Introduction: Real Leather Seat Bra for Racing Seats

Here is a quick way to add real leather accents to your racing seats. There is nothing like having the feel and smell of real leather in your vintage and classic car. After looking endlessly for replacements seats with the right look and feel, I went to TechShop San Francisco and made my own

Step 1: Make a Pattern

Get some cheap material and simply rough cut a big square of it. Drape it over the part of the seat you wish to cover, and mark where the wrinkles are so you can cut corner reliefs and the like. Be sure to leave enough material for tabs and to wrap around center cushions. The side tabs should be long enough nearly join each other on the underside and back side

Step 2: Cut the Leather

Once you are happy with your pattern, trace and cut the leather to fit. Remember to be clever and careful in the way you utilize your hide. Its no fun to to realize when it is too late that a different arrangement of the patterns would have worked out better!

Step 3: Fit the Leather Bra

On this seat I anchored the tabs in the back on the top where the plastic frame piece is. Simple snaps or screws with finish washers do the trick. Also, use a little spray adhesive to down the center to keep it aligned while your are pulling and tugging the bra in place

Step 4: Wrap the Sides

Once you have the top and bottom done, tuck and wrap the leather around the middle sections. Use spray adhesive on the sides and back to hold things in place. On seats where the middle cushions are not removable, simply stretch the leather tight top to bottom and fasten to the seat back and bottom with hide glue or punch holes and lace it to the seat frame. Add straps or include them in the pattern if you want to for anchoring over the side bolsters.

Step 5: Before the Seat Bra

Here it is before . . . .

Step 6: After the Seat Bra

Here it is! A racing seat with real leather accents!!!