Good source for vintage/NOS upholstery fabrics?
- Thread starter CaliWagon83
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FYI, I planned on using Monte buckets in my wagon. I even bought a set of mounts and had the body shop weld them in while it was there getting painted. My car had a power split bench from a Cutlass when I bought it but the previous owner just did the inner mounts with a few bolts and a ton of washers. When they were moving the seat in and out of the car at the body shop the power seat transmission broke in half.
I started looking for a set of clean Monte buckets just to use as a base. I planned on getting new seat buns and having a shop redo the seat in the gray Cutlass cloth. I had a hard time finding a set of cheap donor seats. Remember I really just needed a decent seat pan. I couldnt find anything in my area for under $300. Then the seat buns, then the upholstery shop. It would have cost quite a bit just to have a set of buckets. And then I would have needed a console to go between them. It also would have been a lot to get another transmission for the power seat.
In the end I found a solid bench out of a low mile Cutlass sedan and used that.
Im sure if you got a good color match on the cloth a good upholstery shop would just replace the one side of the seat and it wouldnt cost a crapload of cash. The cloth would be pretty cheap since a yard would be more than enough and since youre in CA the shipping wouldnt be anything close to what I had to pay. Im in NY.
I started looking for a set of clean Monte buckets just to use as a base. I planned on getting new seat buns and having a shop redo the seat in the gray Cutlass cloth. I had a hard time finding a set of cheap donor seats. Remember I really just needed a decent seat pan. I couldnt find anything in my area for under $300. Then the seat buns, then the upholstery shop. It would have cost quite a bit just to have a set of buckets. And then I would have needed a console to go between them. It also would have been a lot to get another transmission for the power seat.
In the end I found a solid bench out of a low mile Cutlass sedan and used that.
Im sure if you got a good color match on the cloth a good upholstery shop would just replace the one side of the seat and it wouldnt cost a crapload of cash. The cloth would be pretty cheap since a yard would be more than enough and since youre in CA the shipping wouldnt be anything close to what I had to pay. Im in NY.
After looking at all your photos Im thinking if you email them a good close up of the rear door panel insert they might be able to get a close match. At least they'll be able to tell you if its in stock.
Old thread but thought I’d update. I contacted SMS for matching material for my 81’ LeMans. Within about 10 days they sent me a sample, stated it’s an exact match (box checked on a formatted sheet) and a sample attached. I put it side by side and yea, it’s pretty much dead on. I did give them the color code for my interior. I assume 38 years of use, mine has a little dirt and maybe some slight fading. $75 per yard, plan to order enough for my seats soon, plan is to re-do buckets to match but might do the rear seats while I’m at it, when the time comes. Gathering parts mode.
Buyer beware with SMS, they sent the samples, looked great and then this is what they sent me compared to the samples...
Fabric wasn't even close, the vinyl I received was full of blotches and some had dye drips.
Took 3 months to get my stuff and then when they strung me along for another 2 months, I finally had to go through my credit card company to recover $3000.
The owner was a huge *******, bragged about being in business for 40 years, being rich and was busy and was going to miss his tee time etc.
Was just full of excuses, he knows how to work the CC companies, they will try and string you along so you can't file a dispute with your CC company if it's past 180 days...
If you look up SMS online there are a TON of horror stories out there...
Fabric wasn't even close, the vinyl I received was full of blotches and some had dye drips.
Took 3 months to get my stuff and then when they strung me along for another 2 months, I finally had to go through my credit card company to recover $3000.
The owner was a huge *******, bragged about being in business for 40 years, being rich and was busy and was going to miss his tee time etc.
Was just full of excuses, he knows how to work the CC companies, they will try and string you along so you can't file a dispute with your CC company if it's past 180 days...
If you look up SMS online there are a TON of horror stories out there...
It's probably going to be a while until I do anything drastic in the interior. I appreciate the candid feedback on SMS.
I had issues with the first order too but they eventually made it right. They sent me a matching sample but the stuff they sent was different. I ordered two cloths, they only sent one. Then they sent the right cloth but not the right amount. They sent the remainder of the amount ordered but a different lot so it was a shade off. It was VERY frustrating. They sent a shipment in a box. Took it to the upholstery shop, pulled it out of the box and at each corner of the folded cloth there was a scuff in the material. Sent that one back too. It took months to straighten out. Im glad I wont need anything from them ever again
I got my samples yesterday from SMS.........for my 79 Hurst Olds. No one warned me about the cost....
while I was knocked to the floor😱 I found a quarter
that rolled under the fridge a long time ago😎
.......I'll use it to flip to see if I order from SMS or not....🤔......see, Ya' gotta find the good in the bad...............😊
while I was knocked to the floor😱 I found a quarter
that rolled under the fridge a long time ago😎.......I'll use it to flip to see if I order from SMS or not....🤔......see, Ya' gotta find the good in the bad...............😊
If so inclined, how much they asking for the 79 interior fabric per yard?I got my samples yesterday from SMS.........for my 79 Hurst Olds. No one warned me about the cost....
while I was knocked to the floor😱 I found a quarter
.......I'll use it to flip to see if I order from SMS or not....🤔......see, Ya' gotta find the good in the bad...............😊
I have never used SMS. I did contact them about headliner material swatches, but they sell the same ol same ol that everyone else does it seems. That was several years ago. Maybe he wasn't a millionaire at that time. So perhaps that's why they seemed to work with me.
Here's some BBB complaints. They do seem to suck. I read one of them where the dumbass replied to the effect if "we shipped the headliner this week. If Mr. *** needs a tracking number he can..." WTF? No you douchebag, you automatically SUPPLY the customer with a tracking number without asking them to request one. That's some piss poor customer service. Must be related to some other person we know that deals in G-body parts. Excuse after excuse after excuse. Including SMS, I can rattle off two more Oldsmobile parts places off the top of my head that I'd rather get a punch in the mouth than try to buy parts from them. It always seems rather funny when all these companies try to make it appear as if there's something wrong with the customer. Granted, a few customers are *ssh*les, true, but you can't tell me that everyone that has gone through hell and back waiting for their orders or wading through his bullshit would just flippantly toss in a fake complaint. Aw hell no.
https://www.bbb.org/us/or/canby/pro...s/s-m-s-auto-fabrics-1296-22017298/complaints
Why is it in this day and age that companies don't get the very basic premise in how to make money? Did they not get the memo? The SMS owner could actually make MORE money by providing excellent service. I guess that's the difference of why he's only playing golf instead of sailing on his yacht letting someone else deal with the customer service. I've never met anyone who couldn't stand to make more money. Some people just are in the wrong business I guess. Maybe he would do better running a shoveling sh*t business. He seems better at that than pleasing his customer base.
And just so you know, once your credit card is charged, a vendor is required by law (at least in the U.S.) to either ship said item, or give you the option of money back or continue waiting WITHIN 30 DAYS of being charged. That's why most places won't charge your card until the item ships. If they fail to do that, contact the FTC and see how fast they make good on their stupidity.
Here's some tips from the FTC concerning this rule.
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/bus...s-guide-ftcs-mail-internet-or-telephone-order
Interesting feedback. I did see some negative comments online but there are always a portion of those, the only time people leave comments is if upset and *sometimes* if really pleased it seems. But hearing it here has more weight. I don't plan to order thousands of dollars of material, enough to do my seats or at least buckets to start, maybe enough for rears later. Another idea is to use the sample and see if anyone else or locally can get or has the material too. I don't quite understand how they can match for samples then send out mismatched material so often, when it's obvious that would be noticeable. Still plan to order a few yards(or however much is needed for buckets) in the somewhat near future.
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