1928 Open Top cars: Upholstery material & Top fabric

Hi, I am restoring a McLaughlin 28-25, four door standard touring and need help on the correct material for the top and seats.

Which is the correct top fabric ( cobra?) and color,where can it be procured ?

Will the seats be leather or rexine/leatherite? Another 28-25 owner has rexine at the foot well and he claims it to be original.

I tried very hard to find the correct green for the exterior,'Trail Green',and succeeded but what should be the correct upholstery color?

Please advice.

Dev

Devendra,

The top is a tan colored canvas like a Hartz or Sonnendeck Canvas not cobra. The top is not lined.

The seats are a medium brown leather as are the sides of the seating area in the backseat and the arm rests in the back. The door panels, the back of the front seat and the area on the sides under the dash are also in the matching vinyl.

The lower half of the back side of the front seat is the same carpet as the rear floor. The original carpet is a tan colored leopard skin pattern. I don't know where you could get something like that so a plain tan would do. The front floor is a rubber mat. The floor mat is not available so whatever you can find that suites you will have to do.

Dave

I'm pretty much a purist, and like original cars and methods, to the point of using tacks instead of staples when I upholster an old car.

I realize leather seats with vinyl door panels may be correct, but if it were me I'd use leather throughout. That way, things match, same color and sheen, and no one ever argues with leather....

Devendra,

The top is a tan colored canvas like a Hartz or Sonnendeck Canvas not cobra. The top is not lined.

The seats are a medium brown leather as are the sides of the seating area in the backseat and the arm rests in the back. The door panels, the back of the front seat and the area on the sides under the dash are also in the matching vinyl.

The lower half of the back side of the front seat is the same carpet as the rear floor. The original carpet is a tan colored leopard skin pattern. I don't know where you could get something like that so a plain tan would do. The front floor is a rubber mat. The floor mat is not available so whatever you can find that suites you will have to do.

Dave

Dave,

Many thanks for detailed information.

Please suggest a store for the material. I have earlier bought , for my '48 Olds & '47 Packard , from Doug Pollock of SMS. Anybody else has better quality & match?

Haartz cloth (or Stayfast) is available from Lebaron Bonney and Hirsch, to name two....I'm not a fan of Hirsch for leather, but I just bought some topping material (black on tan Stayfast) from that company, quick service and shipping....L-B sells the same stuff, I don't think they use the Haartz name in their on-line catalog for some reason....or you can contact Haartz directly for other distributors.. I did the top on a 23 touring, to do top, pads, and rear curtain, you'll end up using at least 10 yards of top material, maybe a little more depending on top length, and you'll need several yards of bowdrill so you can cut it on the bias (assuming your bows are covered). Best of luck with job!

Haartz cloth (or Stayfast) is available from Lebaron Bonney and Hirsch, to name two....I'm not a fan of Hirsch for leather, but I just bought some topping material (black on tan Stayfast) from that company, quick service and shipping....L-B sells the same stuff, I don't think they use the Haartz name in their on-line catalog for some reason....or you can contact Haartz directly for other distributors.. I did the top on a 23 touring, to do top, pads, and rear curtain, you'll end up using at least 10 yards of top material, maybe a little more depending on top length, and you'll need several yards of bowdrill so you can cut it on the bias (assuming your bows are covered). Best of luck with job!

Great ! Thanks for the input.

Now that all of you seniors have given me so much info, dare I ask two more questions...

Tan Haartz cloth for top, but there are many shades of tan, how do I know the correct one?

Light brown leather for seats, again , how do I identify the correct light brown? Also what kind of grain on leather? My limited experience says thick leather, like saddle, please correct me if wrong !

Regards,

Dev

Hi, I need help of all in identifying the color and texture/ grain of the faux leather/ Rexene from another Mclaughlin 28-25.

The owner is an old time collector of exotic cars and knowledgable gent. According to him it's an original piece which was left at the footwell.

Please look at the side,it's far brighter and so is on the edge underneath.

What is this called? Oxblood?

Please advice.

Dev

You are really going to have a hard time finding similar vinyl material. Yes, I would agree that it is a very light sheen oxblood color. Its texture is like little sand pebbles, which are raised just a bit from the base of the fabric. David Coco is correct. If you cannot find the vinyl, and it should be boat grade vinyl, then I would go with leather. Many, many kinds and grains, and colors to choose from, and good leather is really not that expensive.

I went with a Stayfast black top. Why, the tan water stains easily, which you cannot get out even with a bleach solution. I still have my tan side curtains if you want me to take a pic of them. They are of a single ply, where as I think the Stayfast material has three.

Here is my 23 McLaughlin Buick model 45 Special on its way to Hershey last Saturday.

Remember, these recommendations are just my opinion. I am sure there are many, but you have to work with the materials that are still available today. The old stuff, even from the 50s and 60s, is brittle and starting to break down. Nothing lasts forever.

Oh, David did my top. Still looks as new, but is about five years old now.

You are really going to have a hard time finding similar vinyl material. Yes, I would agree that it is a very light sheen oxblood color. Its texture is like little sand pebbles, which are raised just a bit from the base of the fabric. David Coco is correct. If you cannot find the vinyl, and it should be boat grade vinyl, then I would go with leather. Many, many kinds and grains, and colors to choose from, and good leather is really not that expensive.

I went with a Stayfast black top. Why, the tan water stains easily, which you cannot get out even with a bleach solution. I still have my tan side curtains if you want me to take a pic of them. They are of a single ply, where as I think the Stayfast material has three.

Here is my 23 McLaughlin Buick model 45 Special on its way to Hershey last Saturday.

Remember, these recommendations are just my opinion. I am sure there are many, but you have to work with the materials that are still available today. The old stuff, even from the 50s and 60s, is brittle and starting to break down. Nothing lasts forever.

Oh, David did my top. Still looks as new, but is about five years old now.

probably worth mentioning that our Holden body '26 has leather (and is original) I have also seen period reviews referring to it as well. So it may well have been an option on the Fisher cars

This site might help you in your search for the vinyl. http://www.rochfordsupply.com/product_listing.asp_Q_CatID_E_419_A_SubCatID_E_489_A_ProdID_E_3294