The leather trim of the dashboard with its characteristic seam has long lost its status among car owners as a symbol of luxury and prosperity. However, many still turn to this clearly Soviet method of interior tuning. Why? Well, there are good reasons for this, especially when the car has traveled over one hundred thousand kilometers.
In the automotive world, the front fascia, often referred to by some as the “dashboard,” is traditionally covered in faux leather. Plastic, roughly speaking, is seen as a material for people with disabilities. However, those who find themselves in this category do not despair. Instead, they embark on a DIY dashboard enhancement journey that’s not only aesthetically pleasing, but also practical.
The practice of upholstering a car’s dashboard with leather dates back to Soviet times. During the heyday of socialism, car tuning was rare, but creativity was abundant. It was not difficult to obtain a couple of pieces of leatherette (faux leather) through barter and exchange, which was common practice at the time. As a result, the dashboards of Soviet cars such as Ladas and Moskvichs were converted to this soft finish, compensating for the loss of luxury details over the years.
The upholstered dashboards and trim had more than just a decorative purpose. They also served as a practical solution to the problem of squeaks and rattles. When done correctly, this approach achieves visual, tactile and functional perfection. It may not look as aesthetically pleasing now as it did forty years ago, but it will solve the problem of excess noise in the car.
2023-09-17 15:03:36
#drivers #USSR #covered #car #dashboards #leather
