While the car is currently incapacitated on jackstands in the garage getting much needed mechanical work done, I have turned my attention to the interior because we have a local upholstery guy that is quite good and I want to take advantage of his leather skills, particularily with the seats - before Spring 2012 arrives. By then, he will be busy with motorcycle leather stuff, so my window of opportunity is in the dead of winter 2011. My leather seats are shot - the leather is hard and when I had my elbow in the passenger seat last weekend, I managed to create an instant 4 inch split in the leather. It really must be replaced. But the main issue with the interior is the current color, which is burgandy.

Everytime I look at it, it reminds me of a red velvet cake!

So, there is no way I can completely gut the entire interior at this stage, as I've got to get the car's mechanicals done as a 1st priority, BUT seat repair is a close 2nd priority and quite possibly the carpet as I believe it is the source of the musty smell (old car smell) in the car. The carpet really is in good shape, but that red velvet cake look is just too much of a shock to my visual receptors.

Here's my interim solution.. rip out the carpet and replace with black carpet. Redo the front seats in black leather and dye the rear seats black (they are in perfect shape). Replace the torn, ugly shifter boot with a new black shifter boot. Leave everything else burgandy for now and then at some later date, make it all black.

The exterior of the car is garnet red and it will stay that way. I have included pictures of the interior in the hopes that you can have a look and give me some opinions at to what you would do with regard to choosing a different color other than black to go with the burgandy. I only want to do this once, so all suggestions will be thoughtfully considered.







For contrast, here is the exterior of the car, which will remain the current color..

 

Hi Daniel,

What about cream or linen seats, with cream carpet? You could even leave the red carpert with cream seats.

Regards,

Jed
83S Kiln Red, black seats, doors and dash, cream carpets.

 

You stated that the carpet is in good shape, and the leather seats are not. You also said that you have an upholstery guy who could do the leather work you think it so desperately needs. So therefore, why don't you leave the good carpet, and have the front & rear seats recovered in tan leather to lighten it up a bit. This will break up the red cake effect, and should look really nice for minimal effort and expense ? .02 77Tony

 

Linen or light grey.
Contrasting piping-- dark on lights seats, also makes a big difference IMHO.

Once you're talking full change over...I expect that is an R&R with used from a donor car because the prospect of changing the dash, console, etc is daunting to me...

It would be an interesting post to have folks present their two-tone/contrasting interiors.....

 

Agreed. It would be nice to see pictures to help visualize suggested concepts..

 

Daniel,

Here is an interior picture that I saved some time ago. Someone referred to this as Tom Selleck's car. I'm not recommending these specific colors to you, this is only to give you an idea of what a two tone interior looks like. Maybe you could do something similar with linen or cream color seats and your existing carpeting. Would your leather guy also be able to cover the dash, pod, door covers, console?

 

Probably, but those things would have to come later. I'm going to have to do a phased approach rather than doing everything at one time. I do, however, like the two toned look.

 

Leave dash/pod/console/rear ac cover and mid parts of door panels in orginal color. Go linen on everything else (seats and carpet) with garnet red piping on the seats. Tre manifique!

Here is link to a study I did for my turquoise metallic car.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-my-91-s4.html

 

I got some seats options available pm me your email and I'll send you some pictures

Best H

 

Very cool study! Thanks for the link/pics/suggestions! The only thing I would be concerned about would be keeping it clean. It is definately something I may consider, though.

 

If you want to brighten things up, here's raspberry--which looks white when compared side-by-side with linen. Paul has me in the que for new leather in March with blue piping on the seats. Contrast is okay, but I think it has to look like it belongs with the rest of the car--which is why I'm adding the piping. If you do change the color of your seats, recommend the center console in back and the cassette holder otherwise I think it will look out of place.

 

Ok. I kinda, sorta found something that my wife says would look good with the exterior color of the car. Its similar to an earlier post of the interior of Tom Selleck's car. I believe this picture is from a 1989 S4. Anybody got any idea what the leather and carpet color is called?

 

It looks to me like it's either Champagne or Champagne II. Nice looking color - to my taste.

Dan H., Your car looks FANTASTIC. That's the first picture I've seen of it completed.

Gary---

 

You are correct. I just got an email from Robert Budd confirming the color. He is sending me a sample..

 

Hi Gary - that is the original design study. RKD in OKC worked Pshop magic so that I could get a sense of what the end result might look like. The actual design has morphed back towards the original all black interior, except with turquoise highlights. Most of the interior is complete now, just not back in the car yet.

Sorry for the hijack DanielDD. I like the Tom Selleck interior with the color of your car. The black carpet looks great agains the champagne leather. I also really like the contrasting steering wheel.