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Upholsterer was over yesterday to measure amount of fabric I need to order -- 20 yards -- ouch.

We started discussing the piping on the seats and couldn't reach a conclusion as to the color let alone what kind of material it might have been. Even in somewhat protected spots mine is not cooperating with a good clean section. I've looked thru my photos and brochures but can't tell much but do believe the Customs had the same light color piping on the different trim codes.

I am aware of the upholsterer in the bay area who is supposed to know about these cars but as I said when his name was first mentioned, since he won't be doing the work it is not fair to bother him with questions. Frankly, I wouldn't expect an answer. Thought I would ask if anyone here knows if the piping was white-white or was it a creme or natural white or might have any other info.

Not sure what we will do about the texture. Upholsterer thinks it might be a narrower version of the same grainy fabric as the old windlace. That doesn't help much because the windlace pattern seems to be non existent anymore. Leaning toward a carpet binding as maybe being a coarse enough texture without going too far.

Anyone care to speculate??

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Howard, I agree with you as it is my impression that the piping was the same on the different trim codes. I have seen a blue trimmed Custom, and the piping, to my eyes, looked the same as my maroon trimmed seats. My impression of its color is it is not white, but rather a more cream color. It is more white than yellow, a light creamy color. Of course, my interior is original and subject to some fading. Hope this helps.

(o{}o)

You need to take this with a grain of salt since it is based on 22nd/23rd series Customs.

Both my bathtub Customs have the original upholstery in them. The 22nd Series has the green shadow cloth [code 402] and the 23rd Series has the tan broadcloth [code 501]. The piping for both is identical. It is not now and never was even close to white. The texture/pattern and color matches the windlace and the color is closer to beige/tan or a cup of coffee with lots of cream than white. Maybe the 21st series was lighter, I don't know.

20 yards!!! I didn't need to hear that.

20 yards!!! I didn't need to hear that.

I didn't need to hear it either but was halfway prepared. That is for everything -- door panels, package shelf and all the little fabric pieces tacked on here and there. Still have to get the vinyl or "imitation leather" and the piping on top of that.

The piping is the question now. I did find a windlace I thought looked reasonably close to original at Restoration Specialty. I bought the 1261 Sand which is a solid color just slightly more tan than what I think the original was. Goes very nicely with the tan headliner from Kanter. Comparing that to the dirty or faded piping on the seats I see it might be in the neighborhood but the 47 photos and the one I found of a 48 Custom seems to me more whitish. Can't quite grasp the idea of dark blue broadcloth and the tannish piping being together on one piece yet.

I am still in a quandary over the color of the piping and windlace.

Upholsterer and I went thru many of his sample books and found a couple of fabrics that are closer in texture to the original windlace and piping than the modern stuff I was going to use. We still can't figure out what the original color might have been. It has deteriorated so badly it could be anything from a dirty white/creme to faded gray/tan. We do agree the piping and windlace probably started out very close because they have both faded about the same amount and look similar.

We found some possibilities so he ordered some larger samples in sort of light tannish colors. Those are lighter than the modern windlace I bought but since the windlace will be right next to the headliner and pillar, still has to go with the tan headliner and pillar material. The fabrics we chose do work nicely there but even a light tannish next to dark blue broadcloth just seems so unnatural.

I can see tannish with tan broadcloth and with a stretch, maybe the green if it has a subtle pattern but not sure on blue or maroon. Can't quite figure out what Packard called the stuff to check the parts manual but Is there a chance that piping color changed and the blue or maroon broadcloth piping was different than the windlace or what was used in the other cars?

I am about as far as it gets from being color coordinated so it could just be that I am prejudiced as to what looks good together. It's a one shot deal so would like to give it a decent stab at being what Packard did. Any more info would surely be appreciated.

Howard, the few Clipper Customs that I have seen with original interiors seem to have the same piping color regardless of fabric color. The ones I have seen are not white, but more of an ivory or light cream color. No gray or tan. I hope this helps.

(o{}o)

Howard,
Not sure if the photos are helpful, but color is definitely the same for piping and windlace. To me the aged color is not even close to white, closer to tan/cream.
Mark

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Can't comment on 21st series but based on the 22nd and 23rd series Custom 8s I owned, the piping is most definitely NOT white, nor straw. Ivory isn't quite right either, a bit more tannish than Ivory. Based on how the colors show on my monitor, Mark Graber's photos show it very much as I remember it.

No help. I feel/share the pain. I got ~20 yds sitting in the closet for the 2 door plus two full hides (to replace the blue vinyl trim) plus another finished headliner that's wrong color. So you might have got off light!
This is an area that needs more research. There has got to be some info somewhere on the interior stuff. Who the suppliers were and what the fabrics were. It's too painful to go through this for the average restorer and a major expense to not get it right. PAC doesn't seem interested, you get palmed off on a roster person that doesn't have the answers either. Maybe if it was a 6 figure prewar they might care????

The upholstery in my 23rd series Custom is original. The piping and windlace and headliner are all very close to the same color (though the headliner is a bit darker), with maroon seat fabric and carpeting. I'd describe the piping/windlace color as grey to light tan. In other words, beige.

Given the choice of a slight color deviation from original and a headliner to windlace/piping mismatch, I think I'd choose the former. From a design standpoint I think it looks better to carry a single highlight color from the headliner around the interior to accentuate the seat/floor color than to have three or four different colors that are close but don't match. My opinion. But I wouldn't anguish over it too much. I don't think the original headliner matched perfectly.

I've attached a couple of pictures.