Every now and then I share a book that I’ve found useful while I’m doing a restoration or managing a restoration for some who loves their car and wants is restored, but doesn’t have the knowledge or time to manage it themselves (in progress a rare 1975 VW standard – article forth coming as we are just about to marry the body back on the chassis).
A few posts back I mentioned the upholstery project I did on my 1970 Mustang (now residing in a small collection in Nebraska). Along with the upholstery I did a lot of work on the interior – dash, carpeting, headliner…the works. I was reminded of the books I used for the process and one in particular was authored by Daniel Strohl entitled “Muscle Car Interior Restoration”.
There are a few books out there but this one covered the fundamentals very well. So well, in fact that I’m going to give a copy away to one of my readers. Drop me a note at timsweet@cox.net or AGCarRestoration@cox.net or post up on my Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/AGCarRestoration with a pic and some info.
Muscle Car Interior Restoration by Daniel Strohl
You can catch Daniel’s writings over on Hemmings.com and the Hemmings Motor News. As you know I love the Hemmings’ publications.
Get me a pic of your project (completed or in progress – love the in progress photos) and get chance to pick up a free copy of “Muscle Car Interior Restoration”.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
Post Script: Other than a happy consumer, I have no relationship with Hemmings or Dan Strohl.
Leathercloth. Naugahyde. Ambla. These are just a few of the words that car-makers have used to name vinyl upholstery. Name and euphemistically disguise a badly hidden truth in fact, because vinyl has almost always been seen as inferior to cloth trim or …
If that’s you, don’t miss the Hemmings Auto Museum (216 Main St., 802-447-2496, www.hemmings.com, open May-October, free), a small auto museum featuring vintage vehicles on display. And hiking deserves a second mention, as there are so many great …
If you are like me you tend to be excited about some portions of the car restoration hobby and not so much with others. Digging in to the engine – love it! Brakes or exhaust – let’s “get ‘er done”! Upholstery – OH…no…no…noooooooooo!!!
Just the thought of damaging the upholstery is sickening, these materials don’t patch well and I can’t stand the thought of driving around with ripped interior…it’s just unacceptable!!! Fixing it just isn’t something I look forward too. I have had success with kits and they are a bit of work, but nothing like what a good custom shop can put out.
You can see my handy work at the links below (some video’s are missing – lost in the cloud when one company bought out another).
So when I ran across the article below, I thought that this is something I would benefit from reading. Even if I’m not going to buy a heavy-duty sewing machine and start my own upholstery shop there will be some good tips to learn. I won’t be posting them here, so chase the link below and bookmark it.
BLOG: Auto Upholstery 101
Harry Weimann
December 23, 2014
I’ve been writing “Interior Insights” articles for over three years now. Most of my articles have been focused on the business portion of the automotive upholstery industry. I’ve talked about everything from customer service, looking for new talent to marketing your business.
Starting in 2015, I will be taking a new direction on article topics. I plan on launching a series of articles that deals primarily with basic auto upholstery.
These articles will reach out to the novice as well as experienced individuals who are interested in auto upholstery and want a better understanding. I will cover materials, tools, specific interior components and techniques used when reupholstering a vehicle. I will also touch on all types and styles of vehicles.
This is a lot of ground to cover and a variety of subjects to address. I would appreciate feedback as I write on new topics each month—areas that you would like to know more about. I have years and years of experience and a true love for the auto upholstery industry; I love teaching others what I know.
He was born Aug. 28, 1935, in Elgin, son og the late Hiriam Sanders and Mary Wooten Sanders. He was in the auto upholstery business most of his life and will be remembered by many. Mr. Sanders is survived by his sons, David Sanders (Kathy), of Gaston …
Harry Weimann, director of education at WyoTech Blairsville and a business owner since 1986, says he wishes he would have learned to look for the appropriate skills long ago. “As a business owner for many years, I’ve hired several employees,” Weimann …
The name Pininfarina is synonymous with expensive and elegant Italian sports cars such as the Maserati GranTurismo, Alfa Romeo Spyder and a log file of Ferraris such as the 365 GTB/4, Enzo, F40 and Testarossa. The global design legend does much more than style beautiful cars though, and ample testimony will appear at auction this week in the form of a little known 1960s concept car. With its four wheels arranged in a diamond shape, the tiny aerodynamic four-seater Pininfarina-X had a drag coefficient of 0.23, indicating that Pininfarina was a long way ahead of the rest of the world in exploring the critical area of aerodynamics, long before it was fashionable.
