JFranklin Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I am going to work on a 1924 Knight 5 passenger touring and will be doing tuck & roll pleating on the seats. Is there a formula so I can purchase the right amount? If I measure across the seat. how much extra is needed to build the pleats? Thanks for any info. I am trying to buy for the complete care but will not do the seats yet as they are in fairly good condition and I want to see if I can keep the original intact. I want to buy enough material so I can do the door panels and have the same pattern when I decide to do the seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'm not exactly sure how big a Knight is, but most touring cars of this period require 6 to 7 hides of leather. If you're talking the hides off the Nauga (vinyl), which I don't recommend, multiply that number times 3 (1 linear yard 54" fabric equals 18 square feet of leather).On the seam allowance, you can take an original seam apart and measure backing vs material. For someone who's not done upholstery work, my next statement is going to sound questionable, but I assure you it works. If you allow 5/8" (five eighths of an inch) additional cover material for each seam, sewing and fullness allowance, you'll get a nice rounded look when pleats are stuffed. I recommend leather and cotton batting stuffing. If you're thinking vinyl and foam, it'll never look right, and will negatively impact the value of the car.Good luck with your project...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrbartlett Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Whatever the quantity is, be sure to buy more than you need, because over the years you might have a rip or other damage that you want to repair. You want some left over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Thanks that is the info I was looking for. The original upholstery is both imitation leather on the doors and backside of the front seat and leather on the seats with a fairly flat long grain pattern like the top material for model A fords. This job will be in black vinyl with cotton batting. I plan to keep the seats since there are no real problems except some stitching needing redone. but I am planning to buy the same material for all. I have access to an upholstery sewing machine and some help by one more knowledgable. This will be my first job other than using a kit. If it ever gets real leather I will let a pro do it. Thanks again. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Very difficult to go take apart and re-sew original stitching if leather is brittle.....but it can be done....the extra cost of real leather will be soon forgotten, so consider that...Feel sad such a nice car will get vinyl upholstery...oh well...the angst of a trimmer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 This is the car. Note the top, it is the original that came with it. The seats my never get recovered. I had to make new kick panels and door panels so they will get covered with imitation leather as originally done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 A lot of cars did have leather seating surfaces with a vinyl like material for sides and panels, a practice that continues today.The interesting thing is that the vinyl like material probably cost as much as leather would have during that time...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I find leather much easier to work with than vinyl. Leather stretches pretty much in all directions, vinyl usually doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I agree, so I make it simple, I don't do vinyl interiors. It's not just that I don't want to do them, vinyl doesn't like me. I tried to do a custom seat for a good friend, using vinyl he supplied, and I ended up having to take it to another friend who is retired from upholstery work, so he could make it right.Had it been leather, no problem..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 So you're saying vinyl is not venile in your mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Oh no, here we go again, hijacking a thread with jokes, the kind everyone thinks are just sew-sew...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20Premier Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Can you still get leather in the long grain finish ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 You can buy different patterns and grains, I don't have a sample in hand but a long grain should be available.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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