1954 kaiser early special

[Tom]

I'm going to redo the seat cloth. I tried sms and didn't care for what they offered. It was a type of velour and I think that will ruin the original look.Also got a sample from original auto interiors that I liked better but it's not really correct. Is there any other places I should be looking?    Thanks,  Tom

[mbflemingkf]

Tom, Doug Pollack at SMS is alledgedly reproducing a hybrid 53/54 fabric for our cars.  I say "alledgedly" because he's been telling me this for over 4 years now.  Believe it's supposed to be a hybrid between the Luxura (53) and the Lamar (54) fabric.

A lot of people need this fabric.  Maybe if you called and spoke to him or sent an e-mail, it would help.  Then again, maybe he's stringing us all along...?   

I just hope he gets the project finished before I have my teeth in a jar on my nightstand!

[Tom]

They sent me a type of velour that kinda gives the look,my problem with it is the velour is to modern and I think it will destroy the look of originality, velour is to new looking.

[Tom]

Is the cloth in my car called luxura? It kinda looks like a very wide terry cloth.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

To this point, I have no Kaiser-Willys Sales Corporation Trade Letters identifying the various exterior colors and interior trims used on the 1954 Early Special.  If you post paint & trim numbers, I can see what I find in 1953 information.

If you check the 1953 Kaiser information in the KFOCI HANDBOOK section (Manhattan models) you may be able to determine if you have Luxura cloth or some other material to begin with.  I understand that someone in the KFOCI was supposed to be doing Luxura on their own.  Is this correct?

[Tom]

I think I posted all the info in the thread 1954 early special very rare from when I had it for sale. I have since decided to keep it.

[Tom]

I went back and looked. I think that is what it is. So if I'm going to do the inserts there isn't a lot of options ?

[dpledger]

One thing you can do is take a sample and start looking at fabric shops and online. Years ago I found a fabric at Jo Ann or some such place that was really close to the beige in the '53 Manhattan. Redid the front seats and hard to tell the difference. Only problem is that it wasn't as stiff and got wrinkly after some years. Fixed that by applying latex carpet stiffener on the back. Sometimes things do pop up in random searches

[mbflemingkf]

Automotive upholstery is NOT the same as non-automotive fabrics.  For starters, automotive upholstery is uniquely woven and finished with specialized chemicals for UV protection, to meet flammability requirements, wear, fiber elongation, color fastness, etc., etc., etc.

Just a factoid from someone who's spent 23 years in the textile industry.

While anyone can use anything they wish, just sharing "for what it's worth!"

[Gordie]

The parts list issued Feb. 1954 for the Kaiser Special Model K545 only lists sheet metal parts but has a notice inside the front cover that says:  IMPORTANT  This parts list covers only those replacement parts used exclusively in or peculiar to the 1954 Kaiser Special Model K545.  All other replacement parts are  the same as listed for the 1953 Kaiser Manhattan Model K532.

[Tom]

The vinyl is good so how many yards do I need to do front and rear cloth inserts?

[Tom]

I'm guessing no one knows

[pnw_oldmags]

These are the estimates for redoing our 1953 Kaiser Manhattan 2 Door, Your 54 Special should be very close but this is the entire interior so you will have to pick out your pieces if you are not doing the entire vehicle.  My upholstery guy did not lay it out exactly and we ended up with around a yard of each extra.
Material   in yards Required  - White Boucle   4yds,  Blue Boucle 7yds,  Bambu   8yds and Blue Luxura   3.5
yds for a total of 22.5 yards.  See the Spreadsheet below for details.

[Tom]

  Holy crap.......Where did you get Luxura ? I have been looking for what they call copper for a year !!!

[Fid]

Wow that stuff looks nice Jim!