69Pman

Just posted a question about finding someone in our area to redo the seats in the 69. Having had a little encouragement from some of the forum members and having done some installation research that I should have done from the start, it's clear that we're going to do the work ourselves.
The real question is weather or not to recover the seats in vinyl or leather. She was born with saddle, vinyl seats. We are not going to be getting the car judged anytime soon and consider the extra cost of leather as a non-factor. What would you put in your car? Is leather nicer for later resale value? Does the vinyl hold up better over time? Is maintenance a big issue between the two? Just some things to think about.
In the end, we'll be getting what we want but would like to see what you guys think and why before going though with the purchase. Your opinions are appreciated.

MrJlr

While I chose to store my original '74 seats in favor of Pontiac Fiero seats, I had a choice of materials and chose LEATHER





It's for my Corvette after all.....

69Pman

Looks nice! She's saying "go ahead and take a seat!"

So what reasons made you go leather? general comfort? perceived value?

63vette427

I would say if your not looking for original then I would go with Leather. I would say it's a better material and more comfortable. I wouldn't say you would get any more money when it comes to selling. When you sell, the buyer may be looking for original and actually look at the leather as a negative.

I have vinyl in my car and when it come time for a replacement I will use vinyl again just because I like my car original. It's all in personal taste.

MrJlr

Comfort, feel, smell, durability, value, bragging rights, a lot of reasons...

Gotta say, it makes the car "feel" more luxurious.

And the Fiero seats are FAR more comfortable than the stock '74 seats...even in perfect condition the stock seats are not much more than the letter "L" !

Got the leather from Mr Mike's.......

7T1vette

Leather seats will last longer IF they are maintained properly. Leather requires regular (every 2-3 months) cleaning and conditioning with a leather balm or other substance (saddle soap, oil, etc.). If you do not maintain leather well, it will get dry, crack and show its age in 5 years, or so. Maintained well, they can last indefinitely.

Vinyl covers are easier to maintain, with just a wipe of polymer protectant (not petroleum-based stuff ) every 2-3 months.They can last for 150,000 miles or more (vinyl wear is proportional to usage; leather is more age-based).

Leather breathes better than 'solid' vinyl coverings. But, not better than the original ComfortWeave vinyl material of the early C3 cars. Most aftermarket covers of the ComfortWeave-style are not porous and do not breathe like the originals.

If you live in warmer environments, I would suggest leather seating; in colder climates, vinyl. Just my opinion...

doorgunner

As a rookie, I realize that a truly original car should never be compromised. But I also see that we who buy neglected cars (that need some amount of restoration) are sometimes hamstrung by factory decisions:

Here are a few that come to mind:

Bad design is untouchable...it must remain bad (under-cabin exhaust pipe clearance)

Base model items cannot be upgraded (seat cover material)

Outdated components must remain inferior (alternators)

Paint color should never be changed

Because of the cost factor, I went with Daily Driver leather (FYI....do your research concerning the supplier..... be sure it's not from China!)

69Pman

Agreed, will be getting the covers and installation kit from a reputable supplier that we usually go to who also happens to be a supporting forum vendor.

Interesting thoughts on which material to go with and why. Keep the opinions rolling.

Alan 71

Hi 69p,
If you're trying to make your 69 more 'up-to-date' the leather is certainly the choice.
But personally I think the vinyl seat covers are more indicative of a 45 year old Corvette.
Regards,
Alan

MrJlr

Wow......like brand new!

RedRedRed

Since you're not concerned with originality and cost will not affect your decision, ask yourself one question:

If you were buying a brand new car today, and had your choice of vinyl or leather and didn't care about the cost difference, which would you choose?

For me, it would be leather every time.

Goin70

My interior is black and I have a convertible. For that reason, I went with vinyl "comfort weave" replacement seat covers instead of leather. They're cooler on those hot days. Just another consideration ...

69Pman

Alan, your opinions are always appreciated. Your pic certainly illustrates your opinion and it's a great pic of a great interior!

69Pman

Ahhh yes, but why?

loflite

Just put leather in my '69 L68 car. Everything else is original and numbers matching, blah, blah, blah. Decided to go leather, head rests and all because it looks better and holds up better and I'm not selling the car so who cares? After I'm gone, the next guy can bring it back to NCRS. BTW, I had Willcox do my seats, seat foam and all. They are like new. Remember to do the seat foam, or your new covers won't fit right.

69Pman

Without a doubt, the entire kit will be ordered, foam, hardware, tools, etc. Good opinion, thanks for the answer.

RedRedRed

Leather is a much nicer surface to touch and to sit on, and a definite upgrade over vinyl. That's why it's in higher end cars, even mid-range cars these days. Even low-cost cars have durable fabric instead of vinyl. Would you buy a vinyl sofa for your house? Would you buy a vinyl jacket? Then why would you want vinyl seats in your very nice car? How about a nice vinyl-wrapped steering wheel, or a really cool vinyl shift ****?

Vinyl is just soft plastic. It has its place in certain applications, but not as a seating surface, in my opinion. Both leather and vinyl are hot in hot weather, but vinyl is much stickier in my experience. Back in the sixties and seventies, vinyl was a preferable choice to cloth because cloth didn't last very well back then - and vinyl LOOKED sort of like the leather that was in very expensive cars. With durable fabrics now, there's no reason to use vinyl unless you want to be true to the original. If you're concerned with sticky seats in hot weather, go with fabric.

Now, if you really liked sitting on your aunt Ethyl's clear vinyl-cover sofa, then, by all means...

69Pman

Thank you for the reply. We have the vinyl now and haven't had any "sticky" situations with it. And hey, what's wrong with Ethyl's sofa? It was very comfortable…

MrJlr

Extremely valid points.....

69Pman

Indeed, every opinion counts. Makes the choice much more difficult but great reading the different thoughts on why.