Avanti Vinyl

[11SecAvanti]

Any vendor sources for the Avanti vinyl? Looking for the beige and marron red by the yard? Is this sand color marine vinyl close? Any viny can sprays available for touch ups? Thanks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-10-Yard-Roll-Marine-Grade-Vinyl-Upholstery-Fabric-Various-Colors-/200755730295?pt=US_Fabric&var=&hash=item2ebdf95777

[ken-renda]

Just finished Avanti restoration last fall. There are several suppliers of vinyl, but few with quality material. Paid about $120 for four yards of Elk, got 8 yards of red and fawn for about the same, the supplier roll and pleated (the old fashion way) about 1/2 of the red material for about $90 more. Will send pic if you like. SI has vinyl spray, and it works well, it changed the headliner from black to fawn. See PM, Ken Deltaville Va

[11SecAvanti]

Ken, I sent you a PM , but not seeing it in my sent file for some reason. Did you get a response PM?

[Milaca]

SMS Auto Fabrics of Candby, Oregon has lots of OEM Studebaker vinyl and they can dielectric pleat vinyl also.

[spokejr]

How about the red with perforations instead of pleated?

[unimogjohn]

I called SMS last year to see if they had any red Avanti. They had nothing for any Avanti. But, maybe that has changed. Worth a call.

I ended up getting a kit from SI for about 700, front and rear seats. Had them put in by my local trimmer to include the refoaming of both front seats. The trimmer said they were of very good quality. The fit and finish is good. My total bill was $2300, which include the kit, foam, repairs and labor, and installing new carpets.

[ken-renda]

Ken, I sent you a PM , but not seeing it in my sent file for some reason. Did you get a response PM?

Tom, yes I got your PM Glad to see there is another Avanti coming to life in our area. You said you did not see your PM to me in your sent file ----Are you supposed to be able to see an outgoing PM --if so I'm not pushing the right button. Ken

[bezhawk]

I contacted SMS, and they said they have or can make any color I choose. Perhaps China has been in touch with them? I asked for a sample on Avanti orange, and they sent a sample promptly. Be weary of "kits". One I used was trim weight vinyl, and didn't last a year (daily driver)

[11SecAvanti]

Studebaker International has the red vinyl so I placed an order for the material (3 yards) to repair the front seats and other needed interior items for the dash and roller cover etc. But no fawn vinyl material other than the spray can vinyl. My parts car has some fawn trim that has cleaned up nicely and should look fine with fawn spray so will try that too. But think I will go with the sand vinyl material for the rear glass cover section.

[11SecAvanti]

Found It!!! I think. Says Fawn automotive vinyl. Good price too.

http://www.allvinylfabrics.com/Automotive-Vinyl-Fabric/Carolina/Fawn-Vinyl/420.aspx

[bezhawk]

Don't get hung up on color names. On mans' fawn may be anothers elk. Most good upholsterers will have sample books, and you can match up the grain texture, and color.

[Bob Caser]

I called SMS last year to see if they had any red Avanti. They had nothing for any Avanti. But, maybe that has changed. Worth a call.

I ended up getting a kit from SI for about 700, front and rear seats. Had them put in by my local trimmer to include the refoaming of both front seats. The trimmer said they were of very good quality. The fit and finish is good. My total bill was $2300, which include the kit, foam, repairs and labor, and installing new carpets.

With all due respect to your local trimmer, he did not finish your seats as was done at the factory. I have attached some photos of seats done using material purchased from Ed Reynolds (SI International) several years ago. I feel this is a proper representation of what SI offers and finding a shop that will take the time to do a proper job. Just my 2 cents.

Bob Caser

[stude dude]

Bob, you were very lucky to get an interior kit in turquoise, so hard to find it now!

Very nice job.

Chris.

[Gunslinger]

I remember back in the late 1970's or early 1980's when I needed upholstery material for the '63 Avanti I owned at the time, I simply called Avanti Motors for original turquoise vinyl. They sold me what I needed for the princely cost of $10.00 per yard!

[11SecAvanti]

Ordered 3 yards of the red from S.I. for now. They don't have fawn. Learned however that the top sections are fawn and the bottom sections are Elk from the parts car. Always thought seats came in fawn also, but not so. The Elk is a darker shade. So fawn color applies only to the dash and overhead, and upper sections. Spent several days here restoring pieces removed from the spare car. The overhead padding was tough cleaning but came out fine after some TLC and should improve more once the touch up "fawn spray vinyl" from S.I. arrives. Want to keep as many pieces original as possible. Had to flatten the upper padding by water soaking the distorted board and then clamping it overnight with long 2 inch wide flat bar. Then air drying. Came out rather flat after 50 years of aging.

Seems the overhead switch section is a slight tanner color than the fawn.