Re: 2 items

Posted by Fish'n Jim On 2023/9/21 11:25:02

I guess we never make it past item 1, lesson for me. Not going to resolve this one anyway - raise awareness.
When I went through the material search for the '49, I was able to find the everyone said "unobtainium" exact material from SMS. (almost 10 years ago) It took weeks of back and forth/samples etc. but I got the right cloth - the last of it - code 65. But there's less vendors now, too. The house of last resort now. The accent marble vinyl trim was nowhere. I bought leather skins for the trim, it's 2 B a custom anyway.
I'm leaning to use "refurbish" after ~30 years when parts are no longer off the shelf as in "early restoration". LED lights don't apply unless born with. Pre '64 safety act, no problem with dual brakes + or today's traffic. Purists howl.
You can bet it's a junker, if the ad says "total restoration" needed. It's the old cast a wide net routine.
Hirsch also has some P broad cloths, if you get lucky with stock ones. He also has it/can be made in Ireland.
Like most things when you observe long enough, these things go through design/fashion fads. eg; They had plaid (ouch!) vinyl in post war. looks good in a woodie - only. Stripes were zoot suit and Widest white wall era. You won't find in today auto stuffs - mono-drab poly-something aka earth tones or cheapest available, if you prefer.
Do what we did in the day, throw a blanket over it or you could get dealer clear vinyl seat covers for day one. We'd put a seat cushion on the hole over the exposed springs.
P used some sort of pre-vinyl art deco pressed/embossed door panels which are not easily repro-ed. Mine are like that - concentric lines cloth bonded to the backing. Today, they pad and stitch it in or fuse if vinyl.