Where can I get Door Panels for my 1947 Convertible?

[sfox77]

Does anyone know where I can get the right and left door panels for my 1947 Cadillac convertible (series 6267)? Somehow the got lost along the way.

Thanks for any help
Steve Fox

[Steve Passmore]

Cant say Iv ever seen them advertised, a decent trim shop would knock them up, Iv made dozens over the years. Problem is if just the doors cards are new they will show up the rest of the interior as they would be bright new leather.

[sfox77]

Thanks. Don't worry about that. The whole interior will need to be new leather. I think I found an upholstery shop that can replicate them. Do you think they can do that without a pattern?

Steve Fox

[Steve Passmore]

Not unless they are very familiar with 47 convertible interiors. Iv always found it best to scan the Internet for interior shots and use these as a guide, or get a helpful club member to take pictures for reference to give the trimmers.  Heres a couple of pictures I have.
One piece of advice, if your planning to re trim the whole car, even at some point in the future, buy all the leather you will need at the same time, chances of matching the exact dye at a later date are fraught with problems.

[Bill Ingler #7799]

Hi Steve: Cadillac in 46 and 47 did not offer a full leather interior for the convert. It wasn`t until 48 that you could get full leather. In 46-47 the choice was either an all tan or gray Bedford cord interior or only tan Bedford cord and leather. Seat bottoms and seat backs had full leather with backs of the front seat in tan Bedford cord. Door panels were tan Bedford cord with only the arm rest in leather. Rear quarter panels were tan Bedford cord with only a small portion of the panel around the top cylinder finished in leather.
If you want your car as it came form the factory then your trim shop will need pictures of the interior of a convert with Bedford and leather. I chose, as many other 47 convert owners have done, to make the interior all leather. I drove my car for many years before a full restoration and I was always cleaning the tan Bedford cord and I could never get the water stains out of the Bedford cord.  I now have a full leather interior. If you do go all leather, email me direct and I will send you pictures. I also have pictures of the interior done in Bedford and leather.       Bill

[Paul Tesone]

Steve - let me give you this name & number before I give you some thoughts : Jenkins Restorations ( Hill Jenkins) - North Wilkesboro, NC - 336-667-4282 . I recently went through this process with my 47 convertible . Go to the "Restoration" section of this Forum , scroll down to "1947 convertible" on 2/24/12 and you can find some progress pictures. I haven't posted the final pictures yet because I wanted some with the boot in place and it hasn't been made yet . But the interior is in, and I'll attach those photos here . First of all , I see that Bill Ingler has already responded to your question . Keep his name and contact info . He is a wealth of information and has many photos . I have picked his brain and tapped into his photos multiple times during my restoration process ; and both he and his photos have been very helpful . Thanks again , Bill . So here's my take on this interior restoration : When I bought my car , it came with an obviously incorrect interior , The seats were vinyl and the Bedford Cord was not real Bedford Cord . This didn't bother me so much because I knew the correct material was available . What did concern me was the material used on the backs of the front seats . As Bill mentioned above , it is generally accepted that the seat backs are supposed to be covered with Bedford Cord . BUT , mine had what appeared to be leather or leather -looking vinyl coverings ( photos #1 & #2 ) . These coverings certainly appeared original - in contrast with the rest of the interior . I was confused because , as I said , it is generally accepted that the material should be Bedford Cord . To add more confusion to my plans , I found a 47 convertible that appeared unrestored that also had the same material on the seat backs as my car did ( photos #3 &  #4 ) ,as well as apparently unrestored 47's with Bedford Cord  ( photo #5 ) . I agonized over what to do , but finally caved in to peer pressure and used Bedford Cord . I really like the way it looks ; but Bill is correct about how easily this material will stain . Leather seems much more practical , but I was concerned about originality . So which is correct ?? I don't know for sure . If you ask Jenkins - who many consider the guru of 47 interior restorations - he will tell you that you could have ordered the interior either way . More about that later .  So I sent Jenkins my front seat backs so he could do the upholstering and got the rest of the interior in kit form ( pictures attached ). I also sent him my door panels figuring he would use them and apply the Bedford Cord . He didn't use them . Instead , he gave me a new door panel made from scratch . So I'm sure he can provide you with your missing panels . The panels he gave me didn't quite line up with the window switches so a small alteration by my restorer was necessary ( I think on the metal of the door ) . Back to Jenkins for a moment . I'm not sure if he is considered the guru because he actually knows everything there is to know about these interiors and his information is accurate , or if he has earned his reputation because he has produced so many of these interiors that his product has now become the standard in many people's eyes . What I can tell you is that he has the correct patterns and I have found his workmanship to be very good . He's not cheap , but I feel that he does put out an excellent product . Now , about the leather and Bedford cord samples you may request from Jenkins . I didn't like the color or texture of the leather, or the color of his Bedford Cord . So I chose leather and Bedford Cord from other companies and sent them to Jenkins to use for my kit . He was more than willing to do that . In fact , he was very easy to work with through the entire process . So my message is , if you're concerned about correct patterns , Jenkins has them ; and I have been very happy with his product ( photos #6,7,8,9 ). As Bill said , you have to decide on leather or Bedford Cord . If you plan to let your upholsterer do your car and you want dimensions such as plete widths , let me know . Good luck , and post some photos when you are done . Paul Tesone CLC #6876 .

