How much dead cow?
 

This may be a "how long is a piece of string" type of question, But approximately how much leather would I need do a pretty standard interior. ie. Dash, door trims, and 2 seats? +/-50% answers accepted :)

Cheers

If you skinned a bull, could you do the steering wheel as well? ;)

No gender bias at all here - happy to contribute to the death of both male and female bovines (I think its good for the ozone layer too aint it?)....:)

About 25 gimp masks.

Geez your a cheeky bugga - I purposly posted over on the yankee side to avoid just that sort of flack Doc...unbelieveable! I love the cobra - but I aint sacrificing a single gimp mask from the collection...:)

Be sure to buy leather from one of those pampered Limey cows - no barbed wire over there to spoil the leather like Yankee versions.:)

:LOL: lmao

Soap and water - would never use any of that mad cow leather in my car. ;)

Save the cows.:eek: Kill and skin those Naugahides.:D

They is good eating also.:LOL:

Why not use snake skin? Oh to be different...

I have no idea how much but you might pose the question to an upholsterer.

John

I know that I bougt 1/2 of a hide to upholster my dash on my daytona coupe. I had plenty of left over BUT there were some places that was not quite suitable for seats. I think I paid $100 for the tanned skin at Tandy Leather. At one of the upholstry wholesalers I could have gotten a better quality skin for about the same price. My guess would be one whole COW would do both seats inserts (top and bottom and the inside lip and welting on a standard Cobra seat.

Clois

....and miss out on all these increadibly witty responses?

Im thinking 2 hides should be enough, but 3 to be sure?

u will need 3,

I'd agree, it would take most of one hide. If it's a bull the jewell pouch will make a good shifter cover.:LOL:

what kind of bull hide is this?


Dwight


http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...um/cobraH1.jpg

Most hides average 50 sq. ft. and depending on the quality of the
hide there is usually a lot of waste. ( imperfections such as cuts
the animal may have had or in the tanning process etc.). IF you can get
more of the same try for 2 hides but you will probably need 3 . And
if you are buying something like the hides we have used in the aircraft
seating @ $400.00 plus then you can see why you want to take some
time to measure. I have bought wholesale black hides for less than
a $100.00 and have had some very good results. I have done aircraft
and auto upholstery for 37 years. Things like thickness,softness,stretch,
and the paticular tanning process can make a big difference too.Look
in Hemmings Motor News and there are some good deals on full hides
and some will sell you half hides even. East Coast Leather is also has
some very good buys on hides. However,They may sell only wholesale?
You could tell them you are Acme Auto Upholstery .:rolleyes::LOL:
Also, You could use a good grade of vinyl for the trim and use leather
on your inserts where you sit too. Ultra-Leather is some really nice
high quality vinyl and very "leather-like " in feel and looks. And often ,
A really GOOD grade of vinyl will outlast leather .The leather seat repair
business is good since lots of cars nowadays have leather interiors ,
but that can be expected for daily drivers and high use autos. Most all
street rods and our Cobra interiors would last a lifetime the way they are
used. IMO. ;)

It all depends on the size of the hide and how much you are going to do.

Some leather is thinner than other parts and with that in mind, you will most likely need three to four hides to cover what you said.

It is not just surface area, but the grade of the leather to what is being covered. Very thin material will rip over time and very thick stuff is too hard to work with.

Do you have cows you are going to butcher to get the hide?

:D :D

you want three(3) FULL hides from the same dye-lot. you will use most of 2 and have 1 left over for F*#ups and future repair.--Steve

Thnks for all the advice guys. Sounds like 3 is the answer - appreciate all the help.

Cheers