TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1958-59 Export Model Interiors

Fri Jun 05, 2015 10:51 am

This is a great thread on the multitude of interiors - all those VW books out there with glossy shots of great cars seem to miss out the details of interior specs

many thanks

Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:13 pm

Just a follow up to this thread. Saved for history in case anyone else in the future is on this crazy search I am currently on.

I've been hunting down proper materials for 58-59 interior and have stumbled upon a few things.

First, a very close match to green/grey vinyl are the following colors shown here in Stale Air's car. He used WW beige headliner. His door panels were color matched using SEM dye mixed at Hawley's Paint. They DO NOT ship.

Naugahyde Neochrome III Pine Forest

Naugahyde Spirit Millennium Gray Moss

The above is a great restoration example.

If you look at the color cards for the vinyl texture for the seat covers you will see that there is a stippling which is now an uncommon vinyl texture on any reproduction kits or very hard to find elsewhere.

Well, SMS Auto Fabrics has this texture and can make custom matches. It is called Haircell and looks like this. I have a note out to them to see about custom matching green/grey.

Here are some different samples from different vendors. For the original light beige headliner seen in the color cards at the beginning of this thread the closest color match I've found so far is Ivory from Sewfine from the top row. The bottom row is West Coast Classics. I'm continuing to look for a color matched headliner!

Finally, the much coveted diamond pattern for the door panels is really not that special and can be had HERE at SMS Auto Fabrics! (click on Vinyl Headliner, Pyramid pattern) And yes, this can be color matched or vinyl dyed with SEM.

Good luck with your projects!

Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:26 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1865318

I have some of the blue for sale.

Don

Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:23 pm

Further update.

These are material samples compared to my cleaned and original door panel piece.

This is from Original Auto Interiors in Michigan.

Below is showing the two colors, the grey on the left side of the picture is the portion of the door panel covered by the seat. A more accurate color comparison. The green in the ash tray area is also behind the ash tray itself shielded from more sun damage.

Close up.

Another close up.

The two colors from Original Auto are:

#1955 Dk Green Haircell $55/yd
Ivory Haircell Drill Backing $55/yd

Speaking with my upholstery guy, he says 4 yards of grey (Ivory from Original Auto) and 5 yards of green should do it.

I am still waiting on SMS to send samples and have also yet to find a better headliner color match than the Sewfine ivory in the previous post.

I'll report back as soon as I know!

Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:09 am

My buddy restores these door panels these are mine on my 1959, , 58 , 59 interiors are the best looking in my oppinion .

Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:11 am

my rears

Fri Mar 25, 2016 10:51 am

Last update and then hopefully I'll make a decision.

Got the material samples from SMS in Oregon. Excellent quality pieces, perfect texture and very close on color.

The green is very close. The ash tray area is a close approximation of the original color. The first sample is what I believe to be the closest. The 2nd one is more forest green and brighter. The 3rd sample is the Naugahyde from the previous post. And the one on the far right is the Original Auto Interiors sample which is too dark.

The grey is also very close.
The first sample is from SMS and has similar backing to the one on the far right from Original Auto. I think they are the same material just slight variation in color from storage over time. The middle sample is a close version from Naugahyde from the previous post. The background is an original door panel where the seat covered so minimal sun damage.

Moral of the story: the material exists in perfect texture and very close color. Now to get the seat covers made!

Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:01 pm

So glad someone else has been working on the custom 58-59 interior mission as well. I've been trying to source materials or custom manufacturers, but haven't had much time or luck.

The haircell vinyl discovery is huge! If it can be dyed, it solves a huge obstacle for me. The biggest question mark on the vinyl then is the piping. They originally had a small (3mm?) smooth vinyl piping around the edges of the seats which also seems to be nonexistant. Every source I've tried, including WW and WCM sets, have leatherette texture on the piping.

As far as headliner, have you tried Himmelservice? I've never seen their cloth in person, but I've heard they're pretty authentic.

Wed Apr 20, 2016 9:40 am

Hey Bowser.

