Projects Custom Interior Questions

Haha! Thats actually the first time someones used it like that awesome.

Im not trying to come off as hardlined as theHighlander protrays most trimmers but its merely been my experience unless the owner is keen on what needs to go into build they typically dont save much time or money on the deal.

 

I think the key to either side doing satisfactory work is communication. The owner needs to convey the quality he is expecting. If only a seat is being done, and the car isn’t there, he needs to explain the tight spots so it will fit in the finished car.

If the owner wants to save money by making door cards and other panels, he needs to ask the upholsterer what type of material he wants, what edge clearances he needs, and what attachment he will use.

If the owner is going to clean up seat frames, make sure he asks the upholsterer what padding layers they will use, so not to waste time on springs if it might all be deleted for foam.

 

Spelling aside, good suggestions. I had not thought about cloth at all. Thanks.
Ed

 

In the late 90s I had a chance to buy a custom 53 Ford Victoria that had been done as a show quality custom around 1960-62. The vinyl tuck and roll interior was covered in mold from not being properly stored for decades but wherever I cleaned the mold off looked almost new.

 

Most all the manufacturers used automotive grade cloth up into the 50s. My 53 Ford had corduroy. Both my Buicks Bedford Cord. Maybe someone can chime in when Vinyl became the norm.

 

I always thought naugas tasted more like bald eagle, but hard to tell with all that bbq sauce. Good seat covers but lots of sewing all the little hides together.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy6uLfermPU

 

More on the subject of leather vs vinyl vs cloth

Leather comes as hides, vinyl you can buy by the yard, usually 54" wide. If you want to use leather you have to plan a head how you will lay out each piece to get the most out of each hide, and do it with the least number of hides. Remember leather costs about 5X as much as vinyl.

Now you have the problem of cutting and sewing. If you make a mistake in sewing you are screwed, the leather is perforated and will tear like a paper towel. Usually you have to scrap the piece and make a new one. Only you can't because you only bought enough leather to do the job. And if you order more leather it not only costs money it takes time to get it, and may be a different dye lot that does not match.

Result, when you work with leather you cannot afford to make the slightest mistake. You are playing on hard mode. Only the most skilled experienced workers have the confidence to do this and they do not work cheap. Why should they?

The lesser guys get nervous and who can blame them? Many won't work with leather at all.

Vinyl has the same problem if you mess up but you can always buy more, it is not that expensive, they sell it by the yard.

With cloth it's no problem you can rip out the stitches and redo the piece and no harm done.

Hope this sheds some light on one of the problems of doing upholstery from the upholsterer's standpoint. You can have leather, vinyl or cloth but if you insist on leather get set to pay a premium. There really isn't any way around it.

 

Thank you, very well explained. It sheds light on why top shelf cost top dollar. Even if I end up going vinyl, I now have a deeper appreciation for cars with a leather interior.
Ed

 

There’s a local guy here that did mine about two weeks ago. He mostly works on boats, but does cars here and there as well. Last year he did my seat for $600, drove it a year and this year after I painted it.. he did carpet, and full interior including making wooden bows for the headliner for $2000.. it’s not perfect but good enough for me.. all vinyl.

 

I'd trailer half way across the country to find that guy!

 

Other than missing some windlace around the doors, that is a very nice job for $2,000!

 

NICE, thanks for sharing. Wicked chop. How about a full shot of the car? Thanks.
Ed

 

My 2 cents: tried to order new Chrysler with cloth interior- why? New car only leather!!! Cloth cooler in summer, warmer in winter, wife & I agree. Neither like black - hot in sun. Black cars look great with new expensive paint & perfect body work. Not for a daily driver. OK, only 1 cent worth…. Different strokes for different folks

 

I agree with Rusty O'Toole 100% with the small exception of this last bit. It may not apply to OP's car, but some of the grossest work I've ever done was interior upholstery. The only time I ever got physically ill from working on a car was working on the interior.

The actual sewing part is pretty clean, but a lot of seats and upholstered bits are fucking disgusting after 70+ years.

Also, maybe applicable to op, old seat covers and door panels, even if they're torn up garbage, even if you're not going to do the same patterns, are very valuable to a trimmer (which is what you call someone who does upholstery). It's 2x the work to start from scratch than it is to start with some kind of measurement taken from a previous seat cover or headliner or carpet section.

If you are going to make door cards and clean seat springs and whatnot, keep the old stuff. If there's absolutely anything left of the seat covers, cut the hog rings and save the skins. Take pictures of where the hog rings were when you removed them, where they attached.

 

My friends 41 Chevy is here as we speak, close by your location.

 

Thanks, I will check them out. I went to high school with a Dave Boehm, RCHS, Class of '76...I wonder...

 

Just a suggestion. Cloth where your seat and back touches the seat. Leather in all the other parts. Like others have said cloth is cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Jmho. Snowman ⛄️

 

Thanks, Snowman. Any suggestions on the cloth? Nylon? I figure it would need to be durable, easy to clean, and not too absorbant (sweat, spills, etc.). Thinking all black.

 

My guy sourced OEM cloth. Your eventual guy should be able to also. Snowman ⛄️

 

Gotta ask: how did your friend choose B&D to do his '41?
Ed

 

He was referred by the shop that painted his car in Bradley, Illinois. Turned out Barb was the woman who originally did the interior years ago.
BTW, he checked on the progress a few days ago and is happy with the results so far.
Can’t hurt to give them a call, good luck with your build.

 

Ask your local "Used car lots" who they use and you'll get to the shops that are reasonable and fast because thats what used car lots need.

 

Interior repairs on late model cars is a thing, but it's usually fixing cigarette burns and stuff, no car lot is having a whole interior redone. Shops equipped to do full jobs for restoration aren't doing spot jobs for car lots.