Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Believe me, it is shiny compared to the original fabrics used by the factory on the Patrician. In 1956, there were few synthetics and for seat bolsters, Packard used a very tasteful and understated fabric of mostly natural fibers. Just as in clothes, you can't beat the look of natural fabrics. The "hand" of the fabric is also wrong on this car; it has too much pile; this was fine for Olds 98's of the seventies...but not for Packard in 1955! A car-to-car comparison would demonstrate this without a doubt.

One does wonder what the restorer had in mind when selecting velour. My guess is that the owner took it to the local upholstery shop and looked thru the books of modern fabrics after the upholsterer (wrongly) informed him that there's 'No way' to find 60 year old fabric. A case of misinformation on the part of the upholsterer and a lack of Sherlocking on the part of the Packarder. That's what you get when 2 people with a lack of classic car experience do business.

Reupholstery is a fairly straightforward fix (when correct material is correctly installed). However, what would concern me more is the naivete of the owner in performing other restoration and routine maintenance, that's harder to see and usually a lot harder to fix.

When buying an old car, one must be vigilant to cues like this, and maybe more importantly, what they suggest about the the stuff not seen, and the overall integrity of the vehicle. Depending on one's needs (and personality!), some things are acceptable, and others are a clear warning sign of things to come.

Since the biggest cost in interior work is generally labor, it is particularly dim to save by using cheap shiny velour.

Many fifties cars are difficult to do correctly (didn't Patricians normally use patterned inserts?) because nylon and rayon multicolor and patterns were used, and SMS is particularly good at those. For broadcloth and Bedford Cord era stuff, wool looks right and polyblends and velours look obviously incorrect. I had great luck with Hirsch on a match.

Didn't sell, top bid was $11,088 with Reserve Not Met.

Yes, Packard used patterned inserts in 1955-56 featuring matelasses and jacquards. And yes, they had some "shine"--but tastefully so, and nothing like the upholstery fabric witnessed in the "restored" 55 Patrician of question.