Hi All

I recently bought a brand new set of genuine Mitsubishi HOWE leather skins for my KJ. They are not pull over covers, they are the actual leather skins they would have put onto the seats in the factory, these were just never put on a car. I got a quote from a car upholsterer in Brisbane for $270 to fit them, but it looks like i can fit them myself, another member did the same thing here http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61128&page=69 So seemed like a great mod!!

Anyway, i thought i was buying a grey set (as in the photo), but turns out they're a light beige... Which goes great with my Kashmir paint, but im not sure about my door trim... So now im having second thoughts if i want to do it. Part of me wants to because the leather feels and smells nice, its brand new and its already cut and sewed to fit perfectly, with the padding and all attached to the leather skins underneath. But my door trim is grey so i don't know if it will look odd.

I have done some googling and it looks like it would be possible to dye the leather, but not sure how good they would be or how much it would cost... Would i dye the seat grey or black to match my current interior or would i dye the door trim instead?... Appreciate any input.


Thanks

Just sat the covers over the seats to get an idea...


http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1130_zpsd5c43030.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1128_zps82115cd2.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1126_zpsbaa3289a.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1122_zps150c8978.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1121_zps91397233.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1118_zps87936d83.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1116_zps4a255227.jpg

I'd imagine it would be cheaper to make up (or have made up) some ruffled leather or vinyl door inserts in a similar colour, or get proper Xi inserts an recolour accordingly

I'd be hesitant to dye leather. Your seats are a high-wear item and I reckon it wouldn't take long for the dye to wear off.

Also, these look like the same leather seat covers that mcs_xi bought. I think he said that they don't include the back side of the front seats?

Also, these look like the same leather seat covers that mcs_xi bought. I think he said that they don't include the back side of the front seats?

Ive taken all the covers out and they all have this padded backing on the inside, if thats what you mean... And yeah im not sure how quick it would wear that was one worry i had.

Howdy.

Yeah these are the same trims as I have.

They are from a USA Diamante and therefore are of an interior colour never release in australia.

Getting the leather dyed never lasts. The colour is selected and done at the point of manufacture. It is very very hard to change it properly.

The door trims however, are easy to change. They unclip and can be disassembled very easily and quickly.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/DSCF2550.jpg

.
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/DSCF2544.jpg
.
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/DSCF2545.jpg
.
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/DSCF2548.jpg

As mentioned in a PM, the trim used on the doors is called Pellan 2 Vienna (colourcode) and is expensive because it is quality.

I had the centre bin stitched, but did everything else myself.

When fitting the trims to the seats, the trim will be a bit baggy for the first week or 2 but once the car is left in the sun for a bit, and gets a bit of heat inside, the trims will shrink down to the seat really well. Mine look like they were always there currently.

The dye used on the doors is a buckskin colour, but try a few manufacturers to get the right one for you.

Hope this helps others. I have PM'ed you about fitting instructions etc.

Mike

Thanks Mike - Just did the back seat, cant believe i was going to pay someone to do it, was way easier than i thought! And looks good :D

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1131_zps9d632682.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1137_zps66fccd86.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1141_zps25b4ab8c.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1143_zps93624db7.jpg

Awesome work.

For people watching, this is why Velour seats are crap! All that discolouration (which will be sticky) is from the fabric letting moisture etc through. The foam on my leather seats when the hide was removed was perfect! Same with another member. Gives an idea as to why cars develop smells.

Well done all the back, but i cant get my head rests to go down all the way.... and one of them i cant get that little plastic cap in all the way either...

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1155_zpsfa452078.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1154_zps5b9799da.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1146_zps7694b679.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1151_zps2501aab4.jpg

looks great. nice work

Looks excellent mate. This is a great mod, a few other members have done this and it always comes up great - one of my favourite trim colours, think I actually like this more than tan now, the more I see it! If I didn't have black I'd be going for this myself. mcs_xi has already covered all the info you need so this is just a well done, top work post :D


Awesome work.

For people watching, this is why Velour seats are crap! All that discolouration (which will be sticky) is from the fabric letting moisture etc through. The foam on my leather seats when the hide was removed was perfect! Same with another member. Gives an idea as to why cars develop smells.

Agreed. Same with my KJ, bright sparkly uniform yellow. But then mine is of course many years newer. Still, just ticked over a decade and zero wear - every similar cloth car I've seen has been a dodgy orange colour - these are definitely not the worst I've seen. And they won't be getting any worse now, thanks to the awesome work!

Took some better pics this morning
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1157_zpsd51de639.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1160_zpse0008c95.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1159_zps3810af06.jpg

Finally did the front seats, the base of the front passenger's seat was a bit tricky, the cover was for an electric seat which is similar except the door side bit under the bolster is larger, so there was some extra slack i had to try to pull tight. Luckily its mostly hidden by the plastic trim when you put the seat back in the car :D There are some creases on the sides of the seats from where the covers had been folded in a box for 9 years but i think they will come out with some time, especially if i leave it in the sun and the car gets warm. Car smells soooo good now as well! Just need to get the door trim colour matched.

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1178_zpscaa80ab4.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1180_zpsa294d406.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1183_zpse969871b.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1188_zps37b90029.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1186_zps6e400192.jpg
http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg638/RobMuggleton/IMAG1191_zps8deb9078.jpg

Any finished pics of this?

Same hide I used in my car mate

I know, just wondering what color scheme the rest of the plastics are now.

I believe these are what I have in my car, looks good.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/20D0C775-F60E-48A7-98B6-187768E6BECE-12723-00000828CB2931EF.jpg
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/DSCF2550.jpg
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp136/mcstannard_bucket/563932_540867592595127_1553506377_n.jpg

For the doors I used a 3M dye that no longer is made or able to be tracked down. However, if you can find door trims from a KL-KW Xi in tan, then they are the same shade. Much lighter than the Tan from the earlier cars.

I made the leather door trims and console lid myself.

If anyone is thinking of getting these trims, please do! They are great. The require verada chairs, but they can be installed easily. The ruffling and looseness of the trims will disappear over about a month, quicker if the car is left in the sun. Then it just looks like a brand new factory interior.

Mike

Thanks Mike I will look into the tan interior :)
Though I think I'd use tan carpet + tan rooflining as well with the only black being the upper half of the dash and door cards

Can anyone tell me if the seats on the TJ are the same shape as those on the KF

They're not. Veradas had different shaped foams, and these seat covers are cut to suit. Will not fit base/VRX Magnas correctly, if at all.

just to ask, is taking the seat material off a similar process between all seats??

Similar but not the same. Same
Hog ties, different locations.

Any tips or tricks when fitting these onto the seats?

Any tips or tricks when fitting these onto the seats?

Don't cock it up.