My new interior from World Upholstry...

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Holshot
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:53 pm
Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Holshot »

Hey guys, I just wanted to share my recent experience with World Upholstry with you. I was on the fence on who to go with all the vendors out there and after doing some research and getting a high recommendation from John Eskine I decide to go with World. They were great to deal with after finally getting through to a guy named Mars and got my order out very quickly and sent me the tracking number immediately which most companies I've dealt with lately who supposedly supply that don't without a few follow up reminders...

Anyway, a week later my package arrives and after unpacking i immediately noticed that the kit was complete and seemed to be assembled well with clean lines, stitched well with nice foam backing. The material was surprisingly soft and supple and put my worries at ease. That was until I did some further inspecting and noticed that on the rears of the top covers for the front seats there was one seam that was torn the whole length of that seam and the beginning of a tear on the same seam on the other seat cover.

Now I was a little disappointed and was anxious to get these installed but this won't work obviously... So I shoot Mars a quick email and pics of what I found and received a quick reply. He was apologetic for the oversight and had already packaged another set and would be sending them out today with a return shipping label for the set I received today. I've already received the tracking number for the new set so hopefully they'll be here soon and can get started on the interior restoration! My main point for this thread was to shine the light on a vendor who stepped up and put their money where their mouths are so to speak and made right to keep a customer happy.

Despite the torn seams I'm still quite impressed with their customer service and the covers in terms of the material, build and feel as I was quite hesitant going with vinyl over leather for my project. Overall I think in the end when the new set gets here and installed it will be worth the wait. Again, I would do business again with them and just wanted to share my experience in hopes that it might make someone else's decision easier when the time comes!
Last edited by Holshot on Fri May 02, 2014 12:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
brackie1
Posts: 523
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:24 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 spider
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by brackie1 »

I too used world upholstery. The quality is great. I get compliments all the time.
Gene
North Carolina
So Cal Mark

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by So Cal Mark »

I haven't used their upholstery, but I used to buy carpet kits from them. I was a little disapppointed with the fit of the carpet. It was okay, but nowhere near the quality and fit that my local upholstery shop supplies
Mick124
Posts: 199
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 3:08 am
Your car is a: 1967 Fiat 124 Spider

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Mick124 »

Photos please :D
spider2081
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 3015
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:45 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Wallingford,CT

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by spider2081 »

I used a World Upholstery kit and get lots of compliments on the seats. I agree with Mark about going local but my best local price was 3+ times the World Upholstery kit. There was close to $1000 dollars labor in their estimates.
The headrests were the most difficult for me. I am sure there is a trick I don't know on recovering them.
A professional install may be better but the challenge makes life fun.
My interior is the bark blue.
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by fiat218 »

to get my seats re upholstery , 2 seats complete 500.00, 2 head rest .40.00
from a local shop here
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
Holshot
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:53 pm
Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Holshot »

Pics...

Image

Image

Image

Image
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
Holshot
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:53 pm
Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Holshot »

fiat218 wrote:to get my seats re upholstery , 2 seats complete 500.00, 2 head rest .40.00
from a local shop here
That's cheap... I wish there were shops around here that had those kind of prices.
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
Holshot
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:53 pm
Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Holshot »

So Cal Mark wrote:I haven't used their upholstery, but I used to buy carpet kits from them. I was a little disapppointed with the fit of the carpet. It was okay, but nowhere near the quality and fit that my local upholstery shop supplies

Hey Mark, do you sell the carpet kits from your local upholstery shop? I still haven't pulled the trigger yet as I'm still searching for a nice kit. If you don't can you put me in contact with them? Thank you for any help!
Last edited by Holshot on Fri May 02, 2014 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
wizard124
Posts: 752
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:27 pm
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider FI
Location: Sheridan, WY exSan Rafael, CA

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by wizard124 »

Good report. I have some samples from World. I am very close to placing an order. Your experience helps in making that decision.
User avatar
spidernut
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:20 am
Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by spidernut »

I purchased from them too and had a seat bottom that was sewn incorrectly and one headrest sewn by a chimpanzee with only one eye and three fingers. They quickly replaced them and also provided great customer service. My only disappointment has been with the mounting points along the seat bottoms on the front seats. They are not factory style and don't stay in place. Oh yeah, I also don't like the fit of the seat backs. They're a bit too loose for my tastes. Still, I give them an 8.5 out of 10. For the value, I give them a 9.5 out of 10. After almost four years, my seats still look fantastic.
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)
mscafide
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:59 pm
Your car is a: 1974 124 Spider
Location: Pompano Beach, Florida

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by mscafide »

I've also been searching for a while for both a top and interior. It seems to depend not only on the quality of materials and construction but the person doing the installation.

I'm finally going with a local shop that does vintage cars and boats. I thought it was going to be unaffordable and was surprised by the quote. A fabric top and black vinyl interior $1700. The interior consists of the front and rear seats and the doors.

I was going to do it and a good top and interior would have been $1000 or more in parts alone.
1974 124 Spider
1964 500 D
2012 500 Sport
1948 Ford 8N tractor (restored (don't drink and ebay))
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Kevin1
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:55 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Maine, USA

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by Kevin1 »

My upholstery from World is 10 years old now and still holding up fine. It looks it's age, but no more than any other 10 year old upholstery would.
A couple of comments based on posts from above:

Head rests go together easily if you warm up both the foam and the vinyl before putting them together. The foam will compress more easily and the vinyl stretches over it when it is warm. A hair dryer or heat gun will work. Just be careful with the heat gun not to melt anything

Seat bottom covers will stay in place with the binding that World stitches into the lower edges of the seat cover if you install the binding into the channel on the seat pan, then use a small punch (centering punch, nail set. etc) and use the punch to crimp the binding into the channel in a couple of places on each side and in the front. Mine kept coming loose at first but after crimping they have stayed put for years. The hold from a small sharp punch is practically invisible, and with this method it is still easy to remove the covers if needed - like when installing seat heaters! :mrgreen:

Last advise - when stretching the vinyl don't pull across seams to stretch the vinyl if it can be avoided as they are the weak spots in the material. With a little heat, stretching, and patience they go on pretty easily.

Removing the seats from the car may seem like an extra step at first but having them out of the car makes this all 10x easier.
brackie1
Posts: 523
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:24 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 spider
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: My new interior from World Upholstry...

Post by brackie1 »

I got my new upholsyry from World Upholsyry. Absolutely love them and quality is excellent. Local guy want $900. I paid $450 plus shipping and them in two weeks. :D
Gene
North Carolina
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