Forged as in fake, not hammered out of metal. The seats that belong in my car are impossible to find. I want a forgery that is visually similar to tan Recaros in an 83, but I don't care about logos or being undetectable as fake by a trained eye, because I'm not selling the car.

I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for an overseas forgery if the frames are kinda-solid (around $2000 for a pair with matching rear covers I can mount over existing foam).

Not interested in having the safety argument that ensues whenever some asks this question. When I still had the originals about 15 years ago, I floored it with a fat guy in the passenger seat and the back came right off the seat! It'd rather have a good quality forgery than a 35 year old real seat, and if I was that much of a safety **** I wouldn't drive old cars or motorcycles at all.

 

I doubt there is a big enough market for some company, even a Chinese company that makes fakes to put the R&D into developing a seat that probably has barely any market. You would be better off finding a good frame and having it recovered and keep your fat friends out of the car.

 

They don't exist. If they were only made of pure gold, that would be an option, theoretically.

Shouldn't require R&D. I'm basically asking about having the guys who make fake covers and put them on either real or fake frames make me a specific recovering. I'm having trouble communicating "I know you are making forgeries and want to pay you extra to sew a specific pattern".

I can get new, real Recaros which are fairly close for about $2500, but I'd have to indirectly give money to Recaro, who won't respond to me. I don't want to support them in any way, because that annoys me.

 

Giant German company won't respond to your emails? Who would have thought that?

Recaro, like many other companies, don't work with the general public and you shouldn't hold that against them. It isn't part of their business model, I am not sure why people get upset about it. Go to a 3rd party vendor and ask your questions there and get over it.
Outside of that, you'll have to fab seats yourself, or start asking people locally to do something that is immoral and illegal.....

 

It's a bit off topic, but I would really enjoy seeing you try to explain why you think repainting a car or recovering a seat is immoral and illegal.

 

You specifically want to knock off a patented or copyrighted design, that is immoral. It's the same as knockoff handbags, or anything else, knockoff Aeromotive regulators, MSD ignition boxes....

If you were looking to have your original seats fixed and recovered to roughly follow a design, but be a different seat, I could see that. But that is not what you're asking. Almost any interior shop could just fix your original seat and cover them how you want, even if you just bring a picture in, they will make reasonable facsimile, You're looking for fake seats, admittedly so

 

Impressive doublethink, comrade!

 

They exist. You aren't looking hard enough. I have come across several sets over the years and had a set recovered with original material. It is not an easy task restoring a Recaro. I have been through it.

 

Not at all. Going to an upholstery shop and saying "I want my current seat to look like this seat in design/pattern" is completely different than saying "I can't afford/won't buy this seat and I want someone to copy it exactly"

 

You're attempting to reframe, despite the fact in the very first post I said I don't want an exact copy.

That, or I'm just an ******* because I can't afford/won't go to the Pontiac dealer locally and buy a brand new 1983 T/A.

It definitely has nothing do with this year not being 1983 and Pontiac not existing.

 

The foam gives the seat its shape for the most part. Maybe go to a real nice custom car shop and talk it through with them. They might come up with a suggestion for a donor seat and then just make it look like what you want.

 

If I were in need, I would get some JDM Recaros, which seem to be more readily available, take them to a custom shop with some pictures and have them reshape the foam and make up appropriate seat covers.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Jdm-RECAR...AAAOSwoI5dFveo

 

I see you edited your original post now.

So you want someone to copy the original seat design? If that is the case, then yes, I understand now. Copying something that is no longer in production and out of patent/copyright is fine.

I would go with QwkTrip advise. Look for a similar seat and have an upholstery shop modify them. Alternatively, the Recaro seats do come up for sale here and there, I see trashed ones somewhat frequently. Since you are willing to spend the money, I would just wait for some originals, have the shop tear them down, reweld the frames/bolder the design and then have them re-cover them to your choosing.

 

Any 'good' upholstery shop can make exactly what you want, trick is to find a 'good' one.... get on yer horse and go looking.