[Paul Tesone]

Steve -photos of Jenkins interior kit ...P Tesone CLC #6876

[Paul Tesone]

Steve - last photos - good luck ...P Tesone CLC #6876

[Bill Ingler #7799]

Steve: Unless I was completely satisfied in your local upholsterer to give you what is correct then I would certainly go with Paul`s suggestion of Jenkins for the whole upholstery kit.

Paul: What kind of material did Jenkins supply you for the lining of the top well? I find no reference to any top well material in my 1948 Cadillac Master Parts Book nor have I every seen an original 47 top well. I have been told it was lined with the same material as used on the top but only in black. Others have said it was a vinyl material. I used the same leather that I used for the seats. I know this was not correct but so was my all leather interior not correct. So what is correct and where did you find an answer?   Thanks   Bill

[Paul Tesone]

Steve & Bill - Regarding the top well lining material : I never did order a top or well lining material from Jenkins or anyone else . I had my restorer put back the top that was on the car when I bought it . It was a replacement top that I felt it was in pretty good shape, and just wanted to get the project finished without starting something new .  After the top was put back on , I was told that the car didn't have a well lining . I can't imagine why my restorer didn't put one in while he was replacing the top , but he didn't . He told me it would be somewhat involved to put the well material in now that the top was on , so I told him I would live without it - until recently that is . The car was entered for judging in a couple of shows this past summer . It scored well in all catagories except - you guessed it - the convertible top . The judges clearly didn't have the same feeling about the top that I did . In fairness to them , they were correct . The top has shrunk along the side rails and it has a spot or two on it . So I'm having the top replaced this winter and I'll get the well lined at the same time. I hadn't looked into what material and color is correct  until this morning when I read Bill's question . My 1957 master parts book has that information listed under Group 36.0020 , but the listings do not go back to 1947 . My 1947 parts book does not have a Group 36 section . So I'll have to do a little research which will include calling Jenkins . I'll let you know what I find . Maybe Steve Passmore can tell us what he used when he restored his 37 and if he thinks it would be appropriate for the 47 . ..Paul Tesone CLC #6876

[Steve Passmore]

Wow, having never trimmed a 47 I had no idea the interior was a mixture of leather and Bedford cloth, cant say I like it for the reasons already stated by Bill but if your a trophy chaser I guess thats the way you have to go, personally Id trim in all in leather, or maybe with vinyl for the seat backs as were earlier cars but thats just me.
Cant think why they went down this road using cloth, couldn't have been post war shortages as here in the UK we were bankrupt and still trimming the whole car in hide, skins are alway available, cloth was not,  also the rear of the front seats are prone to a good kicking and along with the door cards will stain if the roof gets left down in the rain.
As for the top well material Paul my experience is thats its always been vinyl, I have never seen anything else used for these areas and with the earlier cars its always been the interior colour, but I could be proved wrong having seen those 47 interior shots LOL.
You cant be completely authentic with the top material and nor would you want to be as originally it was a one layer canvas that had to be treated regularly to make water tight, rather like we used to paint the tents we had back then, failure to do this and the tops never lasted more than a few years. 
The top material used now is classed as Mohair sometimes called Double duck here consisting of two layers of material with a rubber layer inside, this is what all the top suppliers will provide today, I wouldn't consider using anything else but there did come a time when GM started using Vinyl, certainly by the 60s so your safe enough at 1947 to use Mohair.
Colour wise you have a massive range now but I dont suppose you did in 47, I have no idea how many colours were offered then, you'll have to stick to original colours for pedantic judging.

[pauldridge]

I purchased all new door panels, for my 1940 60S, fully upholstered in Bedford Cord and leather from LeBaron Bonney last year.  I would assume they might offer these for your later model also.

I was very pleased with the fitment and quality of the work.  Not cheap, but they look first class.  I don't have a full on view of the door panels, but perhaps you can get the idea from this