Upholstery color in 1953s

[handworn]

Does anyone know if there's any pattern to the upholstery color and body color in 1953s? I see that some had matching upholstery and body color, but some didn't, and some had two-tone on the door panels instead of being all one color. (I'm thinking of getting one, which is why I've been asking all these '53 questions.) Thanks!

[rockne10]

If you consider purchasing a '53 or '54 Coupe or Hardtop, you would be well served to obtain a copy of John Bridges book "Studebaker's Finest", "A History & Restoration Guide for the '53-'54 Studebaker Sports Coupe." Page 118-128 deal only with interior upholstery. What would be correct will depend on the model you select and its trim options.

I would post copies of those pages here but I think it would violate John's copyrights.

[handworn]

I didn't even know there was a book devoted to that model. Thanks! I'll definitely grab a copy.

If you consider purchasing a '53 or '54 Coupe or Hardtop, you would be well served to obtain a copy of John Bridges book "Studebaker's Finest", "A History & Restoration Guide for the '53-'54 Studebaker Sports Coupe." Page 118-128 deal only with interior upholstery. What would be correct will depend on the model you select and its trim options.

I would post copies of those pages here but I think it would violate John's copyrights.

[rockne10]

[handworn]

SI? If you can provide a link to the $40 copy, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

Matt

[rockne10]

Matt,
Before or after you buy the book, you will probably want to join the Studebaker Drivers Club. All the Studebaker vendors delivered to your door every month in TURNING WHEELS, the SDC monthly magazine.

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/join.asp

SI is Studebaker International, the largest of the Studebaker vendors. It's not letting me post a direct link to the book on the SI order site. Just open their link, shop by category and punch in the item number where indicated.

They are included in this quick link to most of our great full-timers.

http://www.studebakervendors.com/

And, while you're contemplating that purchase, peruse some of the many links available from the SDC home page.

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/index.asp

[Deaf Mute]

The cloth is pretty much unobtainable. We used modern materials for my doors, side panels, headliner, and windlace. I have owned my '53 since 1963 and had the seats and side panels stashed, having stripped a '54 with the naugahyde interior shortly after getting it. We were able to pretty well match the colors and textures (used Bridges book as well). The seat material was a different story however. We could find nothing even remotely close, so I sent a sample to SMS and they came back with a pretty close match, which we ended up using. It is SMS code 705.
I hope you can enlarge it enough to see the match.
Bobs Auto interiors in Center Point, Iowa did the work for me.

[Deaf Mute]

My '53 was painted Coral Red from the factory. After a lot of searching (using the original battery box [which was also pulled in 1963]) we found a perfect match with DuPont Centari RS584 Spectramaster Red.

[53k]

The cloth is pretty much unobtainable. We used modern materials for my doors, side panels, headliner, and windlace. I have owned my '53 since 1963 and had the seats and side panels stashed, having stripped a '54 with the naugahyde interior shortly after getting it. We were able to pretty well match the colors and textures (used Bridges book as well). The seat material was a different story however. We could find nothing even remotely close, so I sent a sample to SMS and they came back with a pretty close match, which we ended up using. It is SMS code 705.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]31840[/ATTACH] I hope you can enlarge it enough to see the match.
Bobs Auto interiors in Center Point, Iowa did the work for me.

I too have looked for the correct gray houndstooth(?) cloth material for many years without success. I found an ad in the big section of the New York Times that introduced the '53 Studebakers. It included ads from a number of Studebaker suppliers. I found that the upholstery came from a mill in Edenton, North Carolina. I passed that info to Rene, but never heard back. I went through Edenton some years ago and dreaming that there might be a shop there that had yards of the stuff found, of course, the mill no longer existed. Even sadder, I went in to the office at a salvage yard in the Bay Area in California back in the late '60s and the chairs in the office were all upholstered with that exact fabric. The salvage yard specialized in foreign cars, but the owner had a soft spot for Studebakers. I bought a wrecked '64 Avanti from him ($250) and a '64 Champ pickup that he had bought new and used as a shop truck so I'm sure he found that upholstery in a Studebaker deal (though I didn't bother to ask him then).

[handworn]

I managed to find the direct link by clicking on 2012 catalog, which takes you to parts123.com, and then putting in the item number that rockne10 provided:

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50001003a~Z5Z5Z5AAAAA~P39.95~~~~S3ZI0NP1PI10816119806a~Z5Z5Z5~Z5Z5Z50001003a

SI is Studebaker International, the largest of the Studebaker vendors. It's not letting me post a direct link to the book on the SI order site. Just open their link, shop by category and punch in the item number where indicated.

[Jeff_H]

Be aware that the coupe (C body) cloth is different from the hardtop (K body) cloth. The picture Duane posted is the coupe cloth. Actually, I was not aware it had red/blue in it, thought it was more brown for those thin stripes. Maybe the one I saw was all faded.

At any rate, the hardtops had this bolder grey/black "referee" striped cloth:





My car originally had that cloth and I have seen a couple others. Some '54's had the same cloth used as the insert in the driver's seat back when the rest was vinyl. The stuff is not very durable, and the few original cars that still have it, usually there are rips.

I think the only vinyl seat colors were either tan or red. Unbelievably, you could get the red interior even in a green or blue car!

All '53's have a pinkish-grey "Loma" grey paint for the metal surfaces (dash, garnish mouldings, etc). Door panels are either 2-tone grey/black, all red, or all tan depending on the seats.

The Bridge's book has a chart in it if I recall.

[wolfie]

I Think Rene Harger is now reproducing the cloth. I know he was several years ago when he quoted the interior for my 53. Steve

[rockne10]

The cloth is pretty much unobtainable.

[studegary]

The cloth is pretty much unobtainable. We used modern materials for my doors, side panels, headliner, and windlace. I have owned my '53 since 1963 and had the seats and side panels stashed, having stripped a '54 with the naugahyde interior shortly after getting it. We were able to pretty well match the colors and textures (used Bridges book as well). The seat material was a different story however. We could find nothing even remotely close, so I sent a sample to SMS and they came back with a pretty close match, which we ended up using. It is SMS code 705.

Vinyl and leather were used in 1953s. I do not believe that there was any use of Naugahyde (made by U S Rubber).

[studegary]

I think the only vinyl seat colors were either tan or red. Unbelievably, you could get the red interior even in a green or blue car!

All '53's have a pinkish-grey "Loma" grey paint for the metal surfaces (dash, garnish mouldings, etc). Door panels are either 2-tone grey/black, all red, or all tan depending on the seats.

The Bridge's book has a chart in it if I recall.

I have owned many 1953s. One that I knew since new and rebuilt and owned for nine years, was green with a red vinyl interior. Many asked why I would put those two together. I explained that that was the way the car was built.

For 1953 models, besides Scarlet Red and Golden Tan vinyl, Spring Specials came with Flax (cream) vinyl. Also, leather seat upholstery was optional. I have seen the leather in red and tan.

The 1953 Spring Special cars did not have Loma Gray interior trim. They had Monterey Beige trim.