Cattman I just wanted to say thank you for your great solution to the leather peeling off these 2 front panels. Just to clarify, there are about five different grades of Alcantra. After quite a bit of googling and research I determined that the unlined material is called Pannel Alcantara and is used on headliners and sometimes on dashboards. The lined material shown in your post is called Cover Alcantara, which on your recommendation, is what I am going use on my panels. It's normally used on seats but judging by your amazing results it's what we should use for this job.

 

The webbing material on the back of the cover grade Alcantara is meant to give it additional strength when used on seating surfaces so it doesn't rip through from your body weight. It is not recommended for other surfaces because the webbing makes it more difficult and sometimes impossible to wrap around more complex contours without bunching.

It is common practice to use a thin layer of "sew foam" under the surface fabric when upholstering hard panels. This gives a smoother finish that won't telegraph any imperfections below to the surface and feels nicer to the touch.

If you apply the Alcantara over the existing leather, you won't need to use sew foam since there is usually a layer of it under the leather already. The advantage, when using Alcantara on top of leather that is still in good shape is that it allows you to change the interior's appearance without doing damage to the leather underneath. I have removed Alcantara years later and the leather underneath is still perfect. The spray adhesive can be easily removed by rolling it with your finger.

Also, if your adhesive is bleeding through the fabric, you are using way too much. You should only use a small misting on the flat surfaces. Any excess or small mistakes with the adhesive getting on the outer surface of the Alcantara can be cleaned up by dabbing it with a clean white terrycloth moistened with mineral spirits.

 

My DIY is about replacing damaged leather dash panels with color-matched Alcantara- not simply layering Alcantara on top of healthy AM leather panels for the sake of switching things up. I did not experience any issues with the webbed/ padded backed genuine Alcantara that I used. In fact, the thickness of it better matched the padding-backed leather that I removed from the plastic under-panel, and was amazingly easy to work with.
CATTMAN

 

This is gorgeous. I have a small peel starting on the passenger-side panel. I'm going to do this. Thanks for posting!

 

I agree. This looks absolutely fantastic! I don't have any damage (it was repaired by a PO) but if I did, I think alcantara would look so much nicer on the dash. A little more contemporary. How are the reflections with the alcantara vs the leather?

 

I'm thinking of doing my dash binacle with this

 

What serendipitous timing. I have been talking to an upholsterer in Tampa about doing the binnacle as well. This is invaluable to match the obsidian black. I haven't gotten an estimate back with a number but just confirmation its doable and reasonable.

 

let me know what you decide. I'm in Orlando and it would be good to have someone familiar with the car.

Mine was done about 7 years ago just before I bought the car. My interior is phantom grey and the leather didn't match exactly. I have some spare original BOW leather but don't want to use it on the binacle.

 

I've been emailing with the shop. My interior is obsidian black with piano black, and I think the same headliner as in the OP's pictures. I'll definitely get some photos for the forum when I get it done. My rationale is that in the short term its less expensive than Bridge of Weir leather, or plain leather, and if I hate it I can pony up for the leather anyway without much of a loss. When I get it done I'll put the estimate up and the photos before and after. Ideally I'll have this done before the 28th when I'll be at a show in Sarasota in St. Armand's Circle.

 

Which upholster in Tampa can I ask?

 

I'm using Auto Trim Upholstery Inc., on North Florida Avenue, hopefully he gets back to me today or tomorrow.

 

Where were you able to find the original BOW phantom grey leather if you don't mind me asking? I'm nearly a year into looking for it and still haven't found a source. BOW says it's now out of production.

 

Looks fantastic…just had mine fixed..if it shrinks again…I’m going alcantera…..

 

Got mine about 4 or 5 years ago from Rich at Redpants...

 

Have a 2011 with Obsidian Black/Piano Black and am very interested in your results, as my A-pillar and headliner alcantara is a lighter gray so matching that would be impossible.