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Hi everyone i appreciate the advice and i will make sure i understand any work being done before i sign on the dotted line. For me, i like the pattern on the seats. For my first time through i am looking at this as a nice car i can drive on a sunny day with the top down. i have no illusions of a perfect period piece. So i hope there is no offense taken but i do have a budget in mind and this is a solid car i can make nice and enjoy.

with your goal in mind, have you considered a set of period look seat covers? Budget-friendly and functional. There is a danger in an incorrect interior of spending 50% of the cost and getting 15% of the value as far as resale. Either way, have fun.

If you have the time and want to dream about a perfect interior someday and know what it would cost for the materials alone, it might be worth finding out if you can even get the original materials to do it. Fill out an inquiry form for SMS and see if Doug has or can make the material.
smsautofabrics.com/pages/jobs

In the meantime, you could keep searching online for a vinyl reasonable facsimile seat cover, probably cheapest option. A good vinyl is very durable.

If your upholsterer can use vinyl and a modern fabric with a similar design to the original in appropriate colors (this is one advantage with SMS in that they have a huge library of the original showroom books with sample fabrics that were used for customers to choose interiors), and your guy will do it for $2,500, that may be the best option.

i debated replying to this. So i waited a few days to calm myself. Why do you feel it is within your rights to denigrate other peoples vehicles? A disappointing one year anomaly.
Well i like the car, and think it is worth reworking. If that is offensive to you please keep your opinons to yourself.

Not denigrating the 1951 250 Convertible, they are a fine car as are all Packards of those years. My comment was directed toward only management's poor choice of materials to finish the interior for the 1951 250 Mayfair and Convertible. I am not alone realizing this unfortunate choice on their part.

Fortunately, now as folks restore these cars, they can correct this error in judgement with quality leather and cloth choices which is perfectly understandable since one wants to do the best job possible for the restoration. Good luck with your restoration project, we'll be following your progress with interest.

Steve

Hey Scotty Jim 62,

It always 'hurts' when we hear less-than remarks about our cars. I have a '39 Six, which is a very plain-Jane, entry level Packard, and I have heard it/them called everything from 'the cheap one' to finding an article in a magazine that essentially cited the 6 cylinder cars as being responsible for the demise of Packard! Boy, doesn't THAT bolster pride of ownership!!! I 'get it' that you like your car, as I do mine, but there are certain immutable facts surrounding all the model year offerings that, while sometimes not being particularly complimentary to the car we happen to own, are nonetheless realistic and true. I would bet my last dollar that there was zero malice or denigration intended in the poster's remarks, just a 'thems-the-facts' comment on that particular year and model. You shouldn't take that personally. Packard Info is an extremely open, helpful, friendly and inclusive site that is virtually void of snobbery and elitism and I am sure I speak for everyone, when I say I hope you will continue to post here and share your Packard journey with us, and I think you will find it to be a most helpful and valuable resource. Chris.

Amen to Chris' assurances, ScottyJim.

You might check out what Naugahyde has to offer. Besides the faux leather, they have a Casablanca series that resembles the plastic weave, but is far more durable.

naugahyde.com/catalog/

In 1961 making $1.65/hour at my summer job, I managed to save $325 to pay for reupholstering my Packard in black Naugahyde. Seats, doors, kick panels, everything. It was Premier-grade with a top layer of leather-grain vinyl, about an 1/8" of integral black foam rubber, and a white fabric backing. The job was so cheap that they just put it on top of the existing leather.

It looked great to me as a kid and was amazingly durable as I eventually had piles of kids climbing all over it without a worry. It was on there for at least 35 years and still cleaned up like new with ArmorAll.

When my grown son and I took the car apart for restoration, there was the original leather under the Naugahyde. It was all cracked with chucks flaked off, but it provided the perfect pattern for the new leather, types of stitching, spacing, etc.

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Good Morning...a friend of mine, remarking on Miss Prudence's design...pointed out that his first wife had wonderful lines, however was trouble much of the time. He current wife is a bit plump, however she is delightful, and that is how I feel about Miss Prudence! She might not be the most beautiful Packard, but she is reliable and delightful...much like a great breakfast of ham and eggs...Ernie in Arizona!