Is Leopard Skin Print Actually Traditional?

I don't care to start a debate like flat black, etc., etc. But as I do not know the origin of leopard skin, as used on customs, I thought I would ask. Is this a new interpetaion on traditional custom, or does it have roots in a certain era? I love its use when done tastefully (I know that's a bit of a oxymoron).

Thanks in advance for any help in shedding some light on the topic.

 

probably started when lowriders came into the picture

 

There were a few show cars in the early 50s that has zebra, leopard and tiger interiors. But I never saw it on the street. I think it was the contrast of black and white. But traditional, I think not!..........OLDBEET

 

my dad built a 59 chevy lowrider in the early sixtys that had a leopard seats in it .. im not exactly sure when this trend started ..

 

Didn't jane Mansfield splatter all over her leopard skin interior when her head came flying off?

 

i know of two customs, with leopard interiors in our area, one a 52 olds convertable in the very early 60s, and a first generation riviera in the mid 60s.
must have been someone's tradition.
dan

 

My uncle bought a '36 5W around 1950 that had a "zebra hide" interior. He was a cool guy, so I was pretty impressed.

 

I remember seeing a picture of a custom in a late fifties hot rod magazine that had leopard and the editors seemed to act as if it was surprising, also last year somebody on the hamb posted pictures of there "barn find" coupe that had a zebra interior. I'm sure it's traditional in the sense that is was a short lived "gaudy" and over the top thing to do but I don't think everybody was wishing to have it in their car, nowadays all the rockabilly tards have to have it thou.

 

I have been involved for almost 50 years, and never saw enough of this to even call it a mini-fad. It is an oddity....never a tradition.

 

In that great film, "Scarface," Tony Montana (Al Pachino) picked up his bosses' classy wife (Michelle Pfieffer) in a classy Caddy convert with zebraskin seats!

 

my '53 has leapordskin door panels... you want 'em? cause I sure as hell dont....

 

My dad had a '53 Caddy with leopard print seat covers in the late 50s. He never said it was the trend...

Flatman

 

One of the vintage seat cover sets I just sold was leopard print. They were made late '50s early '60s.

 

Is Leopard Skin Print Actually Traditional?

... Only on a leopard.

I think it's about the trashiest looking crap anyone could install in a car.

JH

 

i take that comment kind of offensive. my car (actually my fiance's car) has leopard print seats. im not a rockabilly tard. thats just what my girl asked for.







......i also have a pomp and were ray-bans as my glasses though....

 

Leopard, Zebra, Angel Hair, all types of faux fur was in as I remember carshows in the 60's when I was a kid... does 60's count as traditional?

 

I never said you HAD to be a rockabilly tard to have them but if you feel that you are a rockabilly tard then I am sorry.

 

don't mind that shit dude, it seams you CAN'T like rockabilly and traditional vehicles. At least, thats the feeling I get around here... I like rockabilly... how does that affect the cars I like? It doesnt.

 

I remember a 41 Lincoln Contintal that had real leopard skin seats. done in the 40's. owner claimed it cost over $500.00. there were a few others. things changed when they stopped killing cats and started killing nauga's

 

Friend of mine in San Antonio when we were growing had a 40 Ford (this was about 1960) with leopard skin print seat covers. First time he sat in 'em he had a screwdriver and poked a hole in 'em. I laughed till I thought I was going to die...still kid him about it whenever I see him (high school reunions).

 

Did'nt Huggy bear have them in his Caddy on Baretta?

 

This is from a mid fifties "ford times" mag. Hope this answers your question.

 

Thanks guys for all of the help.

 

There is a beautiful full fade-away fendered '40 Mercury in the
Aug., 1960 edition of " Custom Cars " magazine, owned by Marie Hernandez. It was " jet black (...) and has a white Carson top. Inside the top there is leapard fur ". It had been her dad's car, and " he and Harry Westergard did all the work on it " Traditional enough ?

 

I've got a custom magazine from the 50's that highlights a radical custom I think was called the Safari. It had real zebra skin seats and lion's manes for a dash cover if memory serves. There might have been leopard in there somewhere too. It was the gaudiest thing ever, even the douchebag posing in the picture was wearing a pith helmet and a pistol.
I find those and scan it if you want - hell, it might find its way onto the ugly customs thread.
There is a HAMBer lady who did a new upholstery job on her Chevy last year. I can't remember if it was zebra or leopard, but it looked good ... well, SHE looked good posing on it anyway.

 

I was raised on little books and car shows and can't remember seeing any at all.....Sandpiper

 

This guy thinks it would be a great choice for your ride:

 

My wife has the same, Very girly but thats what she wanted.

 

Cadillac had a show car in the 50s...i think around 55...that had leopard print interior...there is a small picture in the new issue of hemmings Classic Car