Blue Leather Seats Wanted

[Bruceynz]

Hi Guys,

I am looking at getting my seats recovered, but before I do I had a thought, If I managed to find a front/back set of good blue 5th Ave seats I can have the leather taking off the seats and then have the upholster put the leather on my Cordoba Seats, the M and J are pretty much the same car except my seats tip forward. Where would I find blue leather seats, can anyone help?

Thanks
Bruce

 

[BudW]

I hadn’t seen a blue leather M interior in some time.

It can be done, but it may take two sets of seats (one J and one M) to do so.
Even if you found a decent “blue leather” set, it make take modification to it to make it fit.

I would see if a person could find an Imperial seat set, for the seat frames are already made for tilting.
If nothing else, at least you (or seat shop) would have a pattern to make a blue cover for it.

 

[Bruceynz]

Is there such thing as a seat pattern for the Cordoba/Imperial/5th Ave?

 

[BudW]

Seat covers are not my subject – so don’t know that much about it.

All I can say is they had to have a pattern to make it in the first place

 

[FredMcJoe]

The leather seat covers are pretty much one size fits all. Aside from the rear seat bottom being square cut instead of flared at the outer ends, its kind of a mix and match. The covers hog-ring on and are simple to take on and off with a hog-ring pair of pliers.

The '88 5th Ave started a new series of colors. I have the blue leather in my 88 5A. Its a little lighter and more gray than the earlier dark navy blue.
I just sanded (1000 grit) down my leather seats (except for the drivers) and treated them to Leatherique's conditioner and cleaner. The top layer of dye is what usually gets hardened. Sand that down lightly and the leather gets nearly soft as new.
After a good cleaning and soaking in the conditioner, I top coated the leather surfaces with Leatherique's pearlescent coating. I took some low light pics to show off the pearl-metallic look.
The last pic is the driver's seat not yet done, you can see the leather is hardened and shiny with patina and lots of dirt. The next to the last picture is the passenger seat closeup where you can see how the sanded down and treated leather is softer, how it folds into smaller pleats. After some practice, I have had good results with Leatherique. I mastered the top-coat technique by diluting the pearl with 25% of their cleaner solution. This keeps it from getting too glossy and lets the pearl topcoat do the reflection of light. I see these are really low light level pics.

 

[Bruceynz]

Are you selling these seats?

 

[FredMcJoe]

no, sorry, just adding content to the site. Look for 5th Aves in wrecking yards... the leather those cars used was very high quality. Nice thick leather hides, not the cheap thin split hides new junk comes with. The thicker the hide, the more you can sand down and redye as the years pass. Leather is very restorable, kind of like doing body-work only softer.

 

[Bruceynz]

I am in NZ, cars never sold here, would love some blue leather seats and I would put them in my Cordoba

 

[FredMcJoe]

Oh, you're down under... ROW52 is a website that you can search for cars on that are in junk yards. They usually have access to yard parts pullers who can unhog ring a seat cover off its frame and ship it easily. FYI, my reclining 5th Ave seats also fold forward. I think they stopped doing that blockage thing for forward pivoting seatbacks for the 4 door cars in the 70s.

 

[Bruceynz]

I would just slip the leather off and slip it onto my existing seats

 

[FredMcJoe]

Yep, seat covers are pretty easy. The dark blue used in the Cordobas was used in the 5th Aves thru 1987. I think that is the same dark blue. Leatherique also color matches dye so you could get any piece of leather and dye it yourself. Its not difficult.

 

[FredMcJoe]

the 88 and 89 5th Aves have a glove soft leather assembly that wraps over the otherwise vinyl headrests, too. Pretty deluxe!

 

[Bruceynz]

Any chance you could help me out getting some blue leather seats for a 5th ave and take them off the bases and USPS the leather to NZ for me? (I have paypal)

 

[FredMcJoe]

I would but there are none around. Find me one in Oregon and we'll do a deal

 

[Bruceynz]

My other option is some custom fit seat covers from Quality, Custom Auto Seat Covers From Seat Covers Unlimited but they do not list any 40/60 split bunch seat for a Cordoba but they do for the 5th Ave, are the seats in the 5th ave and Cordoba the same dimensions?

 

[FredMcJoe]

After thinking about that.. your Cordoba has integral headrests? That would be a little tricky but the ones off a 5th Ave might be able to be adapted to the highback seats. There would be some sewing needed. Otherwise, yes, the dimension for the 60/40 seats should be the same except for the head restraint section of the front seats. The rear seat bottom will be cut a little different so that one would be a challenge too.
Be sure any aftermarket seat covers are for the older RWD 5th Ave, 1982-1989. That model went to the FWD K-car base in 1990 which is a totally different seat frame.

 

[Bruceynz]

 

[FredMcJoe]

oh, ok, those are the lowback seats so that makes the front seats an easy swap. They used those seats with minimal changes for years. The width between the bars that support the headrest changed and I think thats about all. I'll keep an eye out for one.

 

[FredMcJoe]

 

[FredMcJoe]

In my Volare Premier wagon, I've installed a gray leather 5th Ave interior. I got the pearlized top-coat a little thickly applied and it has a definite polished gloss to it. I had this gray seat bottom out of the car so I thought I'd show off the steel springing in the seat frame. Try sitting in the back seat of a 2000 Buick Century. Its nothing but a slab of foam. You notice a sinking feeling in the first mile and then your butt is hard against the floor of the body of the car for the rest of the ride. Booo GM!

Now in our fine Chrysler product here, note the wire springing in both coil and ladder-spring types, supporting the rider. The seat backrest offers a fair amount of back lumbar support as well. Durably built seats designed for long journey use, front and rear.

Notice how much the rear seat bottom is cut inward at the ends so people can get their feet in and out easier in the 4 door rear seats, this is different from the square cut 2 door rear seat bottom that your Cordoba has. To adapt a 4dr rear seat bottom cover onto a 2dr rear seat bottom frame would require alterations.

An alternative to that would be to find 2 rear seat seatback covers and adapt one for the square seat bottom. That would be easy-breezy.