Vinyl top and rust

[tbm3fan]

Thanks Will!

I'm gonna add them in my bookmarks. Maybe get a price quote for seat fabric from them, and see if they are any cheaper then SMS.

SMS sent me some fabric samples for my seats, that are very good. But I'm cheap.. Not sure if I wanna drop $800 or more in seat fabric.

Just wait till someone puts it together. My material cost $350 for the fabric to my F100. The local guy I bought it to, garage workshop, cost me $550 to sew it together to match stock. Another fellow recommended to me wanted $900 labor to do the seat. So I figure that each seat, in a car, could cost $1000 per seat minimum to redo. Which is why when I look at a car with bad seats the sellers are stunned when I tell them what I would pay minus the money for seats as a starter.

Oh, and when I did my vinyl roof I first stripped, cleaned, short hair fiberglass body filler in the seams, 2 medium wet coats of epoxy primer and then 3 coats of body color. The vinyl was supplied by my upholstery guy who did the headliner and roof at the same time. Was by him as he called around looking for the right material for the car which was around $275.

 

[monaco75]

Just wait till someone puts it together. My material cost $350 for the fabric to my F100. The local guy I bought it to, garage workshop, cost me $550 to sew it together to match stock. Another fellow recommended to me wanted $900 labor to do the seat. So I figure that each seat, in a car, could cost $1000 per seat minimum to redo. Which is why when I look at a car with bad seats the sellers are stunned when I tell them what I would pay minus the money for seats as a starter.

Thats what I'm afraid of.. I had a local guy give me an estimate to redo my headliner some years back, and I about crap my pants at the price. Could only imagine what seats would run.

 

[commando1]

A guy doing custom interiors from a ritzy area on the ocean "retired" to here in BuFu County. Still getting $40,000 interiors with a waiting list.
And the babe on his arm? Whew......

 

[bluefury361]

So I figure that each seat, in a car, could cost $1000 per seat minimum to redo. QUOTE]

Thats about right. My local trimmer has a shop rate of $100.00 per hour. Then add the material cost.
We have an estimate of $7K to do a custom interior in a current project, Seats, carpet, panels & headliner. My guess is that it will be exceded.

It's also best to do as much prep work as you can, rusted/broken seat springs, polish/plate trim pieces and things like any "metal buttons" in the upholstery will need to be refinished and reused.

Places like SMS, Original & Legendary may seem expensive on the surface but I'm glad they are there to offer the correct stuff. Nothing will degrade a nice "OEM" restoration more then an incorrect genaric interior trim job.

 

[josehf34]

Here is a vintage upholstery outlet in Michigan that has a huge inventory of original,(surplus), material. Might be worth a try.

http://originalauto.com/

Thank you for the link. I already made a quotation request for the vinyl top. When I receive news I'll post it here.

Some post ago somebody asked if the car has his own garage, yes, it has his own garage but in the day he's outside because my work parking is public so doesn't has roof. Can this affect the vinyl top?

 

[bluefury361]

Thank you for the link. I already made a quotation request for the vinyl top. When I receive news I'll post it here.

Some post ago somebody asked if the car has his own garage, yes, it has his own garage but in the day he's outside because my work parking is public so doesn't has roof. Can this affect the vinyl top?

Keep the top clean with a good dressing on it and it should be fine.

 

[polara71]

Sun ,rain and snow take a toll on a car over time...Obviously garaged is best, do what you have to do... At a four day event in the summer cars can be subjected to extreme heat and possibly a rain storm.... I dont sweat those times, its minimal.

 

[chry73luv]

SMS fabrics is great! I have used them several times and they have always been able to match my fabric and vinyl to correct factory specs. It may cost a little more but it is correct material and that is what you want if you want it back to original.

 

[bluefury361]

SMS fabrics is great! they have always been able to match my fabric and vinyl to correct factory specs. It may cost a little more but it is correct material and that is what you want if you want it back to original.

I agree ..... They are reproducing a complete set of interior panels for my 61 Fury convertible. Not cheap but as good, or better then NOS OEM.

The only issues I have with them is that they need ALL the money up front ..... Slow to produce, (at least a year), and don't communicate well. But they do come through in the end.

 

[tbm3fan]

The only issues I have with them is that they need ALL the money up front ..... Slow to produce, (at least a year), and don't communicate well. But they do come through in the end.

Which is why the gut I know refuses to buy anything from them even though I had good luck with my truck fabric and embossing.

 

[saforwardlook]

Which is why the gut I know refuses to buy anything from them even though I had good luck with my truck fabric and embossing.

You might want to give your gut some antacid it seems to me. Would you embark to reproduce some door panels at some considerable cost and effort that are actually as good as NOS or better and then at the end of the project have the intended buyer tell you they changed their mind? I suspect that is why they take your money up front. Their reputation is unparalleled in my experience and they are a valuable and important resource for our restorations. I have dealt with Original in the past as well, and they are fine also, but do not come through with what I need every time like SMS. I have been using SMS for over 20 years and the wait is always worth it. They are the best in my book.