How to hog-tie cattle...

Great day here at the Reggie's Motorworks Ranch. Stephanie, our resident photographer, got handy with the lens and snapped some photos of our soon-to-be-parted 2002, alongside the Baur. Truthfully it's not a ranch at all, but when working with old cowhide, we like to use our imagination.

We are quite smitten with the finished product, so we are going to share exactly how we got it to this point. As stated before, we diluted the dye quite a bit. So it took a couple coats. We let the dye do it's thing; our own way of branding our cattle, if you will. Now it is time for reassembly.





Our passenger seat turned out very well, no assembly required. The driver's seat on the other hand, will be our guinea pig for today's writeup, as we are piecing it together from several different seats.





Here is a summary of what exactly it is we are doing:

• Remove upholstery from passenger seat frame
• Install heating elements to center section of seats
• Piece together driver seat from dyed seat parts
• Install on to working driver seat frame

If you've not spent a lot of time doing reupholstery, it might seem a bit intimidating to start. Really all you need is the proper tools, and a mite of determination. We stopped by the local Tractor Supply to pick up some hog rings, and the proper pliers to manipulate them. We're getting closer and closer to our ranchhand dreams every day...

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here... first comes disassembly. We have to remove the bolsters from each seat frame. For this we simply cut the hog rings in the back, like before. Pull the leather off of the foam, and the foam slides off the frame. Then we transfer it to the other frame. If you have a choice of donor seat parts, you'll want to choose the best foam. We put a little spray adhesive on the frame, under the foam to keep it snug.

Time to slide on that dyed hide. This is going to take a little extra care, since we are switching frames. We will be cutting holes in the leather for each of the seat controls, keeping in mind that the bolster will be tightened once attached to the frame. To attach the leather to the frame, we slide the outside to the prongs on the frame, then bend them down. We used a hammer for this part. Now might be a good time to take out some frustration... but not too much. Don't want to damage the recently replenished leather!

Finally, we saddle up and play with some hog-rings. It's really quite simple. Everything should be in order, based on the previous disassembly. We pull the leather down and slip the rings through the holes, making sure they are around the metal bar inside the leather, then around the seat frame. Then we take our special hog-ring pliers to close them tight.

With all the bolsters in their correct place, we need to install the seat bottom. However, before that is done we need to install the working heating element. We start by removing the staples on the side of the seat, opening a sort of envelope in the seats. Then slide the heating elements in, paying close attention to the wiring so they are not damaged. We tested them by hooking them up to a battery, and they work wonderfully. Now we are a go for resealing and installation. We reattach the leather around the seat bottom using staples or hog-rings to keep it taught.

We are ready for the final bit of assembly. Sport seats have a convenient adjustable thigh bolster for under your legs. This needs to be put back on track, located on the bottom of the seat. Get the hog rings out, and attach the leather to the frame. Get the hammer out, there are more prongs that need fixed. Finally we begin assembling the frame and mechanisms, attach the seat back and cables, and we're good to go!

Now we dust off our boots, and take a gander at what we have accomplished...
(click them... they get bigger!)

BEFORE

AFTER

We're going to clean up, do some detail work - including some touch up (oops) - and install these cardinals. We'll be back.

All photos courtesy of Stewart Imagery

You can poke a cow, but can you sand it?? We think yes..

We thought since our seats are getting a nice sunbath, we might as well get to enjoy the sun as well. The weather has been really nice recently and driving the Euro 318 Baur/TC has been a real treat! What's even more exciting about nice weather is the motivation that comes with it to get the cabrio in tip-top(less) shape! Now back to the good stuff...

Below: Cardinal Red seat
after Leatherique treatment,
before prep/dye

After allowing the Rejuvenator Oil a good soak, we brought them back in and got the Pristine Clean ready. Essentially, the same theory applies with Pristine Clean. Using a spray bottle, we coat the seat evenly. Then, using a cloth rag of some sort, wipe the Pristine Clean of the seats. The way the process works is really quite interesting. The Rejuvenator Oil permeates the pores in the leather, giving it some life, at the same time floating all the dirt that has settled in these 20+ year old seats. Since we are doing a dye process on these seats, it is especially important to get all the Oil off the seat. If you are working with extremely tough leather, you will want to repeat this process to your desired level of rejuvenation.

Donor seats to be made into a complete driver seat.

Now that all of our leather has been given the Leatherique treatment, it is time for prepping and dying. As you can see in some of our pictures, we have a couple of Lotus White seats that were taken from a '92 Cabrio. These are being used for "donor" seats. They have been nearly lost to neglect, but we didn't give up hope and decided the white would be a great "blank canvas" for matching the original Cardinal Red interior.

To prep the seats for dye we need the Leatherique Prepping agent, 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper, Leatherique crack filler, and of course the Leatherique dye. We can supply most OEM BMW interior colors by request!


Since we are mixing and matching various color seats and seat parts, we are going to disassemble a good portion of the donor seats to ensure we cover all the little corners adequately.

Start by removing trim. For the rear section, the side lever trim must be removed first. This is very easy to do using a screw driver to pry them off of the lever. Next, we remove the two screws at the bottom of the back of the seat on each side. After that it is a simple pull out (from the bottom) then a push upwards to slide off the retainer clips at the top. Once the rear cover is off you will see where the hinge/recliner mechanism mounts to the rear section.

We are removing the side bolsters and seat bottom from the driver seat and replacing them with the re-dyed bolsters and seat bottom (from the donor seats), then transferring this to the driver seat frame. It sounds pretty intense, but we feel the finished product will reward such work!

To disassemble the bulk of the seat, we start by pulling the leather from the metal tabs at the top of the seat frame. Then cut the hog rings in the back of the bolsters. Voila, one very bare driver seat, anxiously awaiting surgery.

