Clear Plastic Covers

[riversidevw]

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!

[warrlaw1]

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 in

[53k]

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!

They can't dock you for authenticity with the clear covers. Studebaker offered clear covers as accessories right up until the end. I had and sold several sets a few years ago- in Studebaker boxes with AC numbers.

[Carl Purdy]

In 1963 I bought a 1962 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday it had little bumps in the plastic covers so your set didn't sweat. The first car I ever owned with AC.

[riversidevw]

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.

Gil

[billmdonn]

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?

[5859]

If you could, would you post some exterior pictures of your 58? I always like to see 58s.

[riversidevw]

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.



Gil

[2moredoors]

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?

In Ontario Canada it was Sovereign Seat Cover Company in Cornwall Ontario. They used a list supplied through the Department of Transport (Ontario) that identified all new auto purchases. When I bought my 1972 Duster they contacted me and I bought a set of seat covers. The rear cracked in the sun after about two years and they replaced the covers no charge except for shipping. All covers were warrantied for life. I figured the second owner received the benefit as the guarantee was non transferable. The second owner had a "like new" interior meanwhile the first owner sat and sweated in the heat and froze in the cold on those plastic covers.

[5859]

Wow, all black, that is a really straight looking body. Beautiful car!

[Johnnywiffer]

"...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

[riversidevw]

"...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

Thanks, John. More likely my memory slipped a bit, rode in that car just once and only in the rear seat. I think it was indeed the "SelectAire" factory unit you describe.

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.

Gil

[G.Rand]

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.