Leather Repair

[Handyman 5,682]

Anybody know of a good system to repair a gash in a leather car seat?

I remember TV commercials from the 1970s where they had some kind of goo you would put in the crack and then hit it with an iron. I'm not necessarily looking for a pretty repair, just to keep the crack from getting bigger.

[siderman 1,137]

I wouldnt trust any goo meant for cracks that came from the 70's.

[Handyman 5,682]

29 minutes ago, siderman said:

I wouldnt trust any goo meant for cracks that came from the 70's.

It's ok, as long as you hit it with the iron.

[fishnut 2,358]

I'd just put a slip over seat cover on 

[Displaced Texan 11,739]

You can also buy OEM replacement leather seat covers. It’s a bit of a pain to replace them, but that’s the cleanest way I know of. 

[GRIZ 3,369]

Search leather repair on Amazon.  There are a bunch of kits available for about $20.  I used one of these on my MG (vinyl) a few years ago and it worked pretty good.  If it doesn't you're only out $20.

[Zeke 5,504]

Gorilla tape, thank me later

[GRIZ 3,369]

4 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Gorilla tape, thank me later

Cheapest solution.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

14 hours ago, GRIZ said:

Search leather repair on Amazon.  There are a bunch of kits available for about $20.  I used one of these on my MG (vinyl) a few years ago and it worked pretty good.  If it doesn't you're only out $20.

Griz: The more of your posts I read the better I like you. I was always of the opinion that everyone needs to own a British sports car at some point in their lives - it's a humbling experience. For my father it was a TR3. My ex-wife a Spitfire. My ex-BIL an MGA (that konked out in the middle of the Holland Tunnel). My best friend an Austin Healey 3000 MkII and my first car was a 1958 Austin Healey 100-6. They introduce you to things like: Lucas - Prince of Darkness and hitting the fuel pump with a hammer, as well as Whitworth wrenches and wire wheels. Ah, those were the days. So what was your masochistic dalliance  - T-series, A, B, C. Midget?

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[GRIZ 3,369]

@Pizza Bob it was a B.  There is also an Austin Healey in my past.

I like to think of British sports cars as an educational experience.  You have to learn to work on them as you couldn't afford to own one otherwise.

If I were in the market for a less expensive 2 seater now I'd buy an older Miata.  They're Japanese and don't break down as much.  The older Miatas stole their styling from the Lotus Elan...like Emma Peel drove!!!

@Mrs. Peel

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

3 hours ago, GRIZ said:

If I were in the market for a less expensive 2 seater now I'd buy an older Miata. 

Yeah, I was quite smitten with the Miata when it first came out. It was like a reincarnation of a classic British roadster - and I LOVE those! 

One of my very few life's regrets is that at one point I was oh-so-close to buying an MGB - but ultimately, I didn't go through with it. That would have been so much fun (but frustrating too apparently)!  They don't make them like that anymore - all the beautiful chromed parts, etc. Sweet! But unless you're someone who's both inclined and willing to become your own mechanic, upkeep can get too pricey for my budget. 

[matty 810]

I still have one British bike from the 70s. Not all 100% original anymore, but correct (repro or NOS) parts. Did change to electronic ignition nearly 20 years ago. When I was in the UK in the military in the 80s, I had a Triumph Toledo (car, not bike) an Austin  and a DAF. I had always worked on my own cars before joining so was no big deal to work on them then, as I had to. Plus the base had a place to do that and the barracks parking lot was always available.

Always re-tell the story with my old RAF Woodbridge goombahs when we get together of drunkenly driving down the road in foggy darkness of the english countryside, and banging on the dashboard of my DAF 66 to get the lights to work. Somehow we survived...

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Glock 19.

[Zeke 5,504]

6 minutes ago, CMJeepster said:

Glock 19.

Sig 320

[raz-0 1,259]

23 hours ago, Mrs. Peel said:

Yeah, I was quite smitten with the Miata when it first came out. It was like a reincarnation of a classic British roadster - and I LOVE those! 

One of my very few life's regrets is that at one point I was oh-so-close to buying an MGB - but ultimately, I didn't go through with it. That would have been so much fun (but frustrating too apparently)!  They don't make them like that anymore - all the beautiful chromed parts, etc. Sweet! But unless you're someone who's both inclined and willing to become your own mechanic, upkeep can get too pricey for my budget. 

No it wasn't. I mean it ran, it didn't have a hydraulic clutch or a positive ground electric system. So not even close. 

Even if you ARE your own mechanic, they are money pits. 

There was a gas station in highland park that would periodically have an MGB with the union jack on the hood out front. That dude sold that car so many times to some college girl who thought it was SOOOOO cool.  The longest I ever saw it disappear for was a month. It was the only place near campus that would work on them, and when they complained it was crap or came back for repairs he'd just offer to buy it back for a fraction of what they paid. Sometimes if they had paid for him to fix some of it he'd be kinder and buy it back for what they paid. 

My friend's aunt had an 80s alpha romeo spyder that was more reliable than any MGB I ever met. Just to give perspective on how low that bar is set. 

 

[Zeke 5,504]

33 minutes ago, raz-0 said:

No it wasn't. I mean it ran, it didn't have a hydraulic clutch or a positive ground electric system. So not even close. 

Even if you ARE your own mechanic, they are money pits. 

There was a gas station in highland park that would periodically have an MGB with the union jack on the hood out front. That dude sold that car so many times to some college girl who thought it was SOOOOO cool.  The longest I ever saw it disappear for was a month. It was the only place near campus that would work on them, and when they complained it was crap or came back for repairs he'd just offer to buy it back for a fraction of what they paid. Sometimes if they had paid for him to fix some of it he'd be kinder and buy it back for what they paid. 

My friend's aunt had an 80s alpha romeo spyder that was more reliable than any MGB I ever met. Just to give perspective on how low that bar is set. 

 

Not gonna lie, that’s a hell of a business plan! Outside the box!

[Grapeshot 301]

I had a 1972 MGB. There is a little known feature that is present on all MGBs - there is a checkbook scanner in the driver's seat. It always knows exactly how much money you have. If you have $400 in your checking account, it will cost you $390 to repair - leaving you $10 for beer to cry into.

I got to be a very good mechanic though. Every Saturday morning, I would fill the carburetors, transmission, engine, and rear shocks with oil - the same oil. 

And Pizza Bob - the FIRST thing you do with a British sports car is to replace that mechanical fuel pump with an electronic fuel pump!

 

[Downtownv 1,777]

55 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Not gonna lie, that’s a hell of a business plan! Outside the box!

I think the Greek Diner sale is the greatest business plan ever designed.

Owner sells it to an employee $xxxx down, $xxxmonth.If he misses 2 payments original owner getsit to re sell another day.

There was a diner on rt 22 in P'burg that was sold 4 times like this until the owner turned up dead.

There's one in Edison that was sold multiple times and yet in between the original owner was back at work again.

We you miss the payments you lose everything inventory down payment....

[Handyman 5,682]

Glock? Greek diners? Miata? WTF?

Mother F'ers jacked my thread!

Even Peel!

[raz-0 1,259]

It did go a bit sideways at the end there, didn't it?