MTFCA Forum

Two Sheens of Currently Available Early Ford Upholstery Leather

Hello fellow Model T-ers,
What are your thoughts on the following statement? Is it about right?:

“The installed upholstery-leather pictured below is what restorers typically use. However, the sample swathe draped over the top has more of “gloss” sheen.

In general, it takes anywhere between three to five hides (50sf-60sf each) to upholster an early Ford Touring Car. Hides are selling for about $350.00 each these days. The more glossy of the two is more expensive. A good upholsterer will do this job, including the leather, for about $6,000.00”.

Is this assessment correct?
…be nice.
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I grew up around antique cars and have seen a number of original, unrestored cars and/or cars that at least still had their original leather upholstery and not just Model Ts.

In my opinion, glossy leather is period correct for Model T Fords that originally had leather upholstery and for other cars of the era. If you search the forum for leather, you can access a few good examples of original leather Model T upholstery.

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:mt ... =692&dpr=1

My dad did the leather upholstery himself on his 1900 Waverley Electric - diamond tufting and square tufting using horse hair. See photos below. (There's a second seat cushion on the back of the car. The rear passengers sit back-to-back to the driver and front passenger aka "Dos-a-Dos.")

My dad did have original leather from his Waverley to compare to available samples. He ended up going with "Casino Black" 16100 that he purchased from Goldfield Trim and Upholstery. It is available in half hides and whole hides. It has a definite sheen/shine and is not dull like upholstery used in modern cars.

http://www.goldfieldtrim.com/

He tried to purchase the leather directly from the manufacturer but they do not sell retail. Apparently it's available only through upholsterers and dealers.

The glossy black leather is available from Garrett in N.Y. It's expensive, but no one in southern California has it, and people that don't understand what Ford used don't seem to care!

Five hides to upholster a Ford touring is crazy. It takes two and a half hides to do a seven passenger Stanley touring which is bigger in every way.

Loren Burch in Pasadena turned me on to the leather supplier he used and the result was very good. Photos show the result 15 years later after cleaning and conditioning with Lexol. I don't have the name anymore but it was a Californis business.