P15 Seat Upholstery Fabric - need recommendations

[mikeww1962]

Hello everyone:

Since part of the fun in this hobby is DIY, I am rebuilding the seats for my P15 SD through a night school course - or should I say courses!

I currently have them ready to upholster and have been trying to source something close to original, but so far the pinstrip style wool has been priced at $80 a yard...a bit pricey for me.

Does anyone have suggestions or alternatives? I will be starting the next course in February so have to have the fabric to sew then.....

Would like some feedback on fabrics and colour combos if you have any thoughts - I will eventually restore the car to it's original cruiser maroon colour.

Thanks in advance, Mike.

[Plymouthy Adams]

got to some fabric outlets in your area and look through their stock..you may be surprised..I got a beautiful fabric that looks just like what should be in these cars for a really good price...also places online sell fabrics of all kinds...places like Lebaron Bonney (I think that is right) will dig in your back pocket till they get the soles of your socks..so unless you have to exact..your choices are basically limited only to your search..most local upholstery shops will order you what you need regardless of whether they do your work for you..at least my local supports me in this manner

[mikeww1962]

Did you stick to a wool fabric?

[Plymouthy Adams]

..it all is in the manner of how you intend to use the vehicle as to the interior one would put in...at least in my stable..I have an outlet uptown that I can usually find a nice heavy material for upholestry...

[Eneto-55]

I went shopping with my wife recently, and she needed some things from JoAnn Fabrics. Whenever I'm in a place like that I always look for possible fabric choices, and I don't know if it is quite heavy enough, but they had a fabric they called wool suiting that looked pretty close. I think it would for sure be fine for headliner & door panels, but I'm not sure it would last on the seats.

Neto

[1955 plymouth]

I recommend SMS fabrics in Oregon. I have purchased the original print & color material for the '55 Peach Belvedere seats from here, yeah I paid for the stuff, the car is worth doing right in my opinion;)

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/

[michael.warshaw]

Lebaron bonney i what i used for my resto of my 47 coupe, stock oem color grey with red stripe 80 dollarss a yard thats the only issue!

[greg g]

Check member David Maxwell user page, he did a complete restoration of his 48 seda, and I believe he found a very close facsimile to the LB stuff for lees money. He has a link to his web page, there may still be link to that supplier.

Dave hasn't post in quite a while but I believe his information is still out there.

[Rusty O'Toole]

There should be upholsterer's supply stores in your area. They have a selection of upholstery fabrics from $15 or $20 a yard, maybe less on sale. You need 5 to 7 yards to do a typical car. Don't forget to pick up some nylon thread, regular cotton thread will not stand up in a car due to the sun exposure, your upholstery will fall apart after a few years.

For a beginner cloth is a lot more forgiving than vinyl, you can pick out the stitches and try again, vinyl is ruined if you make a mistake.

[old rat 49]

Mine will be a daily driver. Picked up 10 yards of hering bone patter (black on white) looks gray, Black headliner material and a couple of yards of black marine vinyl plus the cotton rope in two sizes for making windlace for abou $150 total at a factory outlet place off I-20 east of Atlanta when I was down there. Plan on sewing it all up on the old home sewing machine. Will disassemble old cloth for patterns. Nowhere locally to buy stuff. You can look on E bay too.

[Adam H P15 D30]

Mine will be a daily driver. Picked up 10 yards of hering bone patter (black on white) looks gray, Black headliner material and a couple of yards of black marine vinyl plus the cotton rope in two sizes for making windlace for abou $150 total at a factory outlet place off I-20 east of Atlanta when I was down there. Plan on sewing it all up on the old home sewing machine. Will disassemble old cloth for patterns. Nowhere locally to buy stuff. You can look on E bay too.

If you want the windlace to lay straight and not wobble make sure to cut the upholstry on the "bias" or at an angle across the bolt. It uses more material but the windlace will lay a lot nicer. Don't ask how I know this.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Adam H P15 D30

[Rusty O'Toole]

"Will disassemble old cloth for patterns. "

Not a good idea. The old material will be shrunk and stretched in different directions.

You need to develop new patterns using butcher paper or wrapping paper off the seats themselves. Any good book on upholstery will show you how, you can pick up the books for free at the library.

Another good method is to make the pattern for one side, then fold it over and trace the other side so both sides are the same.

[bobostski]

I reupholstered the car myself and used the old material as patterns and had no problems. I used cotton velvet for the head liner and had a problem of it stretching when it was installed. When I got to the front I had about 2 inches of too much fabric. I still looked ok. Next time I do a head liner I’m going to make the measurement from front to back about 1/4 inches smaller at each seam to allow for stretching.

I had fun with my car and created a "Stock Rod". The car is totally stock except for paint color (yellow) and fabric. I pleated the seats just like the origanal pattern but also added buttons to the seat backs. Total interior (seats, door panels, and headliner) cost about $125 with my labor. It wasn’t that hard to sew or install so go for it.

If you’re going for a 100 point show car get a professional and pay the bucks.