The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Spanish Grain from JC

Just a heads up if your thinking bout ordering upholstery!
I ordered an upholstery kit from Chev’s of the 40’s and got it today. Big disappointment!!! Even though I asked the sales person about the grain, the fabric is almost smooth, oh it has a grain imprinted on it but its very weak, like what you might see on a cheap piece of furniture or bar stool at Walmart. I had them send the better door panels also which were supposed to match the fabric, The cardboard in the Wheaties box would look just as good if I painted it. It does have a vary faint grain embossed into it but you have to look real close to see it. Pretty sure I’m gonna send this stuff back.
I called Carter and she said they have the same vinyl material in the cheaper line and then they have a heavier pattern they call Spanish Grain. From her description, that sounds like what I have in my ’50, 3604. The grain is very pronounced even on the door panels. JC said they can send a sample of the Spanish Grain, I wish I would have asked for a sample in the first place.
Buyer beware!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Just finished installing interior kit in my 1938 HC from Hampton Coach. Couldn't be more pleased with quality. Kinda' pricey tho'..

Denny,
I just received the kit from JC and appearance wise I'm happy with it. Very pronounced grain and seems to match well to a few ragged swatches of original material I have. Haven't installed it yet so I can't comment on fit, hopefully by next week I'll get it on my springs.

Bob

I too ordered Spanish Grain seat covers, and matching door panels from JC. The grain and color is an exact match to the original. The seat cover is great, but be cautious about the door panels. After three days in the truck the vinyl pulled away from the pastenoard backing. After a number of phone calls and emails I was told they were having problems with the glue on the door panels, and had recieved numerous complaints. They said they would contact me after the problem was solved. That was last year.

I'd like to take a look at them Bob, maybe we could arrange something. Right now I’m waiting for a sample from JC but I don’t want to wait on the return to long.
Man I hate this, I already got stiffed $17.00 for the shipping now I’m gonna get another bill for $17.00 to send it back to Chevs of the 40’s all based on what the sales person told me. By the time I order another set from JC I’ll have fifty bucks in shipping for a $150 item. Ya know we really should be giving people a heads up on this kind of stuff. The vendors won’t give you a straight answer as to the quality of the product so it’s really up to us to get these reports out in the open.
Jimmie, now ya got me wondering if I should get the door panels from JC or not. What did you end up doing with the ones you got??? Is it practical to re-glue them with 3m upholstery glue?
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Okee Dokee, For those that are suffering through the upholstery choice like I've been for the last few months, I got a little concrete information for ya.
If you have an AD truck with brown upholstery that has a very pronounced grain to it, then I think I've found the correct answer. I just received samples from Jim Carter of their Spanish Grain and their Grained Vinyl. The Spanish Grain is a very close match to the original texture, not perfect but very close. So close that it is very hard to notice the difference unless they are side by side and I doubt if a judge could tell the difference. The Grained Vinyl pattern is way to smooth, more like the material one would find on a soft Naugahide sofa.
So Monday morning I'm calling Chevs of the 40's for an authorization number to return the set of seat covers and matching cardboard door panels, that they have billed as "Original" when in reality they are the same as the Grained Vinyl that JC offers.
Hope this helps out with your decision as to what set you want for your restoration.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

thanks denny! i've replaced my door panels with the "original" panels and was disappointed when i got them (form a local source).

i'll beat these up for a while and order another set in the mean time to replace these at a later date.

thanks again!

Denny, I tried to reglue the vinyl useing several adhesives, and none worked. I talked to a local upholstery shop owner. He told me to use a special glue that he carries. It is rather expensive at 10 bucks for less than 8 oz. He maintanes that this glue will stick to the oils used in making vinyl. I don't recall the name of the glue, but any fabric store that has automotive fabric should have it. I have not tried this glue so I cannot attest to its effectiveness. I just keep pushing the vinyl back up under the trim around the door panel. Jimmie.

I believe the glue that *will* work is High Temp Adhesive ... anything else in interiors *never* holds.

You can buy a can HERE

Think I'll give that a try Alan. I used 3m 77 to laminate a perforated naugahide headliner once about 20 years ago in a 68 Ford pickup and it looked great. They sold it to me at the same auto upholstery shop that I bought the headliner material at. But after a few weeks in the hot sun it was peeling and sagging all over. Every time I got into the truck for 5years after that I had to push the headliner up out of the way before I hit the road.
I see now on the 3m 77 can that they say, not for vinyl or automotive headliners.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,

Did you receive the seat material from JC? If you did can you send me a small sample? I'll send you half of the sample I received from SMS Interiors.

Just picked up a large (19oz)can of 3m #08090 Super Trim Adhesive from Farm & Fleet last weekend. It says; Designed for vinyl tops, heavyweight headliners and hood silencer pads, where high strength and heat resistant are needed.

It also recomends 3m #08088 General Trim Adhesive for lightweight headliners, or other lightweight materials such as; cloth backed flexible vinyl, foams, insulation and fabrics.

Alan gave us a link for the Performance Products "High Temp Trim Spray Adhesive" but if you can't find that in your area the 3m products may be a little easyer to comeby and I'll bet they will find just as good.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL