Since Maria and I bought the '58 President from Nell, the original owner, in 1989, I've managed to keep the nice gray cloth seats clean with a variety of mostly unsightly covers. I finally decided to go with a set of clear plastic covers. A good local upholsterer made these up for me, fitted them nicely. They look "right" for the era. They also remind me a bit of the Italian neighbors' living room furniture back in the 60's. Seat belts will hopefully help keep me from sliding out of reach of the steering wheel!
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JDP apparently is making a set for the front seat of my 55K. Hope to keep the doggie hair out of my nice new threads. Give it some new car smell, until I let the beast back inDave Warren (Perry Mason by day, Perry Como by night)
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Originally posted by riversidevw View PostSince Maria and I bought the '58 President from Nell, the original owner, in 1989, I've managed to keep the nice gray cloth seats clean with a variety of mostly unsightly covers. I finally decided to go with a set of clear plastic covers. A good local upholsterer made these up for me, fitted them nicely. They look "right" for the era. They also remind me a bit of the Italian neighbors' living room furniture back in the 60's. Seat belts will hopefully help keep me from sliding out of reach of the steering wheel!Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.
'64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Avanti R-1, Museum R-4 engine, '72 Gravely Model 430 with Onan engine
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These clear covers were fairly commonly seen on '55 and '56 Packards. Around '83, we purchased a '56 400 hardtop which still had them since new. On cars exposed much to the sun, the material along the upper edge of the rear backrest nearest the rear widow tended to discolor, even adhere to the underlying leather or vinyl.
During my first year of high school, my best friend's dad bought a brand new fully loaded '57 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop sedan, all black exterior with under-dash AC, continental kit. (By comparison this black '58 President is a paragon of restraint and elegance.) The yellow and black interior was swathed in these covers. My first ride in the new Ford was miserably uncomfortable. We were ordered to keep the windows up (for the ineffectual AC); the summer heat and humidity, the black enamel and plastic seat covers all made for a very long fifty miles.
Later in high school, I helped my dad install clear covers on the seats of a '55 Commander Regal coupe... from a mail order outfit called Fingerhut.
GilGil Zimmerman
Riverside, CA
1955 Speedster
1956 Golden Hawk
1958 Packard Hawk
1958 President
1963 Avanti R2
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Fingerhut. They used to guarantee the seat covers for life. We went through two sets in my fathers 1964 Fury. I believe they contacted anyone that purchase a new car in the early 1960. The company is still in business, but I don't thing they continue to sell seat covers. Wonder if they still would honor the guarantee?
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Sure.
We didn't see a lot of 58's, even in '58. In July '58, my cousin was about to be married in Buffalo, Wyoming. The caterer for the rehearsal dinner was driving a new '58 Packard station. My uncle took one look, commented "isn't that the darnedest thing"? Wish I had it today.
I'm guilty of putting the crossed-flag V8 emblems on the front fenders... filed off the mounting pins and just used silicone adhesive, easily undone.
GilGil Zimmerman
Riverside, CA
1955 Speedster
1956 Golden Hawk
1958 Packard Hawk
1958 President
1963 Avanti R2
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Originally posted by billmdonn View PostFingerhut. They used to guarantee the seat covers for life. We went through two sets in my fathers 1964 Fury. I believe they contacted anyone that purchase a new car in the early 1960. The company is still in business, but I don't thing they continue to sell seat covers. Wonder if they still would honor the guarantee?sigpic
55 President Deluxe
64 Commander
66 Cruiser
37 Oldsmobile F37 4 Door
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"...my best friend's dad bought a brand new fully loaded '57 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop sedan, all black exterior with under-dash AC,..."
The unit you remember may have been an after-market '57 under-dash unit installed by a dealer. The vents for the OEM AC for the Fairlane 500 in '57 came out of the defroster vents at the base of the windshield. The vents were bigger than the regular defrosters but that's where they put 'em. The '58 Fairlane 500 had the unit under the dash (my father had one).
I bought a new '57 convertible (traded in my '51 Commander starlight coupe) with just such a defroster-vent set-up. And you're right, not very effective...at least in a convertible. But because the air came up the windshield, they'd freeze your ears off and give you a brain freeze once they got going....
JohnLast edited by Johnnywiffer; 05-19-2011, 06:37 PM.
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Originally posted by Johnnywiffer View Post"...my best friend's dad bought a brand new fully loaded '57 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop sedan, all black exterior with under-dash AC,..."
The unit you remember may have been an after-market '57 under-dash unit installed by a dealer. The vents for the OEM AC for the Fairlane 500 in '57 came out of the defroster vents at the base of the windshield. The vents were bigger than the regular defrosters but that's where they put 'em. The '58 Fairlane 500 had the unit under the dash (my father had one).
I bought a new '57 convertible (traded in my '51 Commander starlight coupe) with just such a defroster-vent set-up. And you're right, not very effective...at least in a convertible. But because the air came up the windshield, they'd freeze your ears off and give you a brain freeze once they got going....
John
A lot of fifties AC factory units were a bit primitive. The all-original '56 Packard Patrician we sold three years ago (not the coupe with the clear plastic covers) featured outlets on the upper padded surface of the dash. They were hinged metal doors (painted dark metallic blue to match the dash pad). When raised, the outlets were aimed to blast the front seat passengers with gale force winds right between the eyes. There were also occasional light snow flurries, apparently an intermittent issue with frozen condensation. A mint '53 Imperial here in town has a massive Airtemp factory setup that resembles an industrial refrigeration unit... no compressor clutch, can disengage the huge compressor only by removing the belt.
GilGil Zimmerman
Riverside, CA
1955 Speedster
1956 Golden Hawk
1958 Packard Hawk
1958 President
1963 Avanti R2
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Looks great, Gil. I, too, have a 58 President 4-door and would love to have some clear seat covers for it. Any chance that your upholsterer might have made a template/pattern when he made yours and could make another set and ship them? I am sure that I could have a local upholsterer install them for me.
Thanks.
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