Interior Suggestions??

[Phreakboy]

As I continue progress on my 47 Deluxe, I am wanting to start looking at handling the interior and am looking for some pictures / suggestions of what others have done. I want something not too far from original but I am trying to get a good idea before going and talking to an upholsterer.

 

[BobT-47P15]

I think original was light grey with some color pin stripe.     

[Plymouthy Adams]

interior is a big step in a build....I never cared much for the stock material of some of the vehicles...the fabric reminds me so much of mattress ticking...

[hi_volt]

I believe the original upholstery would have been grey cloth with pinstripes on the seating surfaces, backrests and door panels, and then maroon leatherette trim at the bottom of the door panels and seats.  If you don't want to keep it original and can afford it, leather would be nice to have.

[Dan Hiebert]

My suggestion would be original pattern(s) with your choice of color, dependent on what color the exterior of the car is.  One standard factory interior color, like our D24s' grey, are more often to compliment a wide range of factory exterior colors to keep costs down, than they are to please the most customers.  When you've got the choice and ability to do it the way you want it, I'm always a fan of interior colors that compliment and sometimes contrast the exterior color of the car.  I.e., our car is dove gray, with burgundy interior patterned off the original.

[Sam Buchanan]

Here is another non-standard red interior that retains original trim in my car, the window trim and dash appears to have been painted when the interior was installed (1980's?):

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[James_Douglas]

It would depend on the use. Is it going to be a show car only driven to shows a few times a year? If so, do it stock.  If it is going to be a daily driver, then go with leather as it holds up the best.  On the 1949 Desoto which was a point restoration, the material does not exist. So, we had to come up with something that looked correct for the period. The vinyl green part was easy, the cloth we found in a upholstery supplier that has been here in San Francisco for 50 years.  The material looks very close to one of the Imperial factory seat covers of 1950.

 

On the 1947 Desoto which we use all the time, I will be using a very good reproduction of the factory Textie Leather that SMS has. If they did not have it, I would use leather. But this way, I don't have to do the jump seats as the stuff SMS has is a match.

 

One thing. Even though it is expensive, go to Bill Hurch Jr. and get the Hogs Hair carpet. You will not regret it.

 

James 

[Sniper]

Having owned a modern factory leather car and living in west Texas I will say this, even with modern AC I would never buy another leather interior car.  Leather holds the heat.  Winter time wasn't bad as it also had seat heaters.  But summer was miserable.  Same goes for vinyl if you are think about that.

 

Now if you don't live where 100+ degree days are common then YMMV. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

I am also a fan of cloth living in the south as I do....vinyl and leather is both a bit rough, vinyl is worse than leather in my opinion.....leather doesn't melt and stick to you....lol

[Eneto-55]

About the closest match to the original mohair I've seen so far is wool suiting, but it's really too thin to use as upholstery.  I've wondered, though, if a person could double it up with a stronger fabric under it.  But thinking back, all of the cars I remember from my childhood had seat covers, to protect the mohair.  After the seat covers wore out in the family DeSoto (53), my mom made new covers out of naugahide.  Well, vinyl actually.  Coldest stuff I ever sat on in the winter, and stuck to you in the summer.  (We lived in North East Oklahoma, hot & humid.)  I don't think leather is as bad as that stuff in either season, but I'm thinking now that when I get that far, I'll look for something to kinda' match the common plaid seat covers of that time period. 

[Greg51T&CWagon]

How about using a combo of solid color and patterned wool blanket material. Woolrich sells some traditional plaids, their shadow plaid with a matching solid gray? Maybe a dyed roughout suede leather with the wool plaid inserts? 

[Andydodge]

Okay, my car isn't an original 1940 Dodge, the front seats are buckets, console is not stock nor is the steering column & wheel but the door patterns are original and so is the rear seat(not the stitching pattern tho').......I have thrown my 2 cents worth in as something to consider regarding the colours, this is all vinyl also, headlining is a beige/off white colour, as is the carpet.......regards, andyd 

[Andydodge]

Ooops............would help to attach the pics.........andyd

[Polsonator2]

Here is the interior I stitched up for mine

[normanpitkin]

This is nice.

[hansen]

My -48 Dodge

[Andydodge]

This was the 41 Plymouth Coupe I had...was done by the previous owner.........I put the 40 Frod Deluxe interior handles in it & chromed Tacho tho'.........andyd 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Andydodge

[Phreakboy]

On 2/14/2020 at 11:59 AM, Sam Buchanan said:

Here is another non-standard red interior that retains original trim in my car, the window trim and dash appears to have been painted when the interior was installed (1980's?):

 

 

 

 

I really like the look of this interior.

[Phreakboy]

23 hours ago, Sniper said:

Having owned a modern factory leather car and living in west Texas I will say this, even with modern AC I would never buy another leather interior car.  Leather holds the heat.  Winter time wasn't bad as it also had seat heaters.  But summer was miserable.  Same goes for vinyl if you are think about that.

 

Now if you don't live where 100+ degree days are common then YMMV. 

 

Our weather is high 90s generally but also very high humidity so I definitely do not want leather.

 

[Phreakboy]

11 hours ago, Andydodge said:

This was the 41 Plymouth Coupe I had...was done by the previous owner.........I put the 40 Frod Deluxe interior handles in it & chromed Tacho tho'.........andyd 

 

Very Nice