I like see some example of upholstery fabric in pre war hotrod. I know that tent material, Mexican blanks, etc was used. I like to hear of more example. Thanks for all the help.
Most of them just used whatever they came with from the factory, the upholstery was still good in those old cars and money could be spent on important things like running gear. Mexican blankets we are supposed to believe are a '50s thing, but I am pretty sure that they are more of a new millennium thing than anything else.
Stressed faux leather is a good choice. I agree with PB. Never seen a Mexican blanket in a car until yr 2000.
Yes! Don't think I've seen a single example of a 1940's (much less pre-war) rod with "Mexican" blanket upholstery. I have, however, seen an AA truck that had its seat patched with denim (back in the late 30's).
Don Montgomery's books have the most extensive collection of pre-WWII hot rod photos that I know of, mostly cars that were actually raced at the lakes (you know, like HOT RODS!) but a few that were street driven as well. As I recall, most pre-WWII hot rods in his books had what was left of the original upholstery...or no upholstery at all! A low seating position usually involved removing the seat springs - and often the seat riser as well - so that the driver sat on a pad on the floor. It was all about going fast before the War, not so much about looking good while doing it. Those who are interested in learning about the actual roots of hot rodding should make Don Montgomery's books required reading. The photos are all genuine and the information from a first-hand source. Yes, Don was there at the birth of it all, as a racer and as a journalist, and has made a life-long effort to record and share the true hot rod history which might otherwise be forgotten as the founders grow old and die off. Thanks, Don, for all you've done for our lifestyle.
You have to remember that most (if not quite all) **PRE-War*** hot rods were roadsters. Therefore: Leather, or the old time equivalent of vinyl, "leatherette" would be most probable.
Here's a picture @Jimmy B shared with us on the "1940's Period Correct Hot Rods" thread; based on the details, I'd say the picture dates from the immediate postwar period. Note the woolen tomahawk blanket thrown over the seat back (not the stereotypical "Mexican blanket"); For a pre-war build, stock interior was probably most common. If your seats have been modified (for example, Model T's were frequently fitted with thinner cushions & seat backs) leather/leatherette, mohair, natural canvas, or even a plain woolen blanket would be appropriate. Luckily (for the ******** traditionalist) a period-correct leatherette (DuPont Fabrikoid, to be exact) is being reproduced in England by Ratchford Ltd. under the trade name "Rexine" (leathercloth). It's great stuff and comes in genuine 1920's-30's colors.
I believe Rexine was the fake leather used in practically all English cars in the fifties and sixties. It has a faint smell of semolina pudding.
Blankets were most likely used to cover and keep good upholstery clean or cover up worn out upholstery if they were used pre WWII. My 51 Merc came with some sort of Indian or Mexican blanket in 1963 when I bought it but it sure wasn't because it was the cool thing to do. The seat cover under it was worn out as was the original upholstery under that. It was survival rather than "cool" and the girls sure weren't impressed with it. Too many young guys see a photo of one of our old cars out of the 50's or 60's with a worn blanket thrown over the front seat and decide that it must have been the cool thing to do when actually it was pretty uncool and a lot more of a poor guy's survival thing or the way to cover up the nice upholstery so you didn't get it dirty with your work clothes.
The "Rexine" Ratchford sells is an exact match to 1920's & 30's DuPont Fabrikoid. I have samples in my collection of both - they are identical in every respect. Perhaps Rexine was used as a trade name for faux leather much the same way "gnaugahyde" is used here in the States.
Hi. I do not plan use them on my Coupe in my Avitar here but I have 2 full size American Bison (Buffalo) hides with hair on here in my shop taken on some of my South Dakota hunting trips. If I ever decide to do an older hot rod or pickup I think they would work great. On most older car or truck seats one hide might cover both seats if I just d**** them over the seats. I have seen a couple of couches where a half hide was d****d over each and it worked well. By half hide it was the remaining back of the hide after a full shoulder mount was done with the front part.
Show me 3 pre-war cars with Mexican blanket seats and I'll buy you a case of your favorite suds!! After looking at hundreds of photos of the era not a one. A few Indian or lap blankets, plaid patterns I have seen. Mostly 5 inch pleats in leather or leatherette and some stock seat pattern as well. Aftermarket seat covers show up more in post war photos but do some research on old car aftermarket suppliers like Western and J.C Whitney and see if offered in the 30s and 40s, if so then they can be used.......................Just my 2 cents!!
I bought a 39 Hudson Cu oupe in about '70 that still had the mohair upholstery in it. It was easy to track the history because the original owner of the car was the owner of the wrecking yard where I bought the car. he hot rodded it before he went off to the war, then continued to update it through the '50s and early '60s. easy build I just bolted a 283 with a power slip in it. my point is that it was an original late '30s early '40s hotrod and it just used the original upholstery. Were they all done that way? I have no idea, it was not a socal car ever so I would have to guess that upholstery as all other things hot rod was regional.
I recall seeing a picture of my dads Model A he had when he was drafted in WWII. He had the seat done in the blue striped mattres ticking. SPEEDY
Yes! I always thought the blanket thing was dual purpose - to cover the good upholstery so it didn't get dirty and to keep warm in the winter because these cars were NOT air tight and the heaters for the most part were not very good! Form always follows function, and then fad takes over.
If you look at the books on early lakes, nearly everything in the pics is a Ford roadster. They came with leatherette or leather...from about '30 on, much of the production was deluxe with leather, and by '32 nearly all were deluxe. Both flavors of seat covering were extremely durable, but standard cars got some sort of press board on doors and sidewalls which did not like water...maybe fine in Southern California. Original stuff seems to rule, from the available pictures... As a thought, remember how financially stressed kids built their '67 Camaros in the '70's and '80's, or '55 Chevies in the '60's and '70's. You started with what was in the car. If some of it was torn (or, with these late models, if the original had been ordered with hideous colors), you shuffled off to the junkyard and found one with better upholster and started swapping. You do see a few interior shots of fully reupholstered cars...they tend toward luxurious black/brown/maroon leather with fat pleats copying big open luxury cars. Plumper and richer than Ford leather, but not all that different.
Here is a good seat thread if you haven't seen it yet? 12 pages of pics. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...r-finished-seats.689674/page-12#post-10849870
They were not Mexican blankets, they were saddle blankets. Didn't any of you guys ever ride a horse???
LOL My Roadmaster in about '69 had been a farmers car and the upholstery was useable but dirty and mildewed. I cleaned up the best I could then started dating this girl whose dad was an upholsterer and Baptist minister. I ended up with really cool blow rolls and pleats from what was left over from another job. When my windshield got broke out it went to the wrecking yard and the seats eventually ended up in another fellas blue '58 impala. My next few cars had wrecking yard seats.
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