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Front Seat Cover Kit (Pair)
Suitable Models: BJ8
£642.96 – £1,353.26 exc. VAT UK Customers ONLY - VAT (20%) will be calculated at checkout.
Our Front Seat Cover Kit for the Austin Healey BJ8 (3000) models is a comprehensive kit including pre-sewn covers for the Cushion Bases, and Backrest Squabs; as well as materials for the Seat Base Surrounds and hinge Mechanism Gloves. Manufactured to order in the widest selection of original and non-original colours available in the industry – these Seat Covers are made in the original Vinyl (Ambla) option, or the factory upgrade Leather (LeatherFaced) option – and also available in a bespoke Full Leather option – with all the Leather options including a choice of either a Grained (“G”) or Smooth (“S”) leather finish.
Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 Front Seat Cover Kit (Pair) includes the following elements:
- Includes genuine “tuck and roll” fluting pleats for both the Cushions and Backrest Covers.
- The pleated panels feature the original embossed square pattern for all Vinyl (Ambla) seats.
- The Leather (LeatherFaced) and Full Leather kits feature plain pleats/flutes.
- The Ambla Vinyl kit includes the original black/silver “chrome” piping /beading, which is the original OEM specification for the Ambla production line cars.
- We supply loose materials for recovering the metal Seat Cushion Base Frame Surrounds; and sewn covers for the side tilting mechanisms.
Do Your Research – Our Kits vs others…
Ignore the Price of a Kit, Know the Value of Quality – In this classic car restoration industry it can be very hard to compare “apples-with-apples” – with the price & availability of a product often blindsiding peoples decision making process – and quality, workmanship and most crucially the fitment of these interior trim parts often assumed as a consistency from supplier to supplier. This latter point is simply not the reality – with huge differences in the quality and fitment of the kits.
Focus on Quality & Fitment – We believe that the interior upholstery of your car is something to be proud of & should be a key point of focus when restoring your car. After all, this is one of the main areas of the car that is commonly on show to you and on-looking admirers. A poor fitting and badly made kit will not only spoil your enjoyment of the car but can affect the overall value and saleability in future years.
Informed Decisions Are Never Bad Decisions – We want you to be able to make the most informed decision before choosing your supplier by spending some time looking through our Handbook Blog, Youtube Channel, and reading our Customer Testimonials. Each of these gives crucial insights into understanding why we are the best at what we do; and why no other supplier can offer the same products, service, knowledge & depth of understanding when it comes to the interior trim and upholstery for these beautiful cars. We are confident that with all of these factors taken into consideration, the final decision is an easy and obvious one to make…
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Please note that the colour names refer to internal John Skinner Ltd names, not necessarily the names Austin Healey originally used for these colours.
Due to industry-wide inconsistencies in production and record-keeping, it is widely accepted that the interpretation of original shades varies depending on who you ask. As a result, John Skinner Ltd offers multiple “original” shade options for you to make your final choice from. Below is a list of these accepted “original” colour choices that John Skinners can offer for your Healey restoration project.
Black
Dark Blue
AH Blue
Bright Red
Cherry Red
Matador Red
Ivory
Sand
Parchment
Light Stone Beige
Stone
Biscuit Light Tan
Chrome
CUSTOM COLOURS/COMBINATIONS ALSO AVAILABLE
Note that we can also offer a variety of custom “non-original” shades if you prefer, or offer contrasting beading/piping for a more bespoke finish. For a full and complete list of options please view our Materials & Colours library.
SAMPLES/COLOUR CONFIRMATIONS
As part of the ordering process, we will arrange for samples to be sent for final confirmation – so browse and shop with complete peace of mind, knowing that we will guide you through step-by-step with all the information you require.
Please note that all materials are subject to colour shade differences between production batches. There may be subtle differences in colour shading between sample cuttings and final production material.
What materials are available?
We can manufacture the Front Seat Cover Kits in a variety of materials. JSM essentially offers 3 different options: all Vinyl covers at one end of the scale; and all Leather covers at the other end of the scale. An in-between option of “LeatherFaced” is also available – which is a combination of Leather (facings) and Vinyl (surrounds etc).
What material is original for this model of car?