Pininfarina hatte das Model X ausgiebig getestet und sogar rund 145 km/h erreicht. Damit war der X deutlich schneller, als ein normaler Fiat 110. Trotz des Mißerfolges war Farina von der Aerodynamik in den Bann gezogen und ging abermals auf Professor …
Featured cars include a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS by Pininfarina and a 1932 Packard Deluxe Eight Individual Custom Sport Phaeton by Dietrich. Details: Jan 14-16. Preview runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Auction runs 5-9 …
So many times I have marveled at the seeming multitudes of vintage American cars in the country of Cuba. There’s never been a lot of press on these cars but now that some of the barriers are down, I’m hoping there is a lot to learn about the car culture that as grown our of necessity. I’m not expecting to see a vintage Buick with the original V8 and perfect body and interior. I am hoping to see is what has been done to these cars. Some purists would might not be able stomach what has been accomplished but it is truly a unique sub-culture that has flourished on its own without all the trapping we have surrounding our beloved hobby.
The article below is from CarGurus blog via Throttel Response.
Cuban Car Culture
The cars of Cuba are somewhat legendary in the United States, because the vehicles that roamed the roads there in the 1950s are the same ones being driven today. Since we’re not allowed to go there, very few of us have seen them in person, yet we know they exist.
Does that mean American collectors should start salivating over the prospect of virtually untouched classics if Cuba and the U.S. become friends again?
Probably not. The 1959 Cuban revolution essentially put an end to imports of American cars, so Cubans have had to make do for the last 55 years with what they had, or buy Soviet-era imports. That means no new parts, no new cars and lots of Chevrolets and Buicks running with Soviet-made engines.
With over a half-century of neglect and little real maintenance, it’s a miracle that somewhere around 60,000 of these classics are still being driven. If the U.S. and Cuba do rekindle their old flame, it won’t be the Americans who benefit.
I believe I have a few readers that may have first hand knowledge of the Cuban car culture. I’m always looking for more information. Have any images? Contact me via this blog and we’ll make a deal.
For years, importing cars between the United States and Cuba has been illegal, forcing Cuban mechanists to be resourceful in fixing up old cars. With the recent easing of trade embargoes between the two countries, Cuba’s vintage cars could now be a …
“I can see the first couple of cars that are shiny and have some sort of interesting drive-train – Russian tractor diesel, for instance – bringing $50,000 or so at a Barrett-Jackson auction, if they are the first Cuban cars to sell publicly in the US …
Classic Cuban Cars Coming to US? Think Again. By: Chris Cybulski; 12/19/2014 10:09 AM; ShareThis Facebook Tweet Email; Text size: + -. TWC News: Lower Restrictions to Bring Changes to Cuba Play now. Time Warner Cable video customers:
The old drag strips are disappearing. I have an article coming out about an abandon drag strip right in my backyard.
Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles didn’t play by the typical drag strip operations manual. Intermodal shipping containers surrounded the strip and served as the basis for some of its structures. It had no national drag racing organization affiliation, and everybody pretty much run what they brung. It opened and closed nearly a dozen times over the course of three decades, and now, in the midst of an LAPD crackdown on street racing in the city, fans of the drag strip are working to bring it back.
“Our main goal is to keep everybody off the streets,” said Donald Galaz, a lieutenant with the International Brotherhood of Street Racers and the founder of Project Street Legal, an initiative to return racing to Terminal Island. “But you know the way politics is – the wheels go very very slowly.”
I remember my first drag strip experience, it was in the middle of a corn field in the middle of Texas (just outside of San Angelo). I recall thinking how awesome it was to have a place to test your skills – legally!! I wonder if it’s still there?
Two men were charged late Friday with drag racing on East Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville police Officer Joe Prokop said in a report. Charged were Justin E. Aiken, 21, of 127 Sam Aiken Road; and Kieffer L. Keller, 20, of 1500 John Graham Road.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The dragster is all black, and its driver is dressed in all black, too, from the top of the helmet right on down to the shoes. For a long time, no name was displayed on the sides like there are on other machines. It goes to the line …
Here are your Auto Factoids for the last week of Dec 2014.
– Charles Goodyear was born Dec 29, 1800 in New Heaven, Conn. 39 years and 4 days later he developed vulcanization or rubber (Jan 2, 1839)
– Jan 1, 1942 was the date that the us Government banned the sale of all non-essential car and small trucks in an effort to save valuable resources for the war effort.
