THE KOMBI KONNECTION

VLKSWGN · Kombi Kommander Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 500

If you have kids, i think Vinyl is the way to go, easy to wipe down after spills etc, I just through a blanket over the seat when the sun is beatin down....

If you dont have kids, then I would go Fabric, camo of course Cool

Steve

OberonViking · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject:

Archeress · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject:

Dingo · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:17 am Post subject:

Me. Kids. Geez. No.

So now we're 50/50. Maybe vinyl pax & drivers, fabric rear?

Hmm. Or fur. No. Okay maybe some. If its good enough for Kellie its good enough for me. But fabric is so funky. Against teak, whoops, cat out of bag.

Archeress · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:53 am Post subject:

i like the idea of vinyl over fabric wes, reasoning is due to all classic cars i have seen have beautiful trimmed vinyl and it looks georgeous. Can be cleaned easier, and if you end up with tints then no need to worry about a hot seat.
_________________

BRM..BRM..BRMM BRMMM

Keith D · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:41 am Post subject:

Hey Dingo - I don't want to muddy the water, but why not go for leather seats? I had the seats in my vintage cars covered with leather. It wasn't much dearer than a good quality vinyl but, believe me, there is just no comparison. The leather gets hot in summer, but you don't stick to it and you don't get burned on it. Plus that glorious leather smell as you open the driving door.........
Keith D

the aussie trimmer · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject:

To say the least, I am a purist, and what I have to say will reflect this,

I will always suggest that people return their car no matter what marque it is, back to the original factory design and specifications, be it Leather, Vinyl, Cloth or a combination of all three.
My argument is that as an original car, you retain the value and as we all know all these cars (meaning VW range) are becoming more and more the collectable items of choice.

As for the pros and cons of vinyl verses Leather verses Fabric this can be as much as durability, comfort, style and opulence.
Leather being the most opulent of coverings, will give the owner the best possible seat covering with the longest life.

IF THE OWNER IS PREPARED TO LOOK AFTER IT, PROPERLY

Leather requires to be cleaned weekly and conditioned (feed) monthly for all its life, if one continues this ritual you can enjoy the luxurious leather interior for decades to come.
Don’t use Armour All on leather as it seals off the pores and the leather dries out and dies.

Vinyl is a synthetic material and although it requires the same weekly cleaning as Leather there is nothing that will give it longevity. The only thing to help retain the vinyl is to clean it regularly, tint all windows, use a windscreen cover and keep the car out of the sun when parked. The biggest killer of vinyl is the salts in body sweat and cooking heat of parking in the sun that dries out the vinyl.
If you’re worried about the seat being to hot to sit on, then just through a towel over it when it is standing in the sun and if that’s at the beach make sure you sit on the towel to soak up any sea water from your shorts.
Most of all don’t be fooled into thinking that Armour All is the answer to vinyl problems, it is pure silicon and only shines it up, it can’t repair or rejuvenate anything especially Leather and vinyl.

Only use Swipe cleaning products to clean all interior materials

Fabric is by far the coolest surface to sit on but it to has problems. Most Fabrics are made for the home upholstery industry and in a car it breaks down and fades in UV light, dirt penetrates the fabric and wears the weave like sand paper. Again unless you are prepared to clean it regularly with a carpet cleaning machine your cloth seats will disintegrate, but too much cleaning will also rot the stitching and it will all fall apart. You’re dammed if you do and you’re dammed if you don’t.

Having said all that and as has already been stated, It is above all else YOUR decision to what you have in your car, you have to be comfortable with the choice you make and if its Leather, Vinyl, cloth, factory original (my personal option)or a full custom interior enjoy it, but clean it regular.

By the way good quality vinyl is $35.00 per lineal meter and leather is $99-$180 per square meter and a lot more time goes into the making.

Alice · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject:

I voted vinyl...what's a summer without car seat stick....it'll remind you of when you were a pup!
_________________
"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative" (Oscar Wilde).

1974 Pop-top "Loona"

Brookie · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:09 pm Post subject:

Had a bit of a rethink after Margaret reminded me that with the No1 Brookie fabric is a problem as our Nissan Trakka rear seat/bed is fabric and we always have a picnic rug or cheapie cotton blanket on it for her benefit.
We are now going for as close to orginal on seats on our 73.

-------------------------------------------------
_________________
Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

Dingo · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject:

Brilliant. This is the discussion I had to have.

I was totally favouring fabric for the funky retro/westy look. But there are durability and cleanliness issues.

Question: (probably another one for Mr. Trimmer) - for a non-daily driver, which is stored for the most part, are there good quality fabrics available in a westy tartan style (i think the original was a woven polyester - scratchywool, as I call it on furniture). Very Eames / Fler / Parker. Very 70s. Very me.

But I was thinking leather for the front seats. For a special treat for my arse. But not original. And pricey. Still not sure.

But I agree vinyl does look tidy. And would have been original in the Sopru (am I right, some someone confirm that very basic question??)

Would it be weird to have leather seats, vinyl door trim and a fabric rear bed? Getting a bit busy for me. Even vinyl in the front and fabric in the back? What were westy seats covered with?

I am leaning towards Vinyl front (balance of OG and durability and cost) and fabric R&R.

I really appreciate your input. Especially from the Pro. Alice's gonna recommend sequens before long, so I'm just going to watch that carefully! Imagine if I employed Archeress and Alice as my design consultants. Whoooooweeeeeee, that'd be a sweet kombi.