Seat fabric for Porsche 924

The upholstery pattern provides a more reliable indication of the vehicle’s age than the paintwork

Manufacturers changed upholstery fabrics far more often than they changed body colours. An upholstery pattern corresponds to a specific version, a trim level and a short production run – sometimes just two or three years. This is why a connoisseur can date an interior at a glance, even before looking at the dashboard.

Reupholstering with a similar-looking fabric is therefore the most obvious mistake in a restoration. It isn’t noticeable in a photograph, but it’s glaringly obvious the moment you open the door, and it affects the vehicle’s value far more than its cost. Conversely, an interior reupholstered with the correct pattern does more for the overall impression than a fresh coat of paint.

Pattern categories

• Checks, often associated with leisure models and utility versions. The colour combinations are very dated, and this is what makes them recognisable.
• Tartan, emblematic of sports models from the late 1970s and 1980s. It comes in several colour schemes, and two similar tartan patterns do not belong to the same model.
• Gradients and geometric patterns, characteristic of the 1980s, sometimes featuring blended stripes or an irregular chequered pattern.
• Plain fabrics and textured weaves, which were used for the basic trim and rear seats.

The same pattern was often available in several colourways for different versions: check both the dominant colour and the design.

Fabric length, grain and width

Upholstery fabric is sold by the metre, in a specific width known as the width of the fabric. The amount of fabric required cannot simply be calculated from the surface area to be covered: it depends on the direction of the pattern and the available width of the fabric.

• The direction of the pattern often means that all the pieces must be cut in the same direction. With a striped or gradient fabric, the pieces cannot be interlocked as they can with a plain fabric, and the amount of fabric required increases significantly.
• Pattern matching: on a checked pattern, the lines must continue from one panel to the next. This means some fabric is wasted between two cuts.
• The width of the fabric determines whether a piece can be cut in one go or requires an additional seam.
• A safetymargin is essential: a fabric that runs out during a project may not be available again, and two different dye lots must not be mixed on the same seat.

If in doubt, ask the upholsterer who will be carrying out the work to calculate the required length before placing your order.

Reupholstering or having it reupholstered

Reupholstering a seat is no ordinary sewing job: you need to unpick the original cover to use it as a pattern, sew a thick fabric using a suitable machine, and, above all, stretch it correctly during fitting – which is the most difficult part. A fabric that’s perfectly chosen but poorly stretched will result in a seat that puckers.

If you’re having the work done by an upholsterer, it’s still a good idea to supply the fabric yourself in the right pattern: this is precisely the item they won’t be able to find. If you’re doing it yourself, start with a rear seat rather than the driver’s seat, and keep the old cover in one piece as a reference. Finally, remember to check the foam underneath: new upholstery fitted over sagging foam will simply replicate the very problem you were trying to fix.