Unlike the earlier Healey models – a large number of the BJ8 cars left the factory with Vinyl (Ambla) instead of LeatherFaced Seats. However, be aware that the LeatherFaced option was a fairly commonly used optional upgrade for the BJ8 models. Keep in mind that what JSM refer to as LeatherFaced is often listed as “Leather” by other trim suppliers; and on the Heritage Certificates. This should not be mistaken for the Full Leather option which JS(M)Ltd can also offer.
Do you offer different qualities of materials?
No, here at JSM we always maintain using the best quality raw materials available to us in the colour range we offer. This applies to our Vinyls (Ambla), Leathercloths (Vynide), and Leathers. Please note that we do offer two different styles of “finish” when it comes to the Leather. The quality is the same, but the finish is slightly different. Please refer to our Materials & Colours library for more information.
Are these Seat Covers piped?
Yes – we offer the Front Seat Covers as per original specification with Piping around the outer edges of the covers, as well around the pleated panels. The BJ8 models featured unique piping on the Seats compared to the earlier Healey models. For Vinyl (Ambla) Seat Covers – the “Outer” Piping was originally supplied in a soft plastic Silver/Black “Chrome” Piping. Note that this piping often turned to a Yellow / Gold shade after a period of time/exposure to sunlight. The “Inner” piping was matched to the main trim colour. For the LeatherFaced Seat options – this Chrome Piping was never used originally – and simply left the factory with the same colour piping as the main trim colour i.e. Black with Black piping. Here at JSM, we are happy to advise on originality, but equally, we can assist in helping you find a more custom colour scheme if you prefer. Please note that there is a small surcharge for “Non-Original / Custom” colour choices/combinations.
What is the piping made from?
Here are John Skinners, we are very pedantic about using not just original materials, where possible, but also suitable materials for the application. We are one of the manufacturers in the world, if not the only; that has its own in-house supply of the original Austin Healey BJ8 Silver/Black “Chrome” piping that was used for the factory original Ambla (Vinyl) Seat Covers. For LeatherFaced Seat options or a custom Vinyl Seat choice – we use Leathercloth for piping, where possible, for the Seat and Armrest covers which was original for cars of this era. Please note that a handful of shades/colours are not available in Leathercloth; in which case we revert to Vinyl (Ambla) for the piping. Please refer to our Materials & Colours library for more information.
Do your Seat Covers include the embossed square pattern on the pleated panels?
Yes. John Skinner Ltd is one of the only manufacturers in the world that has in-house tooling for the original HF Weld Embossing for the Austin Healey BJ8 Front Seat Covers. Please note that this embossed pattern is only original for the Ambla (Vinyl) versions of the Seat Covers.
Can we offer the “embossed” HF Weld Pattern for LeatherFaced or all Leather Seat Cover options?
Strictly speaking, the original HF Weld “Square” pattern is only possible on the Vinyl (Ambla) materials. However, we can offer a similar embossed pattern for Leather materials, if you wish for a more custom finish which resembles the original look of the Vinyl BJ8 Seats. Please contact John Skinner Ltd directly to discuss this option further.
Are the Seat “Gloves” for covering the side bolster mechanisms included in the Seat Cover Kit?
Yes. These pre-sewn Seat “gloves” are included as part of the Seat Kit.
Do you Seat Cover Kits include the material to re-trim the Seat Cushion Locating Frames?
Yes, we include pre-cut loose materials to re-trim the metalwork of the Seat Cushion Locating Frame. This is mainly supplied in Vinyl, unless you order an all Leather Seat Kit – in which case we supply this in Leather, and thin this leather down using our in-house Leather Skiving Machine.
How are the pleated panels sewn on your Seat Covers?
We supply all of our Seat Covers with genuine “tuck and roll” pleats/flutes. We pre-slit the 18mm foam to a specific depth using our CNC machine, and the material is then tucked, turned and rolled around into this slit and stitched in place to create a genuine “pleat”. Many other manufacturers simply stitch on the face of the material to create a fake pleat/seam line, which looks inferior and is not correct for originality.
Do you offer a fitting service for the Seat Covers?
