Upholstery

[brian hood]

Can any one reccomend an upholstery supplier? I need to finish a 52 Firedome DeSoto. I need seats, headliner and carpet.

[Plymouthy Adams]

If you are looking for a pre-made kit you can install, this is going to be tough to find and the few I have seen were as, if not more expensive than a local upholester...and with the local you have samples in your hand, hopefully a portofolio of thier prior work and a honest up front price. Its a tough call either way....if you have local cruise in's or a club within your area..it would be a wise move to mingle at one event, view a few cars and inquire to the shops in the area..best job for the money...etc

[BobT-47P15]

One of the largest suppliers of old car fabrics is

Lebaron Bonney....not cheap.....http://www.lebaronbonney.com/

Don't know if they would have for your model.

Is another place called S M S.

[Uncle-Pekka]

Brian,

Send your car model, year and main colors of the upholstery to SMS Auto Fabrics and they will send you very detailed quotation with cloth samples.

My friend in Finland just bought headliner & carpets for a 1949 Dodge there.

Link:

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/

OT: I read a history of Briggs on Hemmings Classic Car (Aug.08 or some other issue out this summer...)

There was interesting cost history when they made bodies for Henry Ford:

Briggs made the complete upholstery for 1931 model A fordor sedan for 5.75 USD cost, their "margin" was 57 cents per car. Henry was a hard bargain, but in spite of this Briggs was the company who survived the depression era with smallest losses in the industry. They made negative result on one year only.

[Plymouthy Adams]

look carefully at the body tag on the later 54 model Plymouth the tag from then forward changed a tad as Chrysler now owns Briggs 100%

[Uncle-Pekka]

OT continued...

Yep,

Briggs made bodies for Chrysler already in the beginning of the 30's and all through until Chrysler bought them in early 50's.

The story was covered in "Hemmings Classic Car" volumes May '08 & June '08.

Sad epilogue was, when Chrysler took over, they destroyed the well preserved factory history archieve in 1960 - All old models, records, blueprints and photos were burnt by an order of a cost savings bean counter.

[Plymouthy Adams]

that be sad news..