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1937 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe Restoration Info Wanted


pint4

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I am looking for the following information regarding my 37 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe beginning restoration as I attempt to keep it as original in appearance as possible.

Interior-What is the correct material for the door panels? Front Seat? Rumble seat? Does anyone have any detailed photos they can send me showing the stitch for the door panels and seats?

Does any make a correct interior kit for a 37 Packard 120 convertible coupe?

Does any make a correct Hartz cloth convertible top kit for a 37 Packard 120 convertible coupe?

Repro hubcaps?

Book-I was told there as a 1937 Packard 120 book detailing how to restore a 120? Where might I locate a copy?

My email address is: pint4@new.rr.com

Thanks,

Bob

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No interior "kits" that I'm aware of. You can buy good quality leather in most any color from Bill Hirsch who also sells repro hubcaps and convertible tops. For a long time he had tops available in Haartz cloth - not sure if he still does. And as Mal says, the Darvin Kuehl book of 1993 is the best reference for 1935-37 junior model Packards.

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I ordered the Darvin Kuehl book off Amazon.com per Mal's recommendation. Thanks for the lead. I am looking forward to receiving it. I am still wondering about the door panel material. The seats I am told were leather but there seems to be a difference of opinion about the door panels. I am told the material was vinyl on the 120's and on the Senior series they used leather. Wondering if anyone would be able to authenticate what would be correct for the 120. I am also looking for someone who might have photos of the original stitching/design for the door panels and seats, front and rumble seat. My email address is: pint4@new.rr.com

Thanks,

Bob

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Pint4, here you go. When I purchased my car it had never been restored. The upholsterer I used copied the original patterns to make sure the car remained authentic.

post-72478-143142798259_thumb.jpg

By the way. The "arm rests" in the rumble seat area were my addition. I have seen them on Senior cars and thought they would be a nice addition to keep a passenger's skin oil off the paint, and to help the passenger if the car was hot. The 120s and 115s did not originally have them.

post-72478-143142798248_thumb.jpg

post-72478-143142798254_thumb.jpg

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Joe,

Thanks for the photos. Wow-what a beautiful interior. I love the color. I can only imagine how nice the rest of the car must be. We are still in the process of removing the body from the frame so it will be some time before we actually start on the interior. The interior shop has a long list of jobs ahead of me. I am wondering about a couple of things. Are the door panels done in leather? Some people tell me the original door panels were leather and other say they were vinyl because only Senior cars had leather door panels. What were the original ones you removed when your replaced your interior?

I know this is a big favor to ask bit would it be possible to obtain the dimensions (sketch with dimensions) for the stitching pattern and location of the buttons?

My email address is: pint4@new.rr.com. I live in Wisconsin and there doesn't seem to be a lot of 120's in this area of the country.

I can't begin to express my appreciation for your help. It has been a bit of a challenge locating folks who have 35-36-37 Packard 120's to ask questions about the car so I can remain as original as possible.

Thanks,

Bob

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Bob:

I will send you the dimensions via email. It may take me a couple of days. I believe the original door panels were leatherette (whatever that is). My door panels are vinyl, the seats are leather. I believe the toe boards are leather only because the upholsterer had extra leather left over after doing the seat and rumble seat. The package shelf is vinyl. By the way, red was an optional color for the interior. My car originally had grey interior and grey exterior paint. Living in the rainy, grey Northwest, my wife and I thought that was too much grey so we opted for the optional red interior and kept the exterior Iridium Grey.

post-72478-143142801154_thumb.jpg

Edited by packick (see edit history)
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Guest bkazmer

"leatherette" is marketing speak for vinyl

Bob:

I will send you the dimensions via email. It may take me a couple of days. I believe the original door panels were leatherette (whatever that is). My door panels are vinyl, the seats are leather. I believe the toe boards are leather only because the upholsterer had extra leather left over after doing the seat and rumble seat. The package shelf is vinyl. By the way, red was an optional color for the interior. My car originally had grey interior and grey exterior paint. Living in the rainy, grey Northwest, my wife and I thought that was too much grey so we opted for the optional red interior and kept the exterior Iridium Grey.

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Guest 1937packard

My car had original door panels and they were vinyl. The wood frame in my rumble compartment was not covered but I had it done when I redid the interior. I also had the rumble seat pleated to match the front seat and another little mod was the vertical pleats in the door panels I never liked the lines going through the window crank so dropped them down underneath it.

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My car had original door panels and they were vinyl

We often call it "vinyl" but of course it really wasn't, vinyl as we know it today was not available then. Various manufacturers called it various things, "leatherette", "imitation leather", and the like. Regardless, it was a man-made material.

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