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Authentic Leather Seats

Started by autoluke, November 24, 2009, 11:47:08 AM

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autoluke

Looking to upholster my 41 / 62  convertible with leather.  Need some guidance regarding the grain pattern normally found in 1941.   

More specifically,  I need to decide on either a longitudinal grain, or a smooth finish.

Any input on this subject would be appreciated.

Phill
Phil Lukens

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Phil,
Get some samples from Jenkins. His are as close as it gets. HTH, Bob
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

Doug Houston

Jerry Karasinski, here in Detroit, is restoring a convertible coupe (41).  He showed me Jenkins' samples, and i don't like them. Jenkins  claims that the original texture of the leather (finish?) is a lot coarser than the finish on my convertibles, both sedan and coupe. It's also coarser than the samples in my '41 oldsmobile paint and trim sample book.

My impression of Jenkins' claims is that you'd see that leather finish on a Ford, but not on a Cadillac. When I ordered the new hides from Grden State Tanning Co., they gave me the hides that matched my original trim, and that was what I used, back in about 1970. Garden State Tanning was one of Cadillac's original suppliers for leather.

Jerry has shown me the jenkins samples, and he says that they match what he has on his car, so i can  have no dispute with it, but it just is not what was on my car(s), at all. I still have scraps of the hides, now on the convertible coupe. I don't doubt that Cadillac may have used alternate vendors for hides. Jerry's car is a pre-announcement model, while mine was built in May 1941, or so.

The door panels on the coupe were finally reupholstered two years ago. The leather part on them was smooth, and not grainy. I'm sorry that we didn't save the old pieces. they would have settled a lot of conjecture about Jenkins' claims.

Far be it for any of us, to make progound statements about how ALL of the like cars went out of the factory. I've had three '41 convertible coupes, and none of them had the coarse grain that jenkins says is correct.   I dunno; maybe it's just me......?
38-6019S
38-9039
39-9057B
41-6227D
41-6019SF
41-6229D
41-6267D
56-6267
70-DeV Conv
41-Chev 41-1167
41 Olds 41-3929

autoluke

Thank you for the two replys regarding this  question.
I have been working with Jenkins, and have decided to purchase the complete kit from him.    Although he can provide my color , the question still remains the grain vs no grain on the surface of the leather.At this point I am lleaning toward a slight grain pattern, as I feel that  this would be more in keeping with the 1941 profile.

Would you agree,?

Phil
Phil Lukens

mgrab

Not just you Doug....
When at Hershey this year I stopped at Jenkins tent.  He had a sample cart with what was supposed to be my original color green.  Didn't have mine in front of me to compare but remember thinking it didn't look like what was in my car (green/cream).
I'll be shopping around a bit before I decide....also because it's not staying original.
I lucked out I have an excellent pattern and a good friend is an upholsterer who also restores cars and is a perfectionist.  Anytime I ever went with him to Hershey he liked to nitpick Jenkins work.....I couldn't see some of it...looked like nice seems to me....
Mike
1941 Cadillac 6267D
1948 Packard Custom Eight Victoria
1956 Oldsmobile 88 Sedan

tozerco

Quote from: Doug Houston #2257 on November 25, 2009, 01:35:52 AM
Jerry Karasinski, here in Detroit, is restoring a convertible coupe (41).  He showed me Jenkins' samples, and i don't like them. Jenkins  claims that the original texture of the leather (finish?) is a lot coarser than the finish on my convertibles, both sedan and coupe. It's also coarser than the samples in my '41 oldsmobile paint and trim sample book.

My impression of Jenkins' claims is that you'd see that leather finish on a Ford, but not on a Cadillac.

Doug,

Never thought I might see the day I would correct one of my respected gurus so I won't!

But I will comment a little!

The most valuable leather is, in fact, the one that most closely resembles the original hide from the beast "Full grain leather" and this is LESS likely to be found on a Ford than a Cadillac. Top Grain is next (Full grain leather that has been "sanded" and re-finished followed by "Corrected Grain" and "Split Leathers". These last two are always re-finished/re-grained and are actually less likely to match the more expensive leathers. They have a "grain" imparted to them by various processes including rolling a grain into the leather or, in some cases, using a process similar to injection moulding to impart a grain.

Coming from a country that, particularly in the 30's and 40's, almost routinely upholstered its more valuable cars (including LaSalles) in full leather because we have always had heaps of it, it has always been possible to "nit pick" restorations that are not faithful to the original - if the leather has that super smooth Connolly Hide look and it was Australian built, it probably isn't correct.

I don't say that this can necessarily apply in the States because:

1.
John Tozer
#7946

'37 7513
'37 7533

tozerco

I'll try again and this time I won't hit the Post button so early!


Quote from: Doug Houston #2257 on November 25, 2009, 01:35:52 AM
Jerry Karasinski, here in Detroit, is restoring a convertible coupe (41).  He showed me Jenkins' samples, and i don't like them. Jenkins  claims that the original texture of the leather (finish?) is a lot coarser than the finish on my convertibles, both sedan and coupe. It's also coarser than the samples in my '41 oldsmobile paint and trim sample book.

My impression of Jenkins' claims is that you'd see that leather finish on a Ford, but not on a Cadillac.

Doug,

Never thought I might see the day I would correct one of my respected gurus so I won't!

But I will comment a little!

The most valuable leather is, in fact, the one that most closely resembles the original hide from the beast - "Full grain leather" and this is LESS likely to be found on a Ford than a Cadillac. Top Grain is next (Full grain leather that has been "sanded" and re-finished) followed by "Corrected Grain" and "Split Leathers". These last two are always re-finished/re-grained and are actually less likely to match the more expensive leathers. They have a "grain" imparted to them by various processes including rolling a grain into the leather or, in some cases, using a process similar to injection moulding to impart a grain.

As for whether or not this could have applied to a '41 car, leather graining machines were being patented in the US in 1925.

I come from a country that, particularly in the 30's and 40's, almost routinely upholstered its more valuable cars (including LaSalles) in full leather because we have always had heaps of it and because leather is cool to the touch in Summer. It has always been possible to "nit pick" restorations that are not faithful to the original here - if the leather has that super smooth Connolly Hide look and it was Australian built, it probably isn't correct.

I don't say that this can necessarily apply in the States because:

1.     I don't know that for a fact, and

2.     In all my travels there looking at '37's I think I saw one original leather interior. You guys loved your Broadcloth and Bedford Cord, no doubt because it was warmer to the touch in your longer Winters. That one leather interior, I seem to recall, was quite grainy but I am sure I can pull up some photos and post them for what they add to this discussion.

Regards,



John Tozer
#7946
John Tozer
#7946

'37 7513
'37 7533