E30 Zone

Just like most of you guys I’m an E30 enthusiast (Unfortunately I’m not position to buy one just yet). I joined this forum as an individual who spent the best part of his career re-trimming the E30 interior either from past employments as a car upholsterer or the odd projects I have done personally.

The car has reached an age where a lot of owners have started to re do parts of the interior either by the odd DIY skills or a complete interior restoration. As a leather specialist (More so for the BMW E30 range) I find it incredibly interesting to read about what people are doing to up keep the classic car.

Maybe I could contribute to this forum is anyone has any questions and learn from it too.

Just some recent project

Although I am some way off tackling my E30s and some of the other machines I have I have been looking out for people and places to do some of the things needed.

Many people can get things looking 'good' but getting things looking 'right' is a different matter and a bit of a lost art. From what I can see here it is not lost completely.

That looks really nice work.

Welcome to the zone mate and what stunning seats they are too
Is there anything more you can show us please ?

Mart.

flybynite wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:47 pm

Although I am some way off tackling my E30s and some of the other machines I have I have been looking out for people and places to do some of the things needed.

Many people can get things looking 'good' but getting things looking 'right' is a different matter and a bit of a lost art. From what I can see here it is not lost completely.

That looks really nice work.

Thank you,
That's a great way of looking at it... Looking 'good' and getting things to look 'right'. It's almost when when some guys over (Over kill) kit the cars out, might look pleasing to the eyes... but always that 'Hmmm' doesn't look right.

Doing things yourself to your machine just creates a better bond and a part that experience which is attached to it.

martauto wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:32 pm

Welcome to the zone mate and what stunning seats they are too
Is there anything more you can show us please ?

Mart.

Thank you Mart,

Let me show you some pictures of what I am working on currently (Not completed just yet),

So this is a small project I am currently work on (But might end up getting bigger as the E30 owner is fairly passionate about having everything black).

This is a high grade synthetic leather (There is always that healthy controversial question whether genuine leather is better or a high grade synthetic).

Welcome, and hello!

What amazing craftsmanship, if you'd like to try your hand on my interior then that would be great... but i think i'd have to save for a few years to afford you

boxclever1753 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 9:48 pm

Welcome, and hello!

What amazing craftsmanship, if you'd like to try your hand on my interior then that would be great... but i think i'd have to save for a few years to afford you

Thank you Boxclever,

What drives prices for a complete re-trim for seats plus door cards is depending heavily on what material is used. Genuine leather would cost twice or three time as much (and a huge wastage as you can't use every part of the skin), but is has it's pro's and con's.

A another factor what drives prices is that a lot of trimmers tend to do whatever comes through the doors, which means you have to invest a huge amount of time understanding how it all comes apart (So before you can even get onto the cutting, foaming and stitching you have to deal with that hurdle).

I only focus on E30, Unlike most trimmers they do it full-time and have a full blown premises (Unlike my small garden workshop).
I only take on one project a month as I have full time job as a leather specialist upholsterer for the boring cooperate world Lol'z (9 to 5).

But heyyy, I'd love to see what your interior looks like, do attach some images.

welcome to the zone,

that interior looks really good, if i had the cash i would be coming to you yo get mine done,

airmanship wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 21, 2021 1:13 am

boxclever1753 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 9:48 pm

Welcome, and hello!

What amazing craftsmanship, if you'd like to try your hand on my interior then that would be great... but i think i'd have to save for a few years to afford you

Thank you Boxclever,

....... heyyy, I'd love to see what your interior looks like, do attach some images.

Cheers dude, I will post up some pictures on my "members cars" post at some point, maybe later today if it stops drizzling!!

airmanship wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:30 am

Just like most of you guys I’m an E30 enthusiast (Unfortunately I’m not position to buy one just yet). I joined this forum as an individual who spent the best part of his career re-trimming the E30 interior either from past employments as a car upholsterer or the odd projects I have done personally.

The car has reached an age where a lot of owners have started to re do parts of the interior either by the odd DIY skills or a complete interior restoration. As a leather specialist (More so for the BMW E30 range) I find it incredibly interesting to read about what people are doing to up keep the classic car.

Maybe I could contribute to this forum is anyone has any questions and learn from it too.

Just some recent project

Beautiful! Are you still entertaining requests? Good quality retrimmers are hard to find. I've seen folks on Favebook ask the question regularly.
In fact I'm myself looking to get my whole interior done but I'm in London.

One option that I entertained was to buy a good quality leather covers, like this for exampe: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303771468891 and do the work myself.
From your experience, would you recommend this route? I'm myself is a bit hesitant as I'll still need to do the doorcards and horseshoe (I have a cab) to match the new leather so it's not a complete solution.

Thanks!

twenty wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 21, 2021 12:36 pm

airmanship wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:30 am

Just like most of you guys I’m an E30 enthusiast (Unfortunately I’m not position to buy one just yet). I joined this forum as an individual who spent the best part of his career re-trimming the E30 interior either from past employments as a car upholsterer or the odd projects I have done personally.

The car has reached an age where a lot of owners have started to re do parts of the interior either by the odd DIY skills or a complete interior restoration. As a leather specialist (More so for the BMW E30 range) I find it incredibly interesting to read about what people are doing to up keep the classic car.

Maybe I could contribute to this forum is anyone has any questions and learn from it too.

Just some recent project

Beautiful! Are you still entertaining requests? Good quality retrimmers are hard to find. I've seen folks on Favebook ask the question regularly.
In fact I'm myself looking to get my whole interior done but I'm in London.

One option that I entertained was to buy a good quality leather covers, like this for exampe: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303771468891 and do the work myself.
From your experience, would you recommend this route? I'm myself is a bit hesitant as I'll still need to do the doorcards and horseshoe (I have a cab) to match the new leather so it's not a complete solution.

Thanks!

Thank you.

I'm available in April to take on a project almost a month away (Hopefully things will ease with the lockdown by then too). London is quite local compared to the one's I've been doing recently were based in Scotland.

Buying leather covers is good and convenient you get what you generally see and a bit of DIY skill will get you seats looking relatively good.

A big down point to that when compared to a fresh re-trim is the fact the covers will come without having a backed scrim foam. Generally speaking when you redo seats the leather/cloth is backed with a layer of foam which contributes massively to the end product (The extra padding will revive the seat).

Here is a picture just to illustrate what I mean by the foam backing.



Coming back to that particular cover on eBay, the question i'd ask is it worth paying almost £1000, when an extra £500 - £700 (All depending on what material are being used) on top of that could get you a customized set (in which case your open to cherry-pick your own colour/s and match it with the door cards etc...). Off-course am not speaking for all trimmers here because prices can vary radically depend on who one goes to.

Make sure you have enough Hog rings to hand if you did buy the covers.



if you wish to ping me a PM we can discuss options in finer details.

Would be nice to see your existing interior (If you have any pictures).