Removable trunk interior covering

[yachtflame]

  I’m restoring a 1931 Cadillac removable trunk. The interior has a cloth type covering which looks like a cloth backed wallpaper with a small repetitive pattern. I need to replace this but can’t find a source for the material. 
 Has anyone here restored this type of trunk? I’d like to know what material you used. I’ve tried wallpaper companies but their patterns are for walls and are much too big. I’ve searched the web but mostly find steamer trunk restorations where the authors feel that the raw wood is a better interior. 
If you’ve done this before, let me know where you found and how you attached this interior covering.

Thanks.

 

Wayne

yachtflame@yahoo.com

[Mark Shaw]

Try here:

SMS Auto Fabrics - The Largest Selection of Classic Auto Interiors

 

[jdome]

Linen or muslin fabric was used for interior and exterior of trunks. Also used in carriage and wood bodied early horseless carriages too. Linen being a tighter and more uniform weave than muslin. Muslin is a heavier thread and likely a similar open weave. The process started by brushing a coat of glue on the wood and let it dry. Then lay out the material and melt it into the glue with a hot iron. Then they would brush a top coat of glue mixed with paint color. From the looks of your material I would say it may be muslin, but it didn't receive the top coat because it is normally imposable to remove in large pieces like yours.  It could also be upholstery grade burlap.  Furniture of the time as well as car seast had horsehair or other stuffing sandwiched between burlap. The individual coil springs of some cars were wrapped in burlap.  All three of these materials are available at any upholstery supplier. You may be able to walk in to a local Jo-Ann Fabric store and walk out with plain white or tan of these materials by the yard.  There is a supplier in Columbus Ohio called Fabric Farm you can view their catalog on line and buy any of these on line. They can also supply you with tools, tacks etc. I think there are Fabric Farms in other locations.  I don't think that you have a pattern in your material. I think some other material with a pattern was placed against the muslin and it blead through after 90 years. I have seen that happen.

 

Linen was the original material that was applied to bi-planes with the glue and iron-on method. A modern material is used in restoration today but by same method. You can find u-tube videos of the process.

[3macboys]

The material looks similar to what was used on canvas covered cedar stripped canoes.  I have no idea how those who restore them apply the fabric but might be worth reaching out to that world.  I've built a cedar strip but now you cover them in fiberglass and epoxy.  Actually my first though was that a painters drop cloth would be a close match but that three D pattern does have me puzzled.