Do you feel you have "vision" when it comes to your car?

I'm sending the 47 to the upholstery shop. The upholsterer and I have been banging heads over what I want to do with the interior. I chose white, with red piping on the seats and door panels. He is almost refusing, saying I'll never keep it clean, and wants to do the visors, sides of the seats and the bottom of the door panels in grey.

I understand he's done this for a living for 30+ years, but isn't his job to do what I ask as long as I'm paying for it, and isn't it my responsibility to keep it clean afterwards? It's just my opinion, but I think if someone's paying 5k for an interior, he should get it the way he wants it. I've always felt that most guys have a vision of what their car will look like done long before it is done. Am I wrong?

 

Find a new guy.

 

Ditto! I would never pay big money to someone who wont do what I want. It's your car, and your money, so YOU get what you want.
It's his job to make suggestions, but beyond that he needs to start sewing, and shutup.

 

Absolutely find a new guy! But, HE is right... I had the seat in my Plymouth done about 15 years ago in white marine vinyl with orange piping. My guy said I'd hate it, the first time I sat on my seat with brand new blue jeans on I realized I should have listened!

 

The blue jeans on the white interior friggin ****s,i know that for sure..but its your money,your ride,he doesn't have to clean it nor drive it. So why they hell would he care if you did your interior in plush pink velvet with huge purple love hearts?..find a new guy or tell him to **** it up and do as the customer wants

 

I'd stick with white. Heres a thread for inspiration.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=769077&highlight=bareoot

 

Thanks guys. I noticed that most of you are on the west side, maybe that's why we don't have as big of a car culture on the east coast. I'll be letting him know tomorrow that it's my way or the highway. Thanks for the tip on the jeans. I could see myself doing just that.

 

Yeh. Have him make up seat covers outta Mex. blankets too. Slip 'em on, take 'em off for shows.

 

Why take his advice?? **** he is successful and doing it for 30 years. of course you know more than he does. Just sayin

 

Tomorrow, wear a pair of white pants to work and see how long they stay white. That'll let you know if he's full of it.

When I was younger, I'd shop around till I found someone to agree with the stupid **** I used to come up with. They'd do the work and wait for me to come back later, so they could do it over. Sometimes, I'd go some where else for the fix. Prides a mofo.

But to answer your question, he should do as you ask, since your paying.

 

I never said he was full of it, nor am I doubting his experience. I simply want MY car to be done MY way. Simple. I'm a fanatic about cleaning a car, and I know what I'm up against. At 52 years old, I don't think I'm making an uneducated decision. I've had cars in the past with upholstered wheel wells, and a wall full of trophies to prove it.
Realistically, if it were you, would you live with an interior that you dislike because it's easier to clean? To me, that just sounds ridiculous.

 

**** him!!!

The customer is always right!

 

Stick with the white. I've had it in my 39 coupe for more than 20 years without issue---
AND I never wear a pair of new Levi's that haven't been washed, so no problem.

 

NOPE.....

Your money, your way.

 

Grey? Sounds '90s street rod?

 

Yep find a new guy, or at least get him to sign a waiver to say he's not responsible for it getting grubby.

Scotty

 

Look for some one else. I still do interiors I don't like, wouldn't have in my cars, But they aren't mine. You're paying you get to pick. He probably is afraid it won't be clean when he is done . I know I am. Jack

 

If this thread is about your vision of your car, you can't build it without knowing exactly how it should be.
If this thread is about people who won't do what you want, why even argue. If they can't or won't do the job you want why persist in talking to them?

 

Your right.. Find a new guy.. Too much money anyway...

 

probably has alot of gray left over from previous jobs and figures he could make more money off you by selling the material twice. stick to your guns and get it done the way you want it 'cause you know you'll never be happy with it.

 

This is a no brainer....go find an upholsterer that listens to his customer, not talks to them.

By the way, post some pics of your car.

 

First off I'd like to say your Plymouth is *****in based on the pictures in your profile! I'd love to see more of it!

Second...If he won't do the colors you want tell him to get ****ed! We ran all with tuck & roll in my dads 56 for about 15 years and just kept some of the foaming upholstry cleaner in the box of detailing supplies and rubbed it down with a clean rag a few times a summer and all the scuff marks always came off! If its a show car or a cruiser and you're not driving it to work every single day you'll be just fine. That being said if you were worried about it hidding dirt I'd be alot more likely to go with a deep red almost ox blood material, Grey would just not be right on that car!

Its yours and you're the builder with your own vision get it done the way you want. For the money you're talking you should be able to find plenty of people within a days drive or trailer trip if necessary to take the car to!

 

Well,I live in the upstate of South Carolina and we used white and green on the seats and doors in the wagon,our decision and our car.

You need to find another upholstery guy,,sounds like he has some gray he's trying to unload.

Good luck. HRP

 

He may have ben bitten in the *** before by someone that wanted white before. They may have blamed him for that problem. But it is your car do it the way you want it.

 

your money , your car , take it else where , my upholstry guy has been in business for 40 + years and his son is now runnig it , if I walked in wanting money green with **** brown with pink piping , he would ask me what materials and patterns I want it in , and it would be made . granted he would want 100% in full and a signature before he started , but thats why they are sucessfull , and even he said he has seen some hideous combinations go out , but like they say the customer is right even if they do not have a lick of taste and able to make things look nice . aslong as they pay . in the last few years I have sen a few fuzzy dashboards and odd things roll thru his shop .. he just says , don't even ask .. and laughs .

as for me I had several vehicles that had white interiors , you just learn to keep large beach towels in the trunk or back seat incase the clothes will bleed off , or if you got dirt on them . even my work pickup s have them , dark blue shows grease about as bad .

 

stick with white and buy a bunch of these


They work wonders on white vinyl

 

I will point out that if you are a cruise in and they are throwing flyers in your car and they are damp from any type of moisture they will leave a stain on white upholstery,,,I learned the hard way,,the magic erasers work. HRP

 

So do you buid your cars your way, or just have people with years of experience tell you how has to be done? Experience gives an upholsterer the right to give you advice, not dictate.

 

Three words: Clear vinyl slipcovers.

 

I found a new upholstery guy after the one I had been using for years started telling me what he was going to do instead of me telling him. My vision, ,my style choice, my money. Funny how it seems these guys only want to do modern street roddy interiors maybe cause it's easier the tuck & roll.

It's kinda like this, back in the early 90's I took a traditional flathead powered Model A I just finished to a pinstriper, told him I wanted old Von Dutch style stripes. He refused to do it, said it was too old fashion, out of style. He insisted he was going to put swooshy heartbeat stripes on it, the trend at the time. I took the car, wouldn't let him do it. 20 years later he put the stripes I wanted on the car since now that WAS trendy (RIP Bobbo)!