MTFCA Forum

I am contemplating new upholstery options for my 26 Coupe. What are your opinions on Classtique vs Cartouche kits?

Scott: Classtique has an excellent reputation. jb

Does it matter if you replace to roof material before, or after the head liner?

Headliner installation is much simpler if done before the top is installed. jb

I had a classique upholstery kit installed in my 26 coupe, t looks great, my installer ( who does upholstery jobs on a lot of very expensive show cars) had it call classique a couple times to have them explain some details.

I have a loose top bow right above above my my head that rattles real bad. I need to get to it to fasten it down some how.

On a T enclosed car, you hang the headliner BEFORE you install the top material. (In other words, you hang the headliner with the top covering material off)

I had a knowledgeable installer, who does many classic cars, install a Cartouche in my 27 coupe. For him, it was pretty straightforward, but he said that he did have to make a few teeeks or modifications.

Does the top wood need to be removed? Or, can it be left in place?

top wood is left in place, top material goes on anytime after the headliner is installed.

I'll jump in with another "plug" for Classtique! And as in my previous post on Jeff Perkins' thread, Elizabeth of "Class it Up" is a great source
for a perfect install at a reasonable price if you choose to. I am so glad I did!

Were there any color options for a Coupe in 26? Or, were they all the same?

Grey upper and grey with green stripe seats and door panels for early-mid 1926 coupe painted channel green. Grey and grey with white stripe for late 1926 and all of 1927 when coupes were painted in several different color options.

What about early to mid 26 painted black?

Unknown, but it is unlikely coupes were still black by mid year 1926 or even early calender year 1926. Upholstery for a coupe made up to Aug/Sep 1926 should have seats and door panels that would be grey with a green pin stripe. For 1925 production of the 1926 model year it is anyones guess.

My VIN is 13648885. I believe that dates it to 5/26/1926. I do not see any evidence of any other color than black. Here is a picture of the interior and the roof. The roof has obviously been replaced long ago.

Scott: My coupe is 13,606,xxx close date to yours, and mine was channel green, fwiw. You can get 'free' cloth swatch samples from the vendors, for a better idea of color and texture. I believe those samples are from Cartouche.

https://www.modeltford.com/item/SAMPLE-T1.aspx
I'm sure Mike Francis at Classtique would send you swatches at little cost. Nice car, jb

I contacted Mike at Classtique and he sent me 3 samples. They were grey with green stripe, grey with red stripe and grey with white stripe. He sent me 3 different options for the head liner, dark grey, a lighter grey and another that looked like a woven vinyl with some brown it. He said that all 26 Coupes were grey. I was curious if my interior was original, or not? Not sure if I want the grey? It might darken the interior quite bit? I have searched the net a little bit and have not found many pictures of a 26 Coupe interior. I am thinking that a tan and brown would look good. He is sending me some more samples from an earlier year.

Can someone show a picture of how the top bows fasten at the sides? Mine are loose and rattling. That is what is driving the decision to tear into it.

A counter sunk screw through the top of the bow into the wood side header.

Some excellent pics here: viewtopic.php?t=12178&p=91980&hilit=door+sag

Thanks, that really helps. I should be able to get them snugged down, once I remove the roof material.

Does anyone have pictures of the correct upholstery?

My green '26 Coupe has fabric that is green with brown stripes, and tan headlining. I believe it came from a US supplier as a kit around 1990. The carpet is new and home made.

Surely, some one has pictures of a 26 Coupe with new correct upholstery?

Some good black and white pictures of coupe upholstery are in the Ford Service Bulletins available free on online at cimorelli model t library. December 1925, Vol. 6, No.12, Pg 73-80.

I would follow Mike's guidance. Grey with green stripe is correct for '26 coupe and the headliner grey matched the upholstery grey. Using lesser quality material or mismatched colors does not save you any work, but the choice of colors and fabric is totally up to you. Enjoy the ride! jb

I found some original material on the back of the seat!

Here are the samples that he sent me.
Grey with green stripe. Grey with red stripe. Grey with white stripe.

Here are the panel and head liner samples.
Light grey. Dark grey. And this.

Scott C. wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 17, 2020 12:29 pm

I found some original material on the back of the seat!
IMG_1358 (2).jpg

I REALLY like the way that Chrome Oxide Green stripe pop against the gray. It makes what we have now look too dark...

That's what I think too. I wonder how much the colors have faded over the past 94 years?

Scott C's sample is like what I have on my car, but mine was done in 1990.

Scott C. wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:05 am

That's what I think too. I wonder how much the colors have faded over the past 94 years?

I think a little of both... but the greens are a different hue (the modern one is too bluish, the other one is definitely a green green)... then again, a lot of options for dyed cloth that were available (and common) in the early part of the last century are for the most part heavily regulated or outright banned - some of the pigments (that have lead, mercury, chromium, etc.) take jumping through hoops and filling out forms to get, where before they were commonly available. (We do historical egg tempera iconography and frescoes - getting the materials can be "interesting" to say the least!)...

If you look closely at the original VS the repop - the repop uses a woven-in thread for the green stripe... the original looks like it was dyed (run through rollers?) over the top of the fabric; it spans 3-4 "courses" of the fabric weave where the new is one course of thread, and has some skips on the edges in places... Regardless, it's fun to see the differences between then and now!