I checked both of my 68 XR-7 and i have to say, i am confused.
The Front seats around the ripped parts of Seat and Back rest appears to be minimal grained real leather.
The back rest of rear seat too, but the seat area is heavy grained ?? Vinyl ???
When i check Google i see cars it Mecum and Scottsdale with heavy grained front seats ???
Also there are 2 different styles of 68 XR-7 seat covers?
Who can explain it to me?
Thank you
Joe
From everything I have seen original leather 68 seats will have 2 different grained materials used to cover them. From what I see in your photos those look like original seats to me. My guess on the auction cars would be that the seats have been incorrectly recovered. To be technical though there are 2 different styles of XR-7 seats. The standard style would the leather covered ones as shown in your photos. Most XR-7s will have the leather seats. It was possible though to down grade the seats to have Comfortweave style material covering them.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
so the bottom of rear seat is different in grain to front seats?
Are those front seats in the red car ‘69 seats? Single post headrests?
No. What I am saying is that there were 2 different materials used to cover each seat. There is the material that has the heavy grain to it and there is the material like that used in the pleated areas. The front and rear seats will match.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
The rear cushions are different, no leather on the bottom cushions. Also the XR-7 interior was available in all vinyl - you don’t see it too often, but there are some.
Royce are you referring to Comfort Weave vinyl?
It was kind of a scam… Mercury could claim leather front and back! When really it was just a small section on the upper portion of the back. So the front has 3 grains and the back 4.
That is correct. Often when they are restored folks choose to do leather on the bottom as well so as to match the fronts.
Yep, I noticed that too. Those are '69 seats.
Exactly right, and this is the reason no one would ever correctly reproduce the original seat covers for an XR-7. It would look odd, like it did originally.
No, that’s another option though. It’s really a nice option, especially on a hot day.
My GTE has comfort weave seats and, frankly, I’m glad it does.
That trick is still used today but the materials are better it’s harder to tell the difference. My superduty has leather but the rear seats are leather/vinyl combo. My f150 Raptor was also the same way.
