Mk1 Cavalier - Red Interior, Drivers Seat, Section Of Material Needed To Patch Mine!

[Rob36]

Hi all.

Ive just put my Mk1 Cavalier Coupe thru its MOT, and I'm slowly knocking back the jobs to be done one by one, and its now time to turn some attention to the drivers seat. At present it has a wear hole in the cloth on the bolster which needs attention, also a split along one of the seams. So! Has anyone got an old red interior lying around gathering dust that theyd be willing to cut a patch out of? Patch would need to be about 6insx4ins. Id happily pay for the said piece of cloth!

Alternatively, if anyone has any ingenious suggestions on how to fix said hole, I'm all ears! Thanks in advance chaps.

Heres a pic of the interior, although supidly, I havent acutually included the area in question in the pic lol.

Edited February 24, 2013 by Rob36

[stradacab]

Rob, for originality, authenticity and, most importantly, cost your best bet would be to source a passenger seat and swap the covers over on the basis that the nearside seat is always less worn than the drivers!

As your car is a coupe you will need to repair and glue the "slit" which takes the seat release and cut a new one on the opposing side but it will never notice.

I have done this a million times (well twice actually) and would be my recommended way to go. Stripping upholstery is actually simple and if you are nervous about it, pm me, I'll give you my number and we can chat about it.

Source that seat!!

Oh, by the way, you could use an early Manta seat too but the face panels are slightly different. Again, you would probably never notice if no one told you and this could open the chance of finding something quicker but it's up to you how perfect you want it to be (all of my suggestions are better than seeing a ripped bolster when you open drivers door!!)

[Rob36]

Rob, for originality, authenticity and, most importantly, cost your best bet would be to source a passenger seat and swap the covers over on the basis that the nearside seat is always less worn than the drivers!

As your car is a coupe you will need to repair and glue the "slit" which takes the seat release and cut a new one on the opposing side but it will never notice.

I have done this a million times (well twice actually) and would be my recommended way to go. Stripping upholstery is actually simple and if you are nervous about it, pm me, I'll give you my number and we can chat about it.

Source that seat!!

Oh, by the way, you could use an early Manta seat too but the face panels are slightly different. Again, you would probably never notice if no one told you and this could open the chance of finding something quicker but it's up to you how perfect you want it to be (all of my suggestions are better than seeing a ripped bolster when you open drivers door!!)

Ok mate - what your saying deffo makes sense. I'd still deffinately be interested if anyone does have a patch fron an old seat available as a temporary fix, particularly as funds are now stretched a wee bit, but also - If anyone has a passenger seat available - Im in the market - please speak up!

Edited February 24, 2013 by Rob36

[spiney_norman]

I've got a complete red set of seats here in reasonable nick, I'll get you some pictures tomorrow!

[spiney_norman]

Any good to you? The driver's seat is the worse one of the pair but might clean up a bit, they're on the wrong sides in the photo! Got a matching back seat as well, not sure on the condition as I haven't dug it out to get the fitted cover off it but I'm told it's good. Got matching door cards in poor but useable condition and I think rear quarter cards if you want the whole lot, worth keeping spares as the early stuff's hard to get these days. Let me know!

Edited February 25, 2013 by spiney_norman

[Rob36]

Any good to you? The driver's seat is the worse one of the pair but might clean up a bit, they're on the wrong sides in the photo! Got a matching back seat as well, not sure on the condition as I haven't dug it out to get the fitted cover off it but I'm told it's good. Got matching door cards in poor but useable condition and I think rear quarter cards if you want the whole lot, worth keeping spares as the early stuff's hard to get these days. Let me know!

Hi bud. Listen, thanks so much for taking the trouble to take the phone etc... I really apprecite it. Looking at the pic though the cloth/ seat style looks different to mine! The ribbed stitching goes up to the top on yours, wheras mine have a smooth panel at the top! Its a shame! The interior in mine -driver seat aside- is stark raving mint apart from a few areas where the chrome effect plastic has rubbed away. Yours look more orangey too, altho I guess that might be the pic. gutted!

