Original vinyl seat material for 240........

[richard1]

the MSA kit is not of good quality and my driver's seat bottom is starting to split in the middle.

Any sources where we can buy the fabric being the same pattern as the middle section and the side pattern bolsters? I would like to have the driver seat redone by a trusted shop in town.

I don't want to pay again three hundred bucks for a full set when the driver seat is the problem and the passenger is perfect.

I complained to MSA but they don't care.

[DatsunZGuy]

I suggest contacting Distinctive Industires in Commerce, CA. I believe they supplied the seat vinyl for the Z Car restoration program years back. They might sell remnant material to you.

http://www.distinctiveindustries.com/au.html

[Arne]

Richard, I'm afraid really close is the best you're likely to find. You can't expect to perfectly match 30+ year old vinyl that was originally sourced in Japan. The chances of finding material that will match your current passenger seat is pretty darn poor.

So this leaves you with a few options. If you don't like the MSA kit, you could try another vendor. I've seen the kits from Classic Datsun Motorsport in person, and they look absolutely first rate. But you can't expect even these to match your original passenger seat perfectly.

Or you could look for another original seat to rob the cover from. I currently have the passenger seat bottom from a different '71 in in the driver's side of my car now. Eventually I'll recover both seats (probably using the CDM kit), but this has bought me some time.

[26th-Z]

I endorse both suggestions and believe Distinctive is where Les is getting the material for his seat kits. You might try Mike at Banzai, but it is probably going to come from the same source. And I agree that matching what you have is going to be difficult.

[hls30.com]

Distinctive is where LES, Mike and others get theirs. I contacted them over a year ago about getting the materials to cover BMW seats with "original" materials, they would not sell to end users.

PM me for the details.

Will

[mikemerkury]

Distinctive is where LES, Mike and others get theirs. I contacted them over a year ago about getting the materials to cover BMW seats with "original" materials, they would not sell to end users.

PM me for the details.

Will

Did contact DI a week ago and did not have any success in convincing them to sell to me the little end user .

Contacted around 10 other various vinyl supplier in North America with again no success.

Was referred to smsautofabrics.com by two of the contacted suppliers. SMS offered me to "stamp" the diamond pattern on a vinyl similar to the one found in my 73 240z (Diamond size of 2 1/2" x 1 1/2 separated by a 1/16" border)

Order with SMS was place last week for enough vinyl to cover both of my rear shock tower cover. Price quoted is specific for each order depending on quantity/dimension of vinyl ordered. My own order was for 4 pieces of 2 foot X 1 foot vinyl. Price is 29$ per piece + shipping. If anyone interested, i will post a picture of the vinyl once i receive the order.

[sparrow6190]

not to thread jack or anything, but is foam construction of the 240Z seat any different from the 280Z foam? I was going to buy a full 240Z kit with foam and vinyl from Classic Datsun Motorsport because, 1 I like the look of the 240 seat more and 2 i cant find as good a deal anywhere else.

[Carl Beck]

Richard, I'm afraid really close is the best you're likely to find. You can't expect to perfectly match 30+ year old vinyl that was originally sourced in Japan. The chances of finding material that will match your current passenger seat is pretty darn poor.

Although the Subject Line says "Original vinyl seat material for 240Z"... I get the impression that richard1 really has the reproduction from MSA, and that he is wanting the material used in that reproduction seat upholstery kit.

richard1 - you are looking to repair a reproduction set - Yes/No?

FWIW,

Carl B.

[richard1]

I need to repair a MSA kit I installed in 2001.

[Carl Beck]

OK - I'm sure that Distinctive Ind. bought the vinyl they used from some supplier, or perhaps directly from the manufacturer here in the US in 2001. If that is the case - then I'd check with one or several Auto Upholstery Shops in your area to see if they use a supplier that deals with the same manufacturer... Many shop owners can look at the vinyl and tell you who produces that pattern.

Last time I checked there were really only about six companies that produce all the vinyl fabric sold here in the US under about 30 different brand names. The number of manufacturers in the market may have increased as everyone is now going to China for supply as well...

Good luck,

Carl B.

[ConchZ]

In case you want to upgrade to leather, I bought my leather seat covers from Classic Datsun. They don't match the vinyl grain, as they are leather, but they are cut and fitted to look like the originals. The manufacturer was also Distinctive Industries. They were nicely padded, and very well made. They were very, very, very hard to put on over the new seat foams I also bought from CD. I gave up and took them to a shop. The guy had a difficult time with them, and in the end he trimmed the cushions a bit here and there to make the seams in the covers sit on the right spot on the cushions. Turned out great, though. Les at CD is very upfront about the need to have them installed by a professional, I just didn't believe him until I tried it myself. I'm originally from Missouri, I gotta see it to believe it, I guess.

Anyway, the seats look great. I think I paid the shop a couple hundred to install them. Will post pictures soon, as I should have the interior finished up this weekend.