Seat Covers
- FRUNKenstein
- Curator Extraordinaire
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- Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
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Seat Covers
Cross-post from the 944 forum, but wanted to post here because they make 996 seat covers, too.
The 951 had its original seat covers, which weren’t horrible, but the driver’s seat bottom had split seams. And they were hardened from age. After searching around a bit, I came across a website called LSEAT.com that a few guys over on Rennlist (dammit) had tried with mixed results. Bottom line, if you stuck to the basics, they seemed to do well and at a very reasonable (read “cheap”) price. The guys that ordered special covers for other parts of the interior had bad luck with them, though. Since I just wanted seat covers, I thought I’d give them a try.
The seats are full leather. The OE seat has a perforated center, and they offered that. I also ordered deviated red stitching and an embossed Porsche crest in the headrest at extra cost. With all the options, the seats were $419 for the pair. Shipping was another $20 or so. I received my order about 3 weeks after buying. The return label listed a Texas address.
I had a local upholstery shop install the seat covers for $500. They had a few wrinkles around the shoulders, but the upholstery shop thought they would smooth out over time. Below is a photo, and you can see the driver seat has smoothed out after just a few drives. The passenger seat hasn’t been used much, so is still a bit wrinkly. Overall I’m very pleased as my 951 seats now are much softer and are a dead ringer for the 996TT’s seats.
LSEAT.com also makes seat covers for other Porsche models, including all variants of the 996 seats.
The 951 had its original seat covers, which weren’t horrible, but the driver’s seat bottom had split seams. And they were hardened from age. After searching around a bit, I came across a website called LSEAT.com that a few guys over on Rennlist (dammit) had tried with mixed results. Bottom line, if you stuck to the basics, they seemed to do well and at a very reasonable (read “cheap”) price. The guys that ordered special covers for other parts of the interior had bad luck with them, though. Since I just wanted seat covers, I thought I’d give them a try.
The seats are full leather. The OE seat has a perforated center, and they offered that. I also ordered deviated red stitching and an embossed Porsche crest in the headrest at extra cost. With all the options, the seats were $419 for the pair. Shipping was another $20 or so. I received my order about 3 weeks after buying. The return label listed a Texas address.
I had a local upholstery shop install the seat covers for $500. They had a few wrinkles around the shoulders, but the upholstery shop thought they would smooth out over time. Below is a photo, and you can see the driver seat has smoothed out after just a few drives. The passenger seat hasn’t been used much, so is still a bit wrinkly. Overall I’m very pleased as my 951 seats now are much softer and are a dead ringer for the 996TT’s seats.
LSEAT.com also makes seat covers for other Porsche models, including all variants of the 996 seats.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Re: Seat Covers
I've been on the fence and am glad to hear you like them. Unfortunately the only shop here doesn't want to work any more...Looks like a DIY for me in the near future.
FSI-R40
- Battery Guy
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 7:24 am
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
Re: Seat Covers
Those look great - I was just looking at their web site for a friend with a 968 that the leather was completely shot. She ended up having a local upholstery shop piece in sections, but the same said they had no problem installing the Lseat covers. Price they quoted was about the same as you paid. Noted for future use if I ever need it.
Daryll
Daryll
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)
- Einsteiger
- He's Back and He's Angry
- Posts: 462
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:40 am
- Location: Overland Park KS
Re: Seat Covers
Looks fantastic, actually. I know when I had my '87 Benz I almost went with GAHH - a lot of the Benz people used them. They have a big selection for most all makes.....even Porsche.
https://www.gahh.com/interiors/seats?vehicle_make=244
Price-wise they are probably towards the high end.
Before my '87 560SL got shipped to Denmark, the buyer's son had the front seats re-done here in Kansas City by a local guy that only charged him about $350 I think he said...and they looked new. Frunk: I have the guy's number if you want another local vendor.
https://www.gahh.com/interiors/seats?vehicle_make=244
Price-wise they are probably towards the high end.
Before my '87 560SL got shipped to Denmark, the buyer's son had the front seats re-done here in Kansas City by a local guy that only charged him about $350 I think he said...and they looked new. Frunk: I have the guy's number if you want another local vendor.
Kevin
1999 C2 - Vesuvio Metallic
OP Kansas
1999 C2 - Vesuvio Metallic
OP Kansas
- FRUNKenstein
- Curator Extraordinaire
- Posts: 3955
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
- Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
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Re: Seat Covers
Definitely. If I could have spent $350 or so and gotten the X1/9's seats done, I would have gladly done so. Hell, I spent $60 in just dye alone. In fact, even though I'm done with the X1/9's seats, I might still get them recovered because the dye job isn't perfect (looks good in pics, but up close there are blotches) and the dyed cloth now has the texture of 40 grit sandpaper.Einsteiger wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2019 6:02 am Looks fantastic, actually. I know when I had my '87 Benz I almost went with GAHH - a lot of the Benz people used them. They have a big selection for most all makes.....even Porsche.
https://www.gahh.com/interiors/seats?vehicle_make=244
Price-wise they are probably towards the high end.
Before my '87 560SL got shipped to Denmark, the buyer's son had the front seats re-done here in Kansas City by a local guy that only charged him about $350 I think he said...and they looked new. Frunk: I have the guy's number if you want another local vendor.
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
- FRUNKenstein
- Curator Extraordinaire
- Posts: 3955
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
- Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
- Contact:
Re: Seat Covers
Correct. The upholsterer removed my old seat skins - the ones put on by the factory - and gave them to me (which I promptly threw in the trash).
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
- 32wildbilly
- Never gonna run around and desert you
- Posts: 5779
- Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:46 pm
- Location: Kneebraska
Re: Seat Covers
You threw them AWAY??!! Should have saved them for the next owner in case he wanted the car to be a survivor or is there something we don't want to know about those seat covers?FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:21 pmCorrect. The upholsterer removed my old seat skins - the ones put on by the factory - and gave them to me (which I promptly threw in the trash).
Never gonna make you cry...
- FRUNKenstein
- Curator Extraordinaire
- Posts: 3955
- Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:02 pm
- Location: Wheat field, dammit, wheat!
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Re: Seat Covers
Given that it was my son’s first car, they’d probably light up like a Jackson Pollock painting if you hit ‘em with a black light.32wildbilly wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2019 4:17 pmYou threw them AWAY??!! Should have saved them for the next owner in case he wanted the car to be a survivor or is there something we don't want to know about those seat covers?FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2019 3:21 pm
Correct. The upholsterer removed my old seat skins - the ones put on by the factory - and gave them to me (which I promptly threw in the trash).
www.kansascityautomuseum.com
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Current:
2002 996TT X50, Guards Red
1987 928S4, Guards Red
1987 951, Guards Red
1973 914 2.0 Bahia Red
2006 955S, Lapis Blue
Other toys:
1988 BMW 325i Cabriolet, Alpin Weiss
1987 Bertone X1/9, Verde Chiaro
Gone but not forgotten: 1975 914 2.0, Laguna Blue; 1999 996 C4 Aerokit Black; 1990 964 C2 Guards Red; 2006 955S Arctic Silver
Re: Seat Covers
There's a guy I know online who does some pretty wicked upholstery. Let me see if I can track him down...
Understeer: You will hit the wall with the front end.
Oversteer: You will hit the wall with the rear end.
Horsepower: How hard you will hit the wall.
Torque: How far you will move the wall.
Gone hunting with Alec Baldwin and Dick Cheney. Back soon.