[spiney_norman]

No worries! These are out of a '79 Manta, they are red but a bit faded. I know the stitching pattern's slightly different, yours are the same pattern as the ones in my blue Cav coupe, but they were only fitted to the Cavaliers so they're really hard to get hold of now. Yours does look like a really nice interior, in fact the whole car looks like a cracking find! You might be able to find someone breaking a Cavalier saloon with the same stitching pattern on the seats to re-cover yours with

[plumster]

I tried to source new/replacement fabric in the late 90s, at the time I worked in the Motor trim industry & had contacts inside Vauxhall trying to locate some, it was a total non-runner.

I ended up buying a pair of Recaros & had them trimmed in leather with a "special" run of vinyl made for the backs & underside pieces, I think my old seats were the ones you described with a ribbed arse bit in the middle of the cusion.

Regarding the colour: they nearly all look orangey out of the car especially with sun & age fade.

Alhough the only wear on my old ones are on the seat squab & the driver bolster I decided to retire them as fabric that old will be deteriorating by the day.

I suggest you get a good look at the ones that have been offered & see if they match.

[cop]

hi a set of cav red seats on ebay Bristol area

[Rob36]

Hi mate, cheers for the heads up! I cannae find the listing though! Any chance you could post up the link? thanks!!

[mikemanta]

the link http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Cavalier-Mk1-/251236963744?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a7ee3d5a0

[cop]

thanks mike manta for the info for rob

[Rob36]

Brilliant! Cheers fellas. Gonna message the guy and see if he'll strip the upholstery and post

Edited March 1, 2013 by Rob36

[spiney_norman]

If he won't I'm sure either myself or someone more local can collect them, strip them and post them for you!

[spiney_norman]

Just looked at the ad again, that's the later spec stuff with the ribbed fabric, as fitted from about 79 on. Not identical but you'd have to be a real anorak to notice... Ahem!

[Rob36]

If he won't I'm sure either myself or someone more local can collect them, strip them and post them for you!

What a kind offer mate! That would be amazing if you (or someone else) were up for it! Ill message him fist though see what he says eh!?

[stradacab]

I'll do you a deal. There are a couple of bits there I could use. Headlamps and rubbers etc. You buy the lot, I'll collect for you, strip the seat cover off and mail up to you ( post wont cost you more than a tenner I reckon) ill keep the bits I need and I'll take the rest to the tip. Note Robs post re centre panels being slightly different, if you wanted all the covers to match I could strip them all but be mindful that coupe and saloon rear seat bases have a different shape at the corners to allow entry through the rear doors

[Rob36]

I'll do you a deal. There are a couple of bits there I could use. Headlamps and rubbers etc. You buy the lot, I'll collect for you, strip the seat cover off and mail up to you ( post wont cost you more than a tenner I reckon) ill keep the bits I need and I'll take the rest to the tip. Note Robs post re centre panels being slightly different, if you wanted all the covers to match I could strip them all but be mindful that coupe and saloon rear seat bases have a different shape at the corners to allow entry through the rear doors

Thats sounds like a potential plan to me mate! Id deffo be interested in you posting both front seats, not sure about the rear - mines in good shape, so might be best leaving it since its only the seat base he has there and not both bits. The seatbelt inertia reel might be handy too as mine is a bit sticky. Regarding posting stuff - I post stuff through ebay sales quite a lot and parcel2go is very reasonable! Cheers! Ill bide my time and slip in a bid closer to the deadline. Hopefully no-one else will eh?? I take it the seats will be pretty much the same as mine ribbed cloth apart? They do look pretty similar has to be said...

Edited March 2, 2013 by Rob36

[Rob36]

Well I placed a bid on the seats last night - a bid that I thought would get them comfortably since there was no action whasoever on the listing. Phone ran out of batt in work so couldnt check. Just got home. Beaten by a bloomin pound. Gutted.com

If anyone hears of any others turning up, Id be interested!

Edited March 7, 2013 by Rob36

[Rob36]

Hey guys. Im still on the lookout for replacement front seat (drivers) upholstery for my Mk1 Cav Coupe. Pic of the interior is at the top of the page, red velour. If anyone has anythin in good nick, giz a shout! Thanks!