– Back in 1966 on Jan 1st, Dodge rolls out the Charger.
1966 Charger Love the lines!!!
But it has had some changes over the years.
1969 Charger – Nice!!!!!
1987 Shelby version of the Charger.
2010 Dodge Charger – not a great looking car.
2014 Charger – looks make you want to yawn…but it can move!!!!
– Chevy debuts its first air-cooled engine on Jan 2, 1923.
Copper/Air Cooled
– On Jan 2, 1957 Ghia announced the production of the Crown Imperial limo.
Here is an 1958 Chrysler-Imperial Limo example. That’s a nice looking car!!!
Thanks for reading this installment of #AutoFactoids.
Tim
NOTE: If you’d like to sponsor an Auto Factoid contact me. With thousands of views every day you will get noticed!!!!!
Dec 15, 1861 Charles Duryea was born in Canton, Ohio. He grew up to be an engineer and with his brother Frank, they began production bicycles. By 1893 they test driving the first U.S. gasoline powered vehicle. It was a …
Let’s get right to the glory and the tragic historical events of this weeks Auto Factoids. June 10, 1927 the Graham brothers purchased Paige-Detroit Motor.
If you thought last week was light…this week is weak!! Buick became a corporation back in 1903 back on May 19. It eventually became a major General Motors brand.
I don’t know about every car gal and guy, but I don’t enjoy shopping as a rule, clothes, gifts and food shopping is a chore!! To be honest shopping for new or used cars is not a great time for me. At times, even car parts shopping can be annoying. I’m much happier when I get what I need and get back to wrenchin’.
But today was different. Today’s shopping experience was…well…the perfect setting for my kind of shopping.
There is nothing like a 50 degree day here in Southern Arizona and a junkyard where the newest cars there is 1970. The weather was perfect for climbing over cars, that would normally be like walking on a 150 degree griddle in the summer time, wading through a sea of 1930, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s hub cabs and trailblazing through the tall weeds in search of my next project car.
Yes the 1970 Mustang is gone – living a life of leisure in a collection in the mid west and the 1984 C4 is in the hands of a Corvette lover – south of the border. And after clearing the purchase of a new project car with the she who has to put up with the mess and I am on the hunt.
Today I met up with my brother-in-law and my nephew and we did execute a perfect car guy’s shopping excursion.
This was a good sign!!!!
The salvage yard has been in place for 60 years or more, I’ve known the owner for nearly 30 years and recently the place was damaged by some huge flooding issues. The owner isn’t in great health is clearing out some of the desirable cars.
The car gods were shining some light for this shopping trip.
He was mainly a Ford car, restoring and collecting Model T’s (including a Model T doing duty as a tow truck) so there are a lot of Fords – Comets, Fairlanes, Falcons, Ford Customs, Thunderbirds and on and on. There are a few MOPARs there as well, including a 1971 Charger and a Satellite with a 400 under the hood. There’s a few Chevys as well and Covairs, Impalas and 50’s Caddies and some very cool military Kaiser Jeeps.
We covered a lot of ground and I’m look for a complete car – mostly. Here in Arizona the heat is not kind to the interiors, so they is little doubt that an interior will be a necessity. I need to it to have the basics – good frame – engine, front and rear ends in-tack and depending on the car good glass.
So what caught my eye (beside everything I mentioned above)?
1961 Comet – Nice little 2 door car with 6 cylinder under the good (oh yes there’s room in there for something bigger for sure!!!).
Nice straight body – got to love those tail lights!!!
Interior is mostly there!
There was also this Mercury Cougar, clearly used for a race car based on the stickers on the side and the tires.
Cougar!!!!
I also found a car I’ve been interested in getting my hands on for a few years and that’s a 1970 Thunderbird.
Here are a few more shots from the yard.
While I’m waiting for the owner to give an idea what he wants for the cars I’m interested in, the hunt continues!!! This was a great day!!!!
