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I'm going to pull my interior so I can work on it over the winter.

The seats will be dismantled and the panels that are coming apart will be replaced, along with the foam and piping. I'm hoping to reuse the rest of the fabric, which will get cleaned and redyed. Then everything gets restitched and reassembled.

I'm hoping to be able to lighten the rust stains on the door panels some more, and then add a bit more colour back to them. Recovering the arm rests is also on the list.

Carpet is also coming out and will be cleaned, stretched and the binding replaced. This will also give me a good chance to fully clean, inspect and paint the floor boards as well.

Packard talks about upholstery tint to restore faded fabric, does anyone have any experience with this?

The headliner is in great condition, other than it has faded from grey to light brown. I'm a bit hesitant to even consider doing anything to it.

Also what are things to know when removing door panels, door handles, window cranks, etc?

I would be happy to hear any advice you have to share that will help with these projects.

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For the handle removal, on pre-1955 Packard handles, they are held in by a pin. There is a special tool (still available) that would help but it's not absolutely necessary and the pins are a slip fit so without the tool, simply press the escutcheon and door panel away from the handle and look in the gap about 90 degrees to the handle or crank. You'll see the pin which should easily push out. Although I've done it by myself in the past before getting the tool, without the tool it is easier with a second pair of hands.

This photo is from eBay but seems homemade and rather expeensive compared to the one I bought years ago from J.C. Whitney!

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I use an awl to push the pin out enough to grab the other end with a pair of needle nose pliers. Also the awl can hold everything in place. Which is handy on reassembly.

I've done that too although I used a small drift punch rather than an awl. I also laid a screw across the gap to hold it open so as to not need the extra pair of hands.

Thank you, those are some good tips for removing handles.

Anyone have a picture of what I'm dealing with for the clips that hold the panel onto the door?

These are for Ford but look almost exactly like those used on Packards and were a standard item on cars for a good many years. To release them, simply pull the panel away using a putty knife or even a wide screw driver near each clip to avoid breaking the backing board.

Some of the 'aging' may be removed when the cloth is cleaned but the dye, itself, is faded(UV). You can see the difference between those unexposed to sunlight under the trim and the exposed. The cloth itself maybe damaged/weakened and may not stand up to repair restitching, stretching, etc. As that's why it's coming apart. Nylons, early synthetics, etc. woven in.
I suspect even the 'good' parts are dirty. Cloth acts like a filter and traps particulate well.

I suspect if you want to reuse the old fabric it'd all have to be dyed the same otherwise, you'll have a 'multi-hued' interior.
I suspect the factory stuff was meant for spot touch-up and not the whole interior.
They sell spray fabric & vinyl dyes, which I've used and can hide bad spots but finding the right color here and blending maybe a problem.
Iron stain will come out with a citric acid solution. May have to blot/soak, then rinse. Rust stain is a sign that some corrosion is going on behind the panel, moisture issue, so you'll need to address that as it'll re-appear. They used a tar paper like barrier back then which doesn't survive and they were designed to leak in and drain out, make sure the bottom door drains are open. I'd use a modern moisture membrane under the door panels going back. Gets taped to the door not the panel. Poke/cut holes at the handle penetrations.
The main issue is most of these are wool/blends, aka broad cloth and may shrink if you water wash them without stretching. They may then look good but no longer fit or be thin. Be careful cleaning you might cause yourself a whole new interior job. Dry cleaning is best, but expensive & not DIY. Steaming may help. I usually use the spray foam type interior cleaners on fabrics and leave in place for that reason. Like all restoration you want to start mild and progress as needed. Frankly, if it's that good, I'd leave it be, put a seat cover on the bad ones. Respect it's age. Eyes are drawn to defects, so that's all what you see not the overall appearance of a stately survivor. Consult a detail shop first and save yourself some work. If you want it looking A-1, then a full new interior is best for the next 70.

Thanks Jim!

Now that I have the seats out and have had a closer look, I think you're right, the old fabric is not going to be up to the task if we want to use the car, which we do. So new fabric for the seats and to get rid of the "old car" smell I suspect I'll need to replace everything in the seats.

Good idea about putting the barrier on the doors, I'll plan on that.

The rust stains are of course where there is metal trim, which I've noticed is not finished on the inside. I suppose at some point their has been a bit of condensation which has caused the rusting. I'll clean these up and paint the back side to prevent this in the future. I just did this on my windshield trim when I replace my windshield.

I would like to give it a quick clean, cover the seats and keep it as is, but the seats are falling apart, which won't do for a driver. I will get the correct fabric from SMS for the seats, pricey, but I don't want the interior looking like it's from the 70's.

Old headliners seem to decay more than other upholstery. Disturbing them may cause nap to shed or the material to tear or both. Any cloth upholstery that is 60 + years old is probably not going to respond well to being disturbed beyond a very careful vacuuming. Most pre-1965 cars were smoked in, and the upholstery contains smoke residue as well as dust, pollen, etc. Old fabric is usually far more fragile than it was originally, and cloth interiors faded after just a few years, and much sooner than that if exposed to much sunlight.

My headliner, other than it's brown now instead of grey, is in great condition, so I have no intentions of touching it. I think I would be sorry.

The seats and floor need some help so the car can be used as a driver.