| Author | Message | ||
     Jason Pfeiffer Frequent User Username: jpsnaggs Post Number: 65 Registered: 7-2006 |
Hey all, So I need some advice, and I trust you guys more then anyone Per my ealier post, I was thinking about getting the faces only done on the front seats. My seats have been dyed one too mant times to really look good if we did it once more time. Well, this started a snowball, I decided to recover the front seats entirely. I started to search for leather, and it is becoming increasingly hard to find COnnelly. I know UK Hide claims they have it, but si does alot of folks. Everyones website claims to have purchased the last lot before connelly closed their doors, and on top of that, i am told that the "last lots" of connelly before they closed were not that good, and nothing near the 60's 70's or early 80's quality of VM stuff. Even the preiminante refinisher in Los Angeles (Wilborn) uses something different now, they use the stuff that is used on the current Phantom. So, I am at a crossroads. I have found several companies who deal in COnnelly like leather, and claim to have matched it, and I have samples to attest to this, but it will never be the same......  What should I do? I have resigned myself to the fact that I should just do the front and rear seats together, and just dye the door panels to match, that way retaining "some" of the original leather. Has anyone redone everything? What do you suggest? | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 1280 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hello Jason, Many North Americans and others swear by Bill Hirsch's leather. I have seen several cars with his own brand, including a Concours' winner, and it is truly correct. Hirsch has been in business since at least the 1960s. The firm also sells Connolly Leather. In my limited dealings with Bill Hirsch I cannot fault the service. Look at: http://www.hirschauto.com/ Really, the key to all this is to engage a top-notch motor trimmer (upholsterer). A really good trimmer will have its own source of quality hides to match yours. I strongly recommend that you choose a trimmer, and then decide together on how to source new or to rejuvenate the hides. These people can do astonishing work. For example, we did it the wrong way around. My father flew from London with seven Blue Vaumol hides in his baggage for our R-Type in the mid 1970s. Our trimmer did a brilliant job, but said that he could have matched the hides himself. Unfortunately, a friend sat in the back seat 5 years later with a screwdriver in his pocket and it pierced the seat. The trimmer let in a new section perfectly, that time preferring to use his own leather rather than the leftover Connolly hide I offered to him. The result is faultless to this day. | ||
| Jason Pfeiffer Frequent User Username: jpsnaggs Post Number: 66 Registered: 7-2006 |
Thank you Richard for your advice. I have been looking at Hirsh, Hilborn and GAHH for awhile now. I have samples from all, and well they are the most expensive around, I like their leather. Hirsh told me that they not longer have any old Connelly stock, it went years ago. They do have their "connelly like" product which is supposedly a perfect match for everything but the smell. Hirsh went into detail about the original connelly tanning process which according to them, is not longer EPA approved or something Me, be SO VERY concerned about the smell the Hirsh person gave me a wonderful, if not silly idea that seems so easy... If I redo all the seats, just stick some of the old leather under the front seats, or in some other places. They said that coupled with me keep the original door/dash leather I will still have "the smell" | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 742 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Jason, If you end up using leather other than Connolly, you can consider using the Connolly Hide Food to try and get close to the original Connolly fragrance - I think the hide food formulation has not changed with the new ownership. It may take several years for the hide foood to replace the tanning/colouring agents in the new leather but the fragrance of the hide food will eventually prevail. The use of the original leather dosed with hide food is common practice. As a matter of interest to support Richard's comments about Bill Hirsch; I was making enquiries with one of Australia's most reputable R-R/B leather restoration experts about replacing the leather in drh14434 and he advised me he used a leather sourced from Germany for his award-winning restorations in preference to Connolly because of its superior quality. The only time he used Connolly was when specifically directed by the client despite his recommendations to the contrary. | ||
| bob uk Unregistered guest Posted From: client-86-29-85-190.brig.adsl.tesco.net |
Connolly leather was a top quality leather--- but not the only one. According to Connolly they were the best in the world --- but as mandy Rice-Davies would say -- "well they would, wouldn't they" I used to have till it got stolen a leather coat made from Irish horse leather -the sales man was a right wag and told me he made it from Shergar ( the race horse that got stolen and never found. I would say that that leather was a better quality than common connolly cow hide. The comment from David Gore that a trimmer prefers leather from Germany shows that Connolly is over rated. Also with modern technology I should think that modern leather is better and more consistant The best way to go is to find a good trimmer and take his advice. (Message approved by david_gore) |