Racing game enthusiasts may have been dismayed when Bandai Namco delayed Project Cars from its holiday release. To ease fans’ wait, the publisher has released a set of screens showing off the racer’s new tracks. Project Cars‘ new tracks are the Mazda …
We’ve all seen optimistic “project cars” listed for sale online–worthless run-down husks whose owners still believe there’s value hidden somewhere between the rust and the missing parts. That’s why you need to read this eBay listing for a BMW Isetta …
Dec 15, 1861 Charles Duryea was born in Canton, Ohio. He grew up to be an engineer and with his brother Frank, they began production bicycles. By 1893 they test driving the first U.S. gasoline powered vehicle. It was a used horse drawn buggy they purchased fro $70.00. It sported a single cylinder 4HP engine with friction transmission, spray carburetor and low tension ignition. The car was then stored in 1894 and found and given to a museum.
Charles and Frank – left to right in there first car.
1894 Duryea
These brother went on to create Duryea “Motor Wagon Company” and produced 13 hand-made cars out of their garage. These were the first commercially produced automobiles in the U.S. This wasn’t their only ‘first’. The Duryea car won the first American car race and was involved in the first traffic accident. Charles and Frank parted ways in 1898 and Charles died in 1938. Frank formed the Hampden Car company. To actually produce the cars brother Frank sought out the services of J. Stevens of J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company. This eventually lead to the Stevens-Duryea cars being produced.
This is the Model C Touring car. Production continued until 1927.
New York City creates the first one way street Dec 17th 1791.
Ford names Lee Iacocca as president 10/18/1970.
Dec 20, 1892 Pneumatic automobile tire patented. The original patented was by Robert William Thomson who invented the first pneumatic tire but apparently never caught on, however, John Dunlap’s did.
Harvey Firestone was born in Columbia County, Ohio on Dec 20, 1868. After high school Harvey worked for the Columbus Buggy Company . In 1890 before starting his own company making rubber tires for carriages. By 1900 he began marketing tires for automobiles and then founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, a pioneer in the mass production of tires. In 1926 he published a book, Men and Rubber:
Sears, Roebuck & Co show off the Kaiser built Allstate, Dec 20, 1951. The Allstate was built on Kaiser-Frazer platform and marketed by Sears. It was a 2 door, fastback and came in a Series 4 and Series 6 with several different trim levels.
Let’s get right to the glory and the tragic historical events of this weeks Auto Factoids. June 10, 1927 the Graham brothers purchased Paige-Detroit Motor.
Auto Factoids – 1970 Mustang – Ford Assembly Line http://timsweet.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/auto-factoids-1970-mustang-ford-assembly-line/ December 1, 2010. Today is the anniversary of the assembly line created by …
The Collectors’ Car Department at Artcurial has discovered 60 collectors’ automobiles, all major marques dating
from the early days of the motor car through to the 1970s. Found following fifty years of lying dormant, the Baillon collection
will be sold by Artcurial Motorcars in the first part of the traditional sale at Retromobile Salon, on 6 February 2015, in Paris.
The forgotten Baillon Collection will be auctioned at the annual Retromobile event in Paris next February. The lots include some of the most desirable Ferrari’s and Bugatti models and is sure to provide a talking point for the classic car market for …
It will be the star lot of Artcurial’s Baillon Collection sale in Paris on Feb. 6 with an estimate of 10 million euros, or $12.4 million. Another example of this rare car, this time in smarter “concours” condition, sold for $15.1 million at Gooding in …
… « Depuis la révélation de la collection Schlumpf de Mulhouse, jamais une telle réunion d’automobiles emblématiques n’avait été dévoilée, mais plus encore, dans un tel état d’origine ! », a confié Matthieu Lamoure, Directeur d’Artcurial Motorcars.
MOSCOU – RIA Novosti/La Voix de la Russie Une collection d’environ 100 véhicules anciens de grandes marques – des voitures sport à celles de luxe – a été découverte dans une ferme en France, a annoncé lundi le magazine Artcurial Motorcars. Diaporama …
In the pantheon of lust-worthy Mustangs, the Special Service Package cars tend to hang out at the tip-top of the mountain. Fitted for police pursuit duty, the cars came from the factory with a bushel of parts to go faster and stop shorter. The two cars pictured here are reportedly the first SSP Mustangs ever built. Ford whipped them up in December of 1981 as test cars for the California Highway Patrol and the State of Texas. Of the machines CHP tested that year, these two were the only cars to pass the department’s performance tests. California ordered 400, and the SSP program was officially under way.
Owning one of these cars or any former police car is a great part of the car collecting/restoration hobby. But keep in mind there are rules for what equipment/logos, etc. that can be on these cars while they are driven on public streets. Each U.S. state has different rules, research those.
CHiPs, I met a few of those guys driving the roads of Southern Cal.
