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Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:40 am

I like that very old threads here are still...here.

I've got original 1967 interior seats that haven't cracked and I'd like to keep then that way, but stuff happens. The springs and horsehair seem ok, I just want to protect the OEM vinyl at this point if I can. It's a very original car and the odometer hasn't turned over yet.

Any and all thoughts are welcome, thanks!

Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:01 pm

You could put some cool camo seat covers on them! Or keep the car garaged in a cool dry place when you aren't driving it. Aside from normal wear, sun, heat and time tend to cause degradation of those materials.

Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:42 pm

I used to buy sheepskin or cloth (plaid, even!) generic covers at Pep Boys back in the day, to keep UV and heat off them.

The worst part was the outer edges of the seatbacks, which caught direct sun all day and were the first to fail. On my Squareback, I sewed up little "jackets" that fit the top third of the seatback where the sun was worst. An old beach towel sufficed for the rear seatback.

And when I was real poor I used old t-shirts for the front seatbacks!

Thu Jul 10, 2014 5:25 pm

How is sheepskin in the Summer?

Garage? What a luxury, wish I had one.

I got a really good cover from IPC that blocks the UV so I'm not too worried about that, but it still gets plenty hot inside. Besides, the cover isn't always practical like when I'm out doing errands so there's always some exposure.

Das Auto is green so camo might work, where did you get them?

Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:05 pm

I'm not a fan of sheepskins or other slip-on covers. Dirt makes it's way underneath them and grinds into the upholstery. I have been using 303 Aerospace Protectant for years with good results. It cleans and conditions and protects vinyl without leaving it oily or drying it out like Armorall can.

http://www.detailedimage.com/303-M2/Aerospace-Protectant-P12/16-oz-S1/

-jeffrey

Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:49 pm

I agreed that 303 is among the best protectants, far better than Armor All.

But I used covers not only to protect the seats, but also me! Black vinyl covers in SoCal sun w/o air conditioning is tough! Popouts helped, but the seat covers really made it cooler to get into the car after it had sat in a parking lot all day.

Sheepskin (actually, the imitation stuff) was not too hot in summer since it kept a bit of air between my back/butt and the plastic VW cover material, and of course kept the sun off black plastic. It did shed fluff after a couple of years though.

Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:51 am

303 is good stuff but it can't protect it from things like sitting on the screwdriver that I left on the driver's seat...

The inverse is equally important. A hot interior, shorts and a little humidity don't blend very well. The car didn't come with pop out rear windows so it won't be getting any. But like the front window vents, they only do something when the car is actually moving...which is kind of rare where I live.

Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:48 am

I added popouts to all my VWs. They were an option, and back in the day dealers would install them for you, so I don't think I am taking away any authenticity.

They help when not moving in that they vent the hot air that otherwise can hit 130+ degrees in the hot sun.

Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:14 am

My '63 has a torn piece on the driver's back rest, I have used a T-shirt too.

My old '66 had real sheepskin seat covers for a LONG time.
At least 10-15 years, maybe 20.
The seats had some small pieces of wear that never got worse over time.
The car only did about 11,000 miles in those 20 years though... and most of it in about 5 years after it was "found" so not a lot of use.

Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:51 pm

It was too late to protect the sun damage to the top of the rear seat backrest in our '66 Ruby Red Beetle when we bought it a few years ago. :cry:
So I put a red plaid stadium blanket over it. It should be period correct. We got the blanket as a premium for opening our first checking account when we got married-------------- in July, 1966. :D

Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:25 pm

Ah, you can't beat real sheepskin! Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and comfy as anything on a long journey!

Technically the wrong vehicle for this thread, but we put these covers on our Bay 14yrs ago, and they still look (almost) as good as new. Relevant to the thread though is the fact that underneath the seats and vinyl are intact (if a little squashed from the straps that hold the sheepskin on). I've just taken the bottom part off to replace those straps...

Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:35 pm

KTPhil wrote: I added popouts to all my VWs. They were an option, and back in the day dealers would install them for you, so I don't think I am taking away any authenticity.

They help when not moving in that they vent the hot air that otherwise can hit 130+ degrees in the hot sun.

I might just go there. If anyone finds a decent original set that's in decent shape with original glass, or knows how I can find one, let me know! A little wear and tear is fine as long as they function and the bright work is in good shape.

I know about reproductions but I don't want them. All of my other glass is OEM and nicely weathered, so transplanting the rears with retro bits is a less than desirable change. Heck, I'm spending a lot of time just to research and find the proper freaking fuel cap filler gasket only to find that it simply doesn't exist for this year.

I've got a really nice, very well serviced 67 that runs like a sewing machine, and records going back to the original owner. All the glass is OEM and I'd like to keep it that way.

But I sure would like some popout back windows as long as they are the real deal.

Thanks again, this site is awesome.

Sat Jul 12, 2014 7:09 am

mcdonaldneal wrote: Ah, you can't beat real sheepskin! Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and comfy as anything on a long journey!

Indeed, I grew up in the 70's and heard the same thing, which is why I asked.

My modern driver has Recaro seats that aren't fully leather (or pleather), just a grippy cloth insert where it counts. The trim level above it has the same seat design that are fully leather and they're miserable.

Maybe it's just because it's new to to me I find myself driving the bug around town. It's just so...wonderfully analog. But I don't want to ruin or replace the originals, which have held up amazingly well after 48 years.

So who makes genuine sheepskin covers that fit properly? I only need the fronts, since it's rare to have more than one passenger in the bug. Covers like these were popular years ago but I can't seem to find them now.

Sat Jul 12, 2014 7:32 am

The only thing you're likely to find are universal covers. There are some on Amazon for low backs

I'm a fan of sheepskin, had them on my DD for 10+ years. comfortable, and the seats under them looked brand new when I took them off. The only thing I'd be careful of is that with your car there's no foam under there, so if you pull the covers too tight that horse hair is going to crumble and won't pop back like more modern seats.

Or just throw a serape over the seat when it gets hot.

Sat Jul 12, 2014 5:37 pm

Sheepskins were seen on many, many cars during my time in Germany 30 years ago. I brought back a few sets over the years, to not only dress up some lightly worn BLACK vinyl VW seats, but also for seating comfort when the seats were exposed to summer sunlight on my Ghia convertible.

There are a few sheepskin shops which I've seen in northeastern PA when I drove along I-78. Here's one of them, and they offer custom-made covers for cars-
http://www.sickafus.com/shearling/sheepskin-auto-car-seatcovers.html

Sun Jul 13, 2014 6:26 am

There's a sheepskin place in Cerritos, CA also. Bloomfield Ave and South St.

Sun Jul 13, 2014 4:15 pm

vdubmyk wrote: There's a sheepskin place in Cerritos, CA also. Bloomfield Ave and South St.

That might be my best option since I can drive there so they can measure it. I can't see them on google street view though, do you happen to remember the shop's name?

Thanks to all.