Yes, we can offer Fully Trimmed Seat Covers ready to fit into your car. This would include brand new Seat Covers, fully assembled on new Seat Cushion and Backrest Foams, with brand new Metal Seat Backrest Frames and Plywood Seat Cushion Bases. Please contact us for further details/prices.
Due to the range of products we offer, and our worldwide customer base, we can only calculate an accurate shipping cost once Your Enquiry/Quote has been received by Jonathon. As there is no payment required at this stage – use our Quote Builder in full confidence, with zero commitment to purchase – and send us your Quotation request for your interior trim requirements; and we will get in touch directly with you with an updated Quote, which will include the shipment costs.
In the meantime, basic guideline shipping costs are outlined below.
(For all non-UK shipments – the final price per box depends on the size of the box – which is dictated by the items in your final selection)
UK: £10.50 – £30 per box
Europe & European Union: £20 – £150 per box
North America & Canada: £28.50 – £160 per box
Rest of World: £50.00 – £400 per box
Generally speaking, a complete car interior kit (Trim Panels, Carpets, Seat Covers, Boot/Trunk area, Soft Top Hoods etc) normally requires 2 x FULL Size Boxes, with some cars needing slightly less, and some slightly more.
Please note that these prices are exclusive of VAT (UK Customers ONLY) and any additional customs or handling charges that may be incurred during shipping. These prices are given as an approximation only.
For further information about shipping, and to learn more about how our shipping costs are calculated, please read our Shipping and Delivery guide.
🇪🇺 EU Shipments / Brexit 🇪🇺
As of January 2021, the UK is no longer part of the European Union (EU). As a result, several changes have been implemented which affects how EU based customers now purchase products from the UK.
It is not as problematic and complicated as people say. John Skinner Ltd sends hundreds of shipments to the EU; and rarely do we encounter any issues at all; and this is due to us working closely with our shipping agents to offer two choices that help to simplify the process for you.
You now have 2 Options you can choose from for shipping John Skinner products to the EU:
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Option 1: Standard International Shipping
This is the ‘standard’ method of purchasing items from the UK, since the UK left the EU (‘Brexit’).
You will pay John Skinner Ltd for 1) the parts ordered, and 2) the shipping cost to ship from the UK to your address.
You will NOT be charged UK VAT (20% Tax). (Before Brexit, you would have been charged UK VAT @ 20%).
Once your parts ship, you will be contacted directly by our shipping agent (normally DHL), who will request payment from you for 1) Your Local Country Tax based on the value of the John Skinner Invoice, 2) a small admin fee (normally around €15). Once this is paid, your goods are released from customs and delivered to your address.
You will NOT be charged any Duties/Tariffs. All the parts we supply are made by John Skinner Ltd in the UK, and we provide all the correct paperwork & documentation and sign declarations to ensure that no Duties/Tariffs apply to our goods. (This is often the part that most people get confused by with Brexit – they assume that anything they buy from the UK incurs Duties/Tariff charges – our products are 0% Duty/Tariff rated).
Note that this shipping option is the default choice offered when Jonathon is raising your initial Quote; if you wish to discuss the second option (see below) – then just mention this to Jonathon once he has made direct contact with you about your enquiry.
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Option 2: Prepaid Duties & Taxes *** VERY POPULAR OPTION ***
To simplify the purchasing process, you can choose our Prepaid Duties & Taxes option.
This process is becoming the most popular option for our EU customers as it makes everything very simple and straightforward, akin to how it was before the UK left the EU.
We will calculate & include all applicable import duties, taxes, and customs fees in your order total – and everything is paid up front to John Skinner Ltd.
Once the parts are ready and are shipped – you will NOT pay any additional costs, or have to do anything more – your order will be delivered to your address as normal. Our shipping agent (normally DHL) pays the Local Country Tax on behalf of John Skinner Ltd and they Invoice us for this later. This ensures that you won’t face any unexpected charges upon delivery, and your order will clear customs smoothly and quickly.
You can enjoy a more streamlined shopping experience with this option; like Brexit never even happened.
If you are interested in this option, please let Jonathon know once he has contacted you directly with your updated Quote via email; and he can update the Quote accordingly to reflect this choice.
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