The Ford Barn

SoCalCoupe · 07-19-2023, 09:08 PM

My car is a '41 Ford Special, not a Deluxe or Super Deluxe. It was the strippo model that year like the Standard in previous years. There weren't very many made. According to the Early Ford V8 Club "green book," the seat fabric is something totally different than the Deluxe or Super Deluxe.

I've looked through stacks of catalogs and spent hours on the internet looking for a source for that fabric. As far a I can tell, no one makes, or ever has made, an upholstery kit for a '41 Ford Special.

Does anyone know of a source?

My car is relatively unmolested and I'd like to make it right if I could. On the other hand, even though they're relatively rare, they don't seem to be worth any more than a Deluxe or Super Deluxe. In other words, I'd spend A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, but not crazy money for that '41 upholstery kit. Whatever I'd spend would go down a rat hole never to be seen again.

fordor41 · 07-19-2023, 10:09 PM

could try Cartouche auto interiors. they were part of Echlers but don't know status now.

Bruce_MO · 07-20-2023, 01:28 PM

You can try SMS in Oregon. They have lots of fabric types. They just furnished my cloth for my ‘46 Mercury. Just be advised that it might take a long time. I waited 8 months (they initially told me 2-3 weeks). They were out, and I had to wait for them to weave new material. And they gave me lots of bogus ship dates over the months that I waited. But they eventually came thru on a hard to find material, and the quality is great.

SoCalCoupe · 07-20-2023, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce_MO

You can try SMS in Oregon. They have lots of fabric types. They just furnished my cloth for my ‘46 Mercury. Just be advised that it might take a long time. I waited 8 months (they initially told me 2-3 weeks). They were out, and I had to wait for them to weave new material. And they gave me lots of bogus ship dates over the months that I waited. But they eventually came thru on a hard to find material, and the quality is great.

That's interesting. Haven't heard of them. Custom woven. Sounds expensive.

v8fordman · 07-20-2023, 09:14 PM

WARNING!!! Don’t even think about SMS. They told me they had the fabric in stock. I sent them the money. Over a year later, after hearing they were having the material made, then it didn’t meet their quality and multiple phone calls, I finally got my money back. Do a google search on them with reviews.

mhsprecher · 07-20-2023, 10:27 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Cartouche is no more. Ecklers shut them down.

slowforty · 07-21-2023, 12:23 PM

My upholstery guy use some fabric from an late 80s Ford Taurus. Looks close and is resonable.

52flthed · 07-26-2023, 07:18 PM

Well what IS the fabric? Is it a velour, a wool, a twill? Do you have any reference to go by like the existing fabric.?

I love the car cloth from the 30's and 40's. In my old truck because I dont like vinyl I went with real Wool Broadcloth. Which is the type of wool that was used for decades across all car brands of this era. Its breathable comfortable and looks and wears great. It's tough as nails and looks very authentic.

Believe it or not I had mine imported from very old woolen mill in England thats been making this stuff for 300 years, and it wasn't expensive. It was cheaper having it imported or the same price as the poor quality wool Cartouche was selling at the time.

A.W. Hainsworth is the name, it's a really big company with many different markets. They supply the red wool uniforms you see the Royal guards wearing. If your'e interested and serious I will share my contact with them. Just PM me. I can guide you.

07-19-2023, 09:08 PM	#1
SoCalCoupe Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Point Loma, San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special My car is a '41 Ford Special, not a Deluxe or Super Deluxe. It was the strippo model that year like the Standard in previous years. There weren't very many made. According to the Early Ford V8 Club "green book," the seat fabric is something totally different than the Deluxe or Super Deluxe. I've looked through stacks of catalogs and spent hours on the internet looking for a source for that fabric. As far a I can tell, no one makes, or ever has made, an upholstery kit for a '41 Ford Special. Does anyone know of a source? My car is relatively unmolested and I'd like to make it right if I could. On the other hand, even though they're relatively rare, they don't seem to be worth any more than a Deluxe or Super Deluxe. In other words, I'd spend A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, but not crazy money for that '41 upholstery kit. Whatever I'd spend would go down a rat hole never to be seen again.

07-19-2023, 10:09 PM	#2
fordor41 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: elmira,ny Posts: 1,518	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special could try Cartouche auto interiors. they were part of Echlers but don't know status now.

07-20-2023, 01:28 PM	#3
Bruce_MO Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 433	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special You can try SMS in Oregon. They have lots of fabric types. They just furnished my cloth for my ‘46 Mercury. Just be advised that it might take a long time. I waited 8 months (they initially told me 2-3 weeks). They were out, and I had to wait for them to weave new material. And they gave me lots of bogus ship dates over the months that I waited. But they eventually came thru on a hard to find material, and the quality is great.

07-20-2023, 09:14 PM	#5
v8fordman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lexington, NC Posts: 861	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special WARNING!!! Don’t even think about SMS. They told me they had the fabric in stock. I sent them the money. Over a year later, after hearing they were having the material made, then it didn’t meet their quality and multiple phone calls, I finally got my money back. Do a google search on them with reviews.

07-20-2023, 10:27 PM	#6
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Cartouche is no more. Ecklers shut them down. __________________ 1924 Model T Coupe 1928 Model A Roadster 1930 Model A Town Sedan 1939 Deluxe Fordor 1945 pickup 1951 Custom convertible

07-21-2023, 12:23 PM	#7
slowforty Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tinley Park Ill Posts: 1,062	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special My upholstery guy use some fabric from an late 80s Ford Taurus. Looks close and is resonable.

07-26-2023, 07:18 PM	#8
52flthed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Posts: 175	Re: Source of Seat Fabric for a 1941 Ford Special Well what IS the fabric? Is it a velour, a wool, a twill? Do you have any reference to go by like the existing fabric.? I love the car cloth from the 30's and 40's. In my old truck because I dont like vinyl I went with real Wool Broadcloth. Which is the type of wool that was used for decades across all car brands of this era. Its breathable comfortable and looks and wears great. It's tough as nails and looks very authentic. Believe it or not I had mine imported from very old woolen mill in England thats been making this stuff for 300 years, and it wasn't expensive. It was cheaper having it imported or the same price as the poor quality wool Cartouche was selling at the time. A.W. Hainsworth is the name, it's a really big company with many different markets. They supply the red wool uniforms you see the Royal guards wearing. If your'e interested and serious I will share my contact with them. Just PM me. I can guide you.