed with a pretty dry sponge, and a few surface cracks were touched up with the paint. The dry sponge is one I had used to buff the edges of the painted sections of the outer bolsters. There were a few spots on the center pads that were touched up that way too.

-----

There's some more detail on the process in the attached PDF file. It's still condensed, doesn't include brushing instructions since every car has different problems, everyone has different knowledge and may need different techniques.

x2! Wow!

Bob, how durable will the Alex's acrylic filler be? How well will it stand up to entry and exits by the driver? I've got seats that could use this treatment, I just don't want to end up with something that falls apart after some pushing, shoving and rubbing. Your seat looks really great.

I used some 100% latex acrylic from Sheman Williams and the color is perfect, however my seats still seam tacky. When I say tacky, I mean sticky and after 1.5 weeks of drying time in the upper 80's. Did I do something wrong or does the paint I have just suck? Anyone else with this problem? Duron paint is not available in my area, neither is the Break Through paint that was used by other members.

What the heck are you doin' in yer car, H?

:p

LOL Randy ... same as you my friend ... having a beer :cheers:

Heinrich--

It's almost a year now and the filler is doing great. :thumbup: No cracks/splits/breakthroughs that might signal impending failure. No evidence that there is any filler in there at all. The paint itself is due another coat, mostly since I went so light in my cautious first attempt last August. I can scare up a few current pictures tomorrow if it will help with your decision.