Dear all,

I have recently viewed and test drove a polar silver 993 coupe. Non-variorum, 1994 tiptronic model. Everything seems fine but I think the seats are just a bit too worn esp. on the sides? Please see some photos for your reference:

I do like the colour combo, I think polar silver + chestnut does bring quite a classy feel and help show the interior a bit more (even though I am generally a fan of black interior).

Just wondering what your thoughts are - how difficult is it to source a pair of original 993 seats in chestnut colour? I am adamant not to use aftermarket parts so if I were to go ahead with the purchase, it would either be keeping this worn set of seats or reinstall a pair of OEM seats. Searched through the parts marketplace and sadly there's none for sale yet in this colour.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

 

the chestnut color is striking with the silver exterior....and quite difficult to find and i would consider labeling it rare as i don't see it too often. would you consider having it reupholstered? i'm confident you can locate an upholstery shop to closely match the color and grade of the original leather.

 

The chestnut color is beautiful. The seats appear to be in fine shape (no tears or cracks). I would think a good leather refinisher business can restore the color and bring them to a like new appearance without replacement of the leather.

 

A good upholstery can bring them back in better shape. You will still see the veins in the leather but they will look way better since they will be the same color as the seat.

Chances are close to 0% that you will find similar seats, especially with hardback.

Theses seats are worth given then an other life by bringing then to an upholstery and you will not have to store them somewhere if you buy aftermarket

Very nice interior by the way!

 

Agreed with ble2011. A little bit of product and time will bring them back up to standard.

 

Great color combination!

 

Some leatherique will do wonders for those seats!

 

Starting point for examples: https://rennlist.com/forums/concours...-solution.html

 

Don't assume you have to reupholster them!!!!! There is risk that the reupholster job looks "off". I've seen some work done here by people that was amazing. Look for: Leatherique, Surflex, interior color change (just for ideas on what drastic changes can be done with dye products)...

 

Thank you all for your great input. I will look up on the sources provided, although I am just concerned that the wear and tear area is quite extensive.....and am not sure if with such a sizeable area they are still repairable....hmmm

 

Not thinking of upholstery at the moment. I am concerned about getting the right colour (chestnut) as it's a special colour from Porsche and I don't think a lot of shops would know the right colour mix. Hence I am looking for restoration by applying some magical lotion on it.

I guess at the end of the day, black interior and seats would be the safest choice. That said, I somehow find polar silver + chestnut is an interesting colour combo. Some say it looks oldish but I think it's a classic yet classy colour combo.....

 

They aren't hardback, just normal comfort seats.

Definitely try to keep the Chestnut! It is indeed quite rare. Looks like your car also has some nice interior options, such as a leather wheel and rootwood trim.

You may also be able to find a set of seats in the same color from a 968, which I believe are the same. A handful of 968s came with a Chestnut interior. That said, finding any Chestnut interior is going to be tough. I remember some years ago someone had some Chestnut interior items for sale, I don't recall if there were any seats though.

I second all the recommendations on first trying some leather restoration products.

For your reference (and perhaps inspiration?), here is Chestnut in all its glory:

 

Thank you for the input. I used to be a fan of black interior as it age well over time. However, I think chestnut with silver body is a bit more classy. I used not to be a fan of wooden trimming as well but it matches with the chestnut interior and probably it will hold up well as I age with the car...!

 

It sounds as though you have not yet done anything about the seats. I think your seats just have normal cracking of the original finish, not the leather itself.

The Leatherique suggestion is good. Four years ago I used products from a similar US supplier, Colorplus, to re-dye my Classic Gray front seats, vinyl airbag cover, console and parking brake handle. The color match was perfect. You can also provide a small sample (from a hidden area such as under a seat) for matching purposes.

The keys to success on this project are buying the recommended products to enable proper preparation of the leather and then following directions. After 98K miles my seats still look very good.

 

You can get the look you want without a big expense. It's been 10 years since my re-dye and they still look good, albeit it's no longer a daily driver. Here's what I started with. As long as your leather is not torn you should be good. I'd get a piece from an upholstery shop to practice on.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...procedure.html