Show standards

[dseretakis]

It seems like the concours industry standard praises consistency. A fully and comprehensively restored car or a survivor or barn find are what people like to see. An over restored car in my opinion is a turn off. A perfect new interior on a forty year old car just looks wrong. While people routinely maintain the bodywork, or give a car a repaint they don't replace an interior due to some minor wear however, some restorers will replace it just so its perfect and in keeping with the rest of the cars restored condition. Leather seats with zero patina are just so funny looking and not as beautiful!

[Douglas]

I agree. I also think it's worth noting that new carpeting and new leather are inferior to the original quality.

[Garry]

I cannlt fully agree.

Not so if you do your homework properly and get samples and specs for both carpet and leather to compare as there are considerable differences in the suppliers depending on where they are getting their source materials from.

Garrry

[thelews]

Different strokes for different folks.  Some "over-restored" cars have sold for some very strong money.  Someone likes them.

[66andBlue]

..... A perfect new interior on a forty year old car just looks wrong. ...

Hmm, does this apply only to W113 but not to Beamers (or bimmers)?  
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=22025

[dseretakis]

Yes it applies to bimmers as well! When the interior is beyond repair, I agree that a new one is in order butwhen it shows a bit of wear it should be retained and preserved.

[GGR]

The difficulty is to retain some homogeneity. A slightly too much "patinated" interior may look wrong on an otherwise restored car.

[dseretakis]

Heavy patina probably means slightly too worn out. I'm referring to a car with a perfectly restored exterior and a beautifully patinaed leather interior. That's the gold standard for me but I guess it's all a matter of taste!

[zoegrlh]

I agree with Garry and Thelews,  you need to do your homework, if you want to keep value at the high end.  If you feel that a new look to the interior is wrong, then so be it, put I feel strongly that a new interior makes me feel great when sitting on it.  Why do we by new family cars every few years, to feel the newness again both in the machancials and in the interiors/exteriors as well as the new gadgets.  I want to feel when in my SL that same feeling as when, if I had bought new in 1970, thus, I made sure to do my homework when restoring to assure the closest in materials, tires, shocks, seat cushions, carpet, etc. to original.
Bob

[waltklatt]

What about the smell of the new interior on old cars?
Thats a no-no to me and wrinkles my nose each time.
Prefer to smell the heavy leather smell that always was present in the old MB's.
Maybe a small part of me will ask a few kids to climb all over the interior to make the carpet and seats look a bit weathered.
Is there a kit that one can buy to achieve this look?
I know model railroad hobbyists weather the new train cars and locomotives a bit to match a level of realism on their layouts.
Walter

[49er]

Prefer to smell the heavy leather smell that always was present in the old MB's.

 The same unique smell is present on my original MBtex upholstery. Can't imagine what it would be like without it as it adds so much to cars character.

John

[Mike K]

The same unique smell is present on my original MBtex upholstery. Can't imagine what it would be like without it as it adds so much to cars character.

John

I couldn't agree more!
Even though I've replaced the manky & tired carpets, every time I get into the car I still pick up that original MBtex upholstery smell, which puts everything into context....

Best,

Mike

[Benz Dr.]

I wear a leather nose fob when ever I drive a new car. Try it, you'll like it!