interior redo - 1940 Buick - removal process not kind old material that everything was nailed/stapled - modern glues a replacement?

[resto40]

stripped out a 1940 Buick 4 door sedan...a boat load of nails and staples...the process was not kind to the 83 year old material that everything was nailed/stapled "into"...is that material availsble?/ Any one know if modern glues an such can be used in place of nails/staples? All info welcome and TKS

[Rusty_OToole]

What kind of material? Many 40s cars had a kind of rope made of twisted brown Kraft paper. Never heard of it wearing out. There may be a cardboard type tacking strip available from upholstery suppliers. The usual procedure is to staple new material to the old tacking strip. Using tacks only where staples won't work. Some have used Velcro strips  to hold door panels in place. Only use glue where it was used originally.

You might also cut strips of soft wood like pine to take the place of the old stuff. But, as I said, never heard of it wearing out before.

[Bloo]

Some GM cars had material that resembled impregnated cardboard. In a pinch I would use wood like @Rusty_OToole suggested.

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Bloo (see edit history)

[marcapra]

I remember back around 1980 I used to visit my brother who was sharing a house in Pacific Beach with a few friends.  One of them owned a 1940 Chevrolet sedan (not running) parked in the back of the house.  I used to go sit in that car and enjoy the old car smell, while I thought about going back in time to that era.  My first car, a 1950 Chrysler Windsor, had that same smell.  Is that smell the smell of rotting wool?  I've never smelled that fragrance in a vinyl or leather upholstered car.  The upholstery job on these old cars was just stunning.  Hard to duplicate today I would assume.  

[Rusty_OToole]

Wool upholstery material, cotton padding, maybe a little mouse smell in the background, and a hint of blowby.

[60FlatTop]

Cardboard upholstery tack strip is is readily available. 1/2" is most common.

[Bloo]

3 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

Cardboard upholstery tack strip is is readily available. 1/2" is most common.

Do you mean a strip with tacks (to invisibly hold down an edge) or do you mean cardboard stock about 1/2" square (to be captured in a cavity in the body to to tack or staple to)? When I was doing this kind of work in the early 80s the former was available everywhere. The latter I never saw.

 

[marcapra]

10 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

Wool upholstery material, cotton padding, maybe a little mouse smell in the background, and a hint of blowby.

sounds good, but you can delete the mouse smell please!

[Bloo]

 

[Bloo]

On 7/31/2023 at 3:40 PM, resto40 said:

Any one know if modern glues an such can be used in place of nails/staples?

Not really. In the past glues have been fairly worthless for edges. Its OK for folded over edges on door panels and stuff like that. Tacked edges generally are in places (like headliners) where you need to adjust the exact tension and then tack or staple it down. You'd never get a good look with glue even if it would work. Glues might be better now than when I was doing this (1980s) but you would still need to tack or staple for the same reason. Welcome to the forum!