I am waiting on more samples from SMS. I may also make a trip up to Portland to check them out in person.

The vinyl piping I haven't been able to find an exact match. I did find this seat welt but it has a texture to it and is about 5mm in diameter. The color Bone is closest to our cars. I think I'm just going to have my interior guy make welting with close match vinyl and deal with the texture.

I've seen himmelservice before but hadn't thought of that. I sent a note and will see what he says. My closest match was the Sewfine Ivory cloth headliner with Newport Oyster White NR302 for the B pillars. That is probably what I will go with.

Wed Apr 20, 2016 12:54 pm

bowserb61 wrote:

The biggest question mark on the vinyl then is the piping. They originally had a small (3mm?) smooth vinyl piping around the edges of the seats which also seems to be nonexistant. Every source I've tried, including WW and WCM sets, have leatherette texture on the piping.

You can buy seat piping on a roll, from TMI. It aint cheap though. :wink:

Wed Apr 20, 2016 1:02 pm

stale air wrote: bowserb61 wrote:

The biggest question mark on the vinyl then is the piping. They originally had a small (3mm?) smooth vinyl piping around the edges of the seats which also seems to be nonexistant. Every source I've tried, including WW and WCM sets, have leatherette texture on the piping.

You can buy seat piping on a roll, from TMI. It aint cheap though. :wink:

As a dealer I can get it by the yard (yes yard, not foot, weird)
That goes for any of their material actually. I do it quite frequently for non-stock stuff.

Thu May 12, 2016 11:43 am

Another update. I have SMS in Oregon color matching my original door panel to non sun-faded parts.

Another dilemma.

Does anyone have an excellent example of original light beige headliner?

Top is Sewfine and is a bit too ivory. WW (middle) and Lenny (bottom) are a bit too beige.

Here is one I found at SMS Auto Fabric, I like the color but have nothing to compare it too. On the side is the original color card for my color car, but it is just a picture so....

Thoughts?

Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:44 pm

Resurrecting a dead thread in hopes to help out future restorations on 1958/59 seats and upholstery.

Over the course of the weekend I disassembled the seats in my 1958 Beetle, and recovered them. Upon removing the two layers of questionable seat covers I found the original factory 1958 Blue/Grey cloth interior. Unfortunately it wasn't in saveable shape, and this thread basically holds all the info needed to know what it looked like, but I can confirm a few items for those looking to do a factory restoration on their cars:

1) Cloth seats definitely had the strings pulling the seat cushion down on the front seats, to create that 'pleat' (for lack of better term) in the seat bottom. Visible in this sample photo I've pulled from the Samba:

2) Rear seat, definitely did not have the strings. I've seen '58/59 restorations that pleated the rear seat as well.

3) Factory seat padding had Jute glued on the outer 6" of both the bottom and back cushions...front and rear. Presumably this was to smooth out the corners on the seats and keep the padding from breaking down.

Sorry, no photos.

-Dave

Thu Dec 14, 2023 9:19 pm

An old thread but I hope someone can help me .

My 1959 Bug has green/gray original door cards and they're pretty tired .

I'd like to buy new ones but only if correct stock 58/59 only .

I saw them for sale who knows where back when I bouhht the car and didn't think to copy the website .

Any leads will be greatly appreciated ! .

TIA and yes, I spent a few hours searching before adding to this excellent thread .

Fri Dec 15, 2023 10:55 am

https://www.westcoastclassicinteriors.com/interiors/bug/1958-1959/ I've seen these displayed at a show, nice quality!

Fri Dec 15, 2023 1:35 pm

1958 diamond grey with 32 original kmiles:

Sat Dec 16, 2023 7:53 pm

THANK YOU BOTH ! .

The 59/59 had the heat rolled lines in the colored parts, I'll send them a query and see what they can do .

I love that Diamond Gray car ~ it looks just like the (horribly tobacco smoke stained) dashboard in my '59 but I have green/gray door cards .