I've been able to bring back...

A few months back, I water-damaged all the leather in my '01S (seats and doors). My options are to have them reupholstered professionally or replace them. If I replace them I wold possibly look for some lightly used GT3 seats. If reupholstering, I would like to accent the center part of the seat with alcantera. Anyone with suggestions? BTW, the car will be in the San Diego area when I am ready for the repair.

I don't know how badly "water-damaged" the seats are, but Leatherique is supposed to work very well http://www.leatherique.com/.

I have not tried it on a project like yours, but was happy with how it did on some old horse tack. Maybe someone else here has experience.

I tried it, and the leatherique didn't touch it. The damage was pretty bad, and some of the leather (mostly the doors and the center insert on the seat backs) looks like bacon.

With the the number of boxsters being gutted and made into track cars you should be able to to find a nice interior complete for $1500. We purchased a complete carrera from a shop that was building a race car. I would call around to some of the speed shops building boxsters. Have alook on the spec class site and post an AD for.a interior

awesome idea. I hadn't thought of that. I was looking at LA dismantlers, since I am leaving Germany in October. Yours might be a better route. Thanks!

Pedro, I might be able to work that magic with the seats, but the door panels are shot. I will give it a try before replacing the seats, but I'm not too hopeful.

... some very dried-out leather using steam.
Low pressure steam from the backside of the leather can many times re-hydrate the hide.
Take the seat out and pull the leather off the foam.
From the back of the material, use low pressure steam working slowly every part of the damaged leather and it's surround.
Once the leather is rehydrated and smooth on the front, put it back on the foam and drape a damp bath towel over it.
Set it in the shade to dry. Don';t try to force-dry it with hair dryers or even air conditioning.
The slower it dries, the better it will be.
After it has dried completely, apply liberal mounts of a good leather conditioner.
Good luck.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I really didn't think this leather could come back, but I did what you suggested. I am concentrating on the passenger side center seat insert. It had shrivelled and dried and actually shrunken about 2" in width. I have steamed and remounted onto the foam, and it is drying under a damp towel in the house. I do believe it will be close to new when it dries THANKS!

I might need a pedro hat to help out with the rest of the fix. I am ordering one now. Small support for the website, but I'm sure every bit helps.

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna