Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan

Posted by BigKev On 2010/6/29 16:47:45

The rear seat bottom has a tar-board/fiber-board piece that runs around the front of the seat under the fabric. Mine of course is just toast from moisture and rodents. Was this just used as a kick plate, or also for sound/heat deadening? Or just to help maintain the seat shape?

All the tar-board/fiber-board pieces in the car have to be replaced. These were used on the door panels, sail panels, B-Pillar posts, etc. Basically used as the frame work to support the body shell upholstery. After some checking the best candidate for replacement is Black Moisture Proof Panel Board (1/8"). So I am going to have a go a cutting all new pieces and removing the old decaying pieces. The actual fabric will come later. Just plain black panels will look a whole lot better than what is actually in there now. The old door panels will get stored until it's time for the real upholstery work, and then they will serve as sewing patterns for the new material on my pre-cut boards.

Now on my car, the headliner, sail panels, B-pillar panels, tops of the door panels and back of the front seat was upholstered in a coarse woven white fabric. This of course is stained and dry rotted as is all the other OEM material in the car. The thought of putting back in white fabric upholstery is not sitting well with me. Was there a solid color option on the '54s? (All blue for example?)

Or perhaps a better choice in white material that would be more resistant to staining and clean up better. I think vinyl may look to weird in that application.