There is one more thing:
My driver's seat had three scratches in the right hand bolster, from rivets on jeans. I did one myself but the other two were already there.

I bought a repair kit from here......
http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Touch_Up_Kit.htm
They advertise in Practical Classics.

Obviously black is easy, but they also supply colour match kits. It took just a few minutes to sand the leather with 1200 grit, and apply the magic coloured solution. You finish the job off with a clear liquid finisher which is provided high gloss and matt, so you blend to get a match, and it's amazingly good.

Unfortunately the camera won't show it well enough, so you'll just have to take my word for this one.

PS: For some reason I can't right click & paste on this post??????

One other tip is to rout out a circle in the wooden rails big enough to take a nut. Then you can bolt the seat rails firmly to the battens, giving a seat with wood rails firmly attached and the 4 now captive bolts firmly in position.

You need to to rout out a hole to allow the nut to not stand proud of the wooden rail, and it needs to be big enough to drop a ring spanner round it so you can do it up good and tight.

You can now drop the seat into position and the bolts will go through the mounting holes neatly. It makes removing and refitting the seats in future a complete doddle.

HTH
Tim

Great stuff Dave, I don't think I have the enthusiasm for taking my seats out, however I will be using some Danish Oil on the exposed wood underneath carpet.
Off topic a bit, the rubber seal at the front end of my hood has come adrift from the metal rail in parts. Is there a recommended glue to hold in place, it not only breaks the seal but is difficult to fit the hood when it is like that.

I would just use a bit of contact adhesive Dave. Apply to both surfaces and then either fit the header rail to the screen, or slot some wood in the groove until the glue sets.

It's a bit fiddly to fit the header rail at the best of times & mine's had a new seal already, just before I bought it.

Thanks Tim. I've got my passenger seat out at the moment for some TLC to the leather - this should make refitting easier, which will be nice.

Dave

Thanks for that,

I've just taken out my driver's seat - and suffered the same difficulty as with the passenger seat: one of the rear bolt heads was not held captive in the runner like it's supposed to be and so would just turn as I tried to undo the nut. I could not get a spanner on in the conventional way so my solution was to use two open ended spanners side by side shoved end-on into the gap of the runner onto the flats of the head.

If that helps anyone now then great - but I'm planning to post some before and after pics of my treated seats when I'm done and I'll try to remember to include a photo of the spanners in position.

And another note - there are two bolts for the runners on a 1988 4/4.

The interference fit in the runner is so marginal Neil that I reckon it's not designed in. Some of mine were the same and your open-ended spanner tip is a good one. I got by with just one 'end on' but didn't think to mention it!!! Oops.

That's pretty much all you can use in the confined space.

Would that kit be any use for bringing my Black Luggage Straps back to life and be water resistant?
or is Graham's Saddle Soap idea the best solution?

Graham's suggestion is a good one - any equine supplier will have the soap & oil. I've never been involved with horses, but it's a well-trodden path,or even bridleway....(HoHoHo), so it will work well.

My repair kit is for 'indoor' and car interior use. There's no doubt that it will restore the colour, and the finishing 'lacquer' is amazing. But I don't imagine it repels water in an outdoors environment.

I'm a big fan of Dubbin. (oo-er missus...... )

It doesn't polish, but it does waterproof, and now you've raised the wet luggage strap issue, I'll have to get the black Dubbin out and get mine sorted. Here's a link.....
http://www.ukequine.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=360