Is the walrus vinyl the same quality as the original? (Pictures)

[Green Monster]

Is the walrus material that is being sold today really the same as the original, or is just close imitation?

Below are photo comparisons of my rear seat with the original covering and the second photo is my front seat which has been recovered. The seat covers looked like a match when the top was on. But now the top is off and the sunlight really shows the difference in color and texture. The newer seat covers are lighter in color and the walrus grain is smoother, not as defined.

I really don't want to touch the rear seat cover since it is original and is in really nice shape, but I fear I may have to to get a matching set of seat covers. I talked to my local upholstry shop for repair last year when my drivers seat cover kept cracking and he said the vinyl material that is sold today is nowhere near as good of quality as the original material. He made the repair on the driver seat which looks perfect. He matched the material, dead on. However, he told me the seat covers that were used up front is the type of material found on Fords, not Chevys and that's why my front and rear seat covers don't match.

I just don't want to buy a new set of front seat covers thinking they will match the rears to find I purchased what I already have: A mismatched set of seat covers. How many manufactures are making these seat covers? Did the previous owner purchase "cheap" seat covers, or are all the repo seat covers like this? The center panel texture is where these seat covers really differ.


Comparison


Front seat cover material


Rear seat cover material

[bouncytruck]

Hum, there appears to be a difference. Where did you get the seat covers? Are they made in the US or overseas?

[71jimmy]

I don't think your ever going to find covers to match your original rear seat 100%. It's like paint. If you want your car paint to match 100% everywhere, you need to use the same paint batch. If you mix paint every time you paint another piece there will be slight variances. Your origianl rear seat cover is 30+ yrs old, no one is going to have any material from that same roll.

If it must match, I think you need to replace both the front and rear and hope they came from the same roll of material.

[jakeslim]

wow that is very different! I wonder if the original varied throughout the years....that may be the reason. Also, if there was different companies making it at the time?

Take the challenge...what does your walrus look like, post some pics. I will snap a shop later today from original 69 from and back seat.

[jaros44sr]

I just looked at my original rear seat from '72. The inside grain is totally different than the outside grain, I guess GMC didn't really worry about it. I guess they just thought it was a truck after all!!! Jim

[Green Monster]

Originally Posted by jakeslim

Take the challenge...what does your walrus look like, post some pics.

Are the my front coverings true "walrus grain". Or is there better seat covers out there? The originals are hands down much better looking than the repos that I have. I hear the USA seat covers are the good seat covers... are my repo seat covers the "good" USA made seat covers?

Here's what I see.

Original seat cover:
Outside: Rough walrus grain.
Inside: Smooth walrus grain, slightly lighter in color. than outside walrus.


Repo seat cover:
Outside: Smooth walrus grain.
Insidee: Smooth vinyl, no walrus grain. Lighter in color with metallic.

[Green Monster]

Here is Brother's color selection:

Originally Posted by BrothersTrucks.com

Now you can bring back the factory fresh feeling to your trucks interior. BROTHERS Cheyenne & CST Bucket Seat Covers are made using original walrus grain materials and are die-electrically stamped with the "scroll" patterns just like the factory made. Each cover is carefully hand crafted to insure a perfect fit every-time. Your satisfaction is guaranteed!

My repo seat covers are metallic green. Guess they're the good ones?

[bouncytruck]

Some discoloration could be due to sun fade/burn. The upper corners of my rear seat have a yellowish discoloration from the sun.

[Green Monster]

Ahh... I found the inside panel is called "elk grain". Interesting.

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/f...ain2.asp?cat=C

"Standard bucket seat cover for 1971-1972 Chevy/GMC trucks.
Aftermarket Elk grain vinyl inserts with Walrus grain subs."

[EFI70Blazer]

If you want your material to match exactly these people might be able to help.

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/

They have stockpiles of original fabrics and were able to match the green and black checker pattern on my 71 Camaro deluxe seats. They can send you samples to campare with your original fabric. The samples i got were identical to the fabric and vinyl on my seats.

[Green Monster]

Wow. Thanks. When you say match, do you have original fabric and new in the car now, or did you replace everything?

[EFI70Blazer]

I have not ordered the fabric yet for my Camaro, but the samples matched exactly with what is in my car. I am going to have to redo the entire car's interior, but wanted to go completely back to original. I still need to get a few more pieces before i can do the interior though. SMS mostly deals with fabrics that the factory originally used and bought what was left. If they can not match the fabric you have, they can make it too. I can take pics of my seats with fabric samples if you want to compare for yourself. No company even reproduces the factory seat covers for my Camaro, so this is why i am having to go this route.

[Green Monster]

Great. Thanks for passing the info along. Much appeciated.