Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Could it be this simple? Patricians with optional leather or combination leather seating surfaces have a leather (or imitation?) headliner, and those cars that had the all fabric seats had a fabric headliner?

Bet you're right. The 56 Pat I had was blue cloth interior and the headliner was most surely fabric. Not sure the type but much thinner and different than that Fred sold as replacement. Unless it was horribly worn thin, don't think enough fuzz or heft to be like even a cheap seat broadcloth either.

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That's essentially what I was driving at in my previous post (#39).

Meanwhile, I went back edited my original post (#34) WRT the headlining in Randy Berger's Patrician to note it as NON-perforated and GENUINE leather (rather then imitation leather, which is a vinyl-coated fabric).

My only other recollection on this relates to Sigurbjorn Helgason's (PAC member in Iceland) 55 Clipper which was an export model. I had the pleasure of his taking me on a nice tour in Iceland in it some years back; I don't recall the seat material but am almost certain it had a vinyl-type (unperforated) headliner color-matched to the seating surfaces. At one time he chimed in here occasionally, perhaps he'll see this and comment further.

I think I can state as a fact that any of the v-8 cars that had either vinyl or leather trim on the seats also got a leatherette headliner; plain in 55, perforated in 56. For example, if you got the "flame cloth" option on your 55 Custom, it was trimmed with white vinyl, and got a white vinyl headliner. Cloth trimmed cars got a cloth headliner.

Every 56 Patty I've seen with the white leather/black cloth combo had a vinyl headliner.

Here's an oddment: I have seen many 55 Patties with all cloth in green, grey, and brown pairings. I have never seen a blue interior in one except that it was pale blue leather with the dark blue brocade. No all blue cloth? What's up?

No all blue cloth? What's up?

2 combinations of blue cloth were available in the 55 Patrician so must not have been a popular option in some places. One blue leather combination which, IMO, is a prettier blue fabric than those in the cloth combos. Maybe that was a factor.

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Does Any one know if Kanter sells upholstery kits for 54 convertible? Also carpet sets? In catalogue they mention many conventional U.S. Models like Cadillac, Pontiac, Plymouth, Lincoln, chrysler, etc etc, but no Packard. I know Kanters like Packard, so hoped they sell such items? Anyone know ? The 800 Cut Pile carpet set for front and back is $189 seems too cheap to be true, but is in catalogue on page 28, 29, 30

Kanter does sell Packard upholstery and carpet kits but as has been mentioned before, they will fit but are generic and won't likely be what was in the car as original. Since most convertibles were leather, you will most likely be out of luck on any kind of kit there--vinyl probably as close as it gets from anyone other than custom shops.

Just select Packard in the online catalog drop down box and all years. The categories will appear and you can look at some fabric colors and styles.

So sounds like the only option is buy leather in beige and leather in light green, cut the old leather off seat, make the new covers from pattern of cut off pieces. That's where my wife is very useful being a pro dress maker. Only other thing that crossed my mind, was if a leather restorer could paint a different color onto the current leather color? My thoughts are prob impossible and no easy way for this. If you see my sanding thread, Sanding car ready for paint, there are pics of color I'm trying to achieve. At the moment the leather color is red and black.
Happy Christmas to all.

I could only find this on the Packard Club web site. Not sure its any help to me though.
SET
NO DESCRIPTION
796 RED AND IVORY GENUINE LEATHER COMBINATION
822 GREEN GENUINE LEATHER
824 TAN GENUINE LEATHER
826 RED GENUINE LEATHER
829 BLUE GENUINE LEATHER
829A BLUE GENUINE LEATHER
891 BLACK GENUINE LEATHER
896 RED GENUINE LEATHER
973 MAROON NYLON AND IVORY IMITATION LEATHER
973A MAROON NYLON AND IVORY GENUINE LEATHER
975 GREEN NYLON AND GREEN IMITATION LEATHER
975A GREEN NYLON AND GREEN GENUINIE LEATHER
976 BLUE NYLON AND IVORY IMITATION LEATHER
976A BLUE NYLON AND IVORY GENUINE LEATHER
978 BLACK NYLON AND IVORY IMITATION LEATHER
978A BLACK NYLON AND IVORY GENUINE LEATHER
NOTES:
1. BODY MODEL 2280 HAS DRIVERS SEAT TRIMMED IN BLACK LEATHER.
2. BODY MODELS 2259, 2279 AND 2359 HAVE BEDFORD CORD CLOTH INSERTS IN CUSHIONS IN ALL SET NUMBERS.
3. BODY MODELS 2293 AND 2393 HAVE WOVEN PLASTIC CLOTH INSERTS IN CUSHIONS.
4. MODEL 2677 TRIMMED IN SET 95,96; MODEL 2679 TRIMMED IN SET 96,97; ARE AFFECTED BY A CHANGE MADE IN THE GRAIN OF BOTH THE GENUINE AND IMITATION LEATHER. HAIR CELL GRAIN LEATHER WAS USED ON FIRST PRODUCTION CARS, THIS GRAIN WAS DISCONTINUED, AND WOLF GRAIN LEATHER WAS USED ON LATER CARS. HAIR CELL GRAIN IS A FINE TEXTURED GRAIN RESEMBLING A PEBBLED SURFACE. WOLF GRAIN IS A COARSER GRAIN, CHARACTERIZED BY MANY FINE LINES FORMING AN IRREGULAR PATTERN.