I bet you never thought you would take a piece of sand-paper to your fine German Leather interior, especially in attempts to restore it! However, the concept is fundamentally the same as re-painting a car. The original finish needs to be broken down, in order for the new coat to fully adhere/absorb to the leather. Depending on the condition of the leather, the sanding will take a bit of finesse. As you can see, these Lotus White seats have seen better days. We even found evidence of a prior re-dye. The leather is as tough and dirty as a cowboy. Since we ain't no cowpokin' ranch hands, we want a little more supple seat in our BMW. Also, since we are changing the color entirely, they will need quite a bit of atten tion. For less worn seats, just a light pass of the sandpaper should do.

If you have ever wet-sanded a car, you'll know exactly what you're doing. Basically the sand-paper will need to be wet to allow it to evenly break down the surface of the leather as you work along the entire length of the seat. We are using 320-grit and 400-grit wet/dry sand paper and a sponge block to really go at these seats. We keep the paper good and wet, avoiding the stitching. (Sand-paper and 20 year old thread do not mix well.) We then apply a good bit of prepping agent and start wiping. You'll notice a lot of the old dye is just wiping away at this point. This is good news! For severely hard/dirty leather, another application of Rejuvenator Oil/Pristine clean is needed after sanding. Since the leather is that much more porous post-attack, the Rejuvenator Oil will soak into the leather very quickly.

We decided to do this black seat out of a 325es while we were at it!

Now that we have a good surface to work with, it is time we fill those evil cracks. Again, depending on the condition of the leather, this can be quick and easy, or a little bit more time consuming for the really ratty seats. We like to think of it as "bondo for seats." We apply the filler in small amounts, then smooth it out with a business card. It is vital that this be done with discretion as we don't want to build up too much on the surface. We start with the deepest cracks and work from there. In some areas, building up the filler with multiple layers/coats is needed. Once the crack filler has dried, (6 hours or more, depending on the amount) we take a finer grit sand paper and lightly smooth out any uneven areas.

The leather is rejuvenated, the cracks are filled, all the prep work is done. It is finally time to dye these little gems! In the past we have used brushes, mostly to touch up faded areas or cracks that have been filled. We even used a brush to do the entire seat once. A good finished product can be had using these tools. However, can end up blotchy or streaky if you're not careful. So this time we opted to go with an airbrush. The dye is mixed about 40/60 dye-to-distilled water, allowing for a good flow. This will take several coats though. Again, this process is similar to that of painting a car. Thin even coats across the entirety of the leather. Start with the areas that need most attention like filled cracks and crevices.

We've finished the first few coats. We're going to let them dry and see if more is needed. Check back next week for the assembly and finished product!

Down but not out!

A long time friend of ours, Sean, has had this Alpine White convertible for some time. He mostly keeps it for cruising those hot summer nights. Over the years we’ve gone through almost every corner of this little cabrio. Slowly but surely, we are turning it in to one fine example of what a classic Bimmer should be. Today, we are finally giving some attention to the once plush Cardinal Red interior.

If you’re not familiar with the e30 Cabriolet, they’ve got some pretty unique characteristics. For example, every cabrio came with a Sport interior from the factory. On top of that, the sport seats, with their extra large bolsters for keeping you from flying off the edge of your seat, have horizontal stitching (instead of vertical like coupes). If the devil’s in the details, this is one HELL of a car! Needless to say, keeping up such a fine interior is key to maintaining the appeal and value of these beauties. Unfortunately, they are often neglected and left in the sun with the top down, open to the elements, etc. Luckily, we discovered a great tool for restoring, and more importantly, maintaining interiors of such pedigree.

Leatherique is a process that is really quite easy to do if you have some down time.

We're going to great extents to take care of our friend's car. Including filling cracked leather, dying, and repairing these old seats. However, if you're seats are not quite as weathered, the two-step Leatherique system is a breeze! Find it here in our store, it even comes with instructions!

THE PLAN!

• Repair/replace heating elements, bolsters, and mechanics using parts from donor seats
• Apply Leatherique to all leather parts
• Dye both front seats
• Replace rear seat with a re-upholstered vinyl seat
  

This process begins with a little prep work. Now, it is possible to do this with the seats still in the car, but with all the work we are doing to these, we find it easier to take them out. First step is to clean the seats. We use an air hose to blow out all the bits from the seats as well as go over them thoroughly with a vacuum. While you are at it, you should blow out debris from the mechanical parts and spray them with white lithium grease, or similar lubricant. This is an important step, as these seats will actually malfunction if they are not kept clean and lubricated. I have “fixed” several seats that had issues with the backs not sta

ying latched into place by simply cleaning and lubricating these mechanisms, so don't be shy!

Next we apply the Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil. We find it quite handy to use a spray nozzle to coat the seat surface evenly. Now it's time to put on some gloves and get a little oily. To really get the full effect, the oil needs to be rubbed into the leather quite generously.

Once the seats have been fully immersed in Rejuvenator Oil, they will need to sit for several hours to completely absorb the oil. We like to cover them with plastic bags so that they can be handled/moved easily. We then place the seats in the sun or under a hot lamp of sorts to allow a decent amount of heat to permeate the leather. Covering the seats with bags, also helps protect the seats in this step, so they are not in direct light. If you are leaving the seats in your car, you can easily park your car in the sun with the windows up to create a sort of "sauna" for the leather.

We're going to let these seats soak in the sun while we work on the next project. Check back later as we go over the rest of the Leatherique process, and try to get this gem of a cabrio shined up a bit. We'll also be covering other interesting BImmer projects such as the '69 2002, and potentially a [gasp] e30 325 pickup truck...