Reproduction Seat Material 1942

[Cadillac Nut]

Where can I get the correct seat material for the 1942 I am restoring?  It is the common beige colored broadcloth.  With Lebaron Bonny gone who else is doing prewar seat cloth?  I don't know if SMS goes this far back.  

[JFranklin]

Ask them.

[Cadillac Nut]

Obviously.  I'm asking if there is anyone else

[neil morse]

I was able to get SMS to match the tan Bedford Cord in my '41.  It was $149 a yard.  

 

 

 

 

Edited September 11 by neil morse (see edit history)

[neil morse]

Click on arrow in upper right hand corner to get the post about the fabric.

[drhach]

The sample that SMS sent me (that they claim is correct) is not a perfect match for my 1942. It is what Buick calls "Tan and Grey Bedford cord".

 

If you find a better resource, please let me know. I tried Bill Hirsch but he was ever further off the mark than SMS.

 

I've wondered if there may be some sort of "small run" artisan fabric company in the U.S. who would be able to reproduce this. I know that Bedford cord is commonly made in England. That's where Bill Hirsch sources it. But I haven't been able to locate a specific resource. 

 

All of the samples that I've seen have laser straight lines in them, my pattern is somewhat wavy in appearance. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mark Shaw]

Your material may have been wet at some time and dried in that wavy pattern?

[neil morse]

39 minutes ago, Mark Shaw said:

Your material may have been wet at some time and dried in that wavy pattern?

I actually don't think that's the case.  Dan ( @drhach ) and I had a DM conversation about this topic recently, and we concluded that the "wavy" pattern is, in fact, what the "tan and gray" Bedford Cord (Code 900) looked like from the factory.  We based this conclusion on two things: (1) a photo posted by @Grant Z of the original fabric on his '41 coupe, and (2) a photo that Dan had of a sample from an original '41 upholstery sample book.  The samples looked identical, and in both cases had the wavy lines.  However, I think it is only the "tan and gray" Bedford Cord that had this characteristic.  I believe that both the "tan Bedford Cord (2-tone)" (Code 903) and the "gray Bedford Cord (2-tone)" (Code 905) had straight lines like the fabric on my seats, as shown in the photo above.

 

Here's a further kicker.  Cadillac Nut mentions that his car has the "common beige colored broadcloth," not Bedford Cord.  I see in Anderson's "Restoration Facts" book that another fabric choice, called "Tan Canada Cloth," is listed as Code 902.  Would this be the "beige colored broadcloth?"  If someone out there has one of those upholstery sample books, it would be a huge help to us!

[drhach]

Anyone can correct me if I'm off base here. I think if you use the SMS stuff, nobody at an AACA function will say you're wrong. But you may be wrong  

 

This is what Neil is referring to. I found a picture of a 1942 Buick Interior fabric book (Faxon Literature). It happened to be opened to the page for my interior. I wish I could have bought it, but it was already sold. The picture is still posted on their website (faxonautoliterature.com/1942-Buick-Color-Upholstery-Dealer-Album-Original)

 

 

 

Edited September 11 by drhach (see edit history)

[Cadillac Nut]

Thanks everyone very helpful. I will take photos of what is there, cut a sample from a clean area (if I can find one), that should help.

[drhach]

I've been doing some searching and I may have a line on a person who does small run fabric weaving. They have a setup fee, but after that, their prices are not too far off from SMS. We'll see what comes of it. 

 

Regards,

Dan