Difference between revisions of "Vintage & Classic car leather"

Revision as of 08:38, 28 February 2017

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Vintage cars & Classic cars

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Vintage cars or classic cars are considered to be motor vehicles, mostly cars with an age of at least thirty years, with their optics and technical equipment still meeting the standard of the time when they were manufactured. For the status as classic car, operability and traffic safety are not relevant as it can be an exhibition car without being used on the road. Depending on national laws, historical vehicles are allowed to be used on public roads.

German license plate for historical vehicles, registration district Erlangen. Image: ThorstenS, Lizenz: GNU 1.2A.

The stock of classic cars in Europe

In 2013 there were about 419,000 registered and temporarily suspended vehicles with an age of more than 30 years (approx. 380,000 in 2011, approx. 300,000 in 2006). Approx. 70% of these are German brands, followed by British (about 8.5%), Italian (about 7%) and American (about 5%) (2014). Switzerland has roughly 60,000 classic cars. Per person, the number of vintage cars in Switzerland is twice as high as in Germany.

Classic car classes

At the present time, a seven-class system is used internationally from automobile clubs to categorise the age of classic cars. The grouping is according to this scheme:

Young timers are generally 15 to 29 years old. From the 30th year it is a classic car. Young timers are not only vehicles of lovers of traditions, they are often vehicles of daily use.

Condition assessment

Comparable to school notes from 1 to 6, the condition of classic cars is measured.

• A 1 corresponds to a vehicle which has been completely, detailed and with great care restored. It is emphasized that the original parts with which the vehicle was once delivered (especially with regard to the engine and gearbox) are still installed. The lacquer colour and the colour of the interior equipment must be exactly the same as the original.
• A 2 may have slight traces of use on the pedals or in the paint and slight modifications are allowed on the motor, provided that these can be reversed theoretically. Rust spots are not permitted.
• In case of vehicles with a "3", rust is tolerated, but not on the load bearing parts. No original engine is required, but the engine must have the technical type and power comparable to the original conditions. The characteristic feature of vehicles with note 3 is the ability to drive, which vehicles with a 4 must not have.
• A 4 is a restoration object.
• Classic cars with a 5 are in worse conditions, but can be restored with a lot of commitment, as long as spare parts from the manufacturer or via private channels are still available.
• The 6 stands for vehicles with scrap condition and scrap value.

Classic car leather

Classic car leathers are old and have typical problems and damages. The problems are dirt, mould contamination, cracks, brittle and dryness.

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Barn finds: Time has destroyed the leather

Classic car leather with beautiful patina.

Classic car leather with new leather, but with attention to details.

The use of leather in cars was already prevalent in seats in horse-drawn carriages before the advent of motorised vehicles. Originally, the coverings were almost vegetable tanned cow leather without surface colouring, which were waterproofed with oils and greases like horse saddles. Growing popularity and improved methods meant the use of surface-coloured smooth leather. This surface colouring made leather less sensitive to weather and soiling. Until the 1970s and 1980s this leather was standard. It is recognisable, as the vegetable-tanned leather has a brown undertone. The company Connolly, established itself as a trademark for high-quality vegetable tanned vehicle upholstery leather.

Vegetable-tanned car upholstery leather was only coloured on the top. Therefore, it shimmers brown in worn areas.

From this time on, chrome tanning became industrially usable and very quickly replaced vegetable-tanned leather. However, manufacturers like the VW group prefer synthetic tanning instead of chrome tanning. The difference is neither noticeable nor recognisable.

The patina of classic car leather

The opinions about patina has changed since the turn of the century. Where previously "as new" received the highest rating and perfect restoration could only be absolutely immaculate, today patina is admitted as a part of perfection. Today vehicles are allowed to show that they were used and how time has left traces. Like an old chest or a picture frame. For patina, there is no measuring instrument. Everyone decides for himself what he admits as patina and what they classify as a need for repairs.

Beautiful patina on the left, the sterility of new leather on the right.

In 2014 two 300 SL were offered at an auction in the United States. One with class 4 and patina and the other one with perfectly restored conditions. The perfect restored one achieved $ 1.4 million and the class 4 with patina $ 1.9 million.

Classic car shows

Classic car shows are events in a lot of countries. There are high price events and "greasy finger fairs" like flea markets. The biggest fair in Europe happens in April in Essen with about 120 thousand visitors. Stuttgart follows with 60 thousand visitors. Classic car fairs also take place abroad. Switzerland, Austria, Italy (Padua), France (Paris), Spain (Barcelona and Madrid) or England offer variety for lovers of these historic vehicles.

Techno-Classica in Essen, Germany.

Retro Mobil in Paris, France.

Classic Auto in Madrid, Spain.

International Motor Show in Luxembourg.

Auto Clássico in Porto, Portugal.

Classic Motorshow in Bremen, Germany.

RETRO Classics in Stuttgart, Germany.

Technorma in Ulm, Germany.

Care and repair of classic car leather - Instructions and notes

-> COLOURLOCK - CLEANING, REPAIR AND CARE OF CAR LEATHER
-> In German: www.lederzentrum.de
-> Rest of the world: partners worldwide

Additional information

• Car leather
• Leather steering wheel
• Connolly-leather
• Vintage leather

WE UNDERSTAND LEATHER - WWW.COLOURLOCK.COM