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P2 body upholstery

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:31 pm
by RobHomewood
Can anyonw advise me what material should be on the strip along the bottom of the doors on a 39 DHC? At present I have some kind of coloured textured hardboard screwed on but that is not obviously correct. I have leftover materials from reupholstering the front seats ie leather (half a cow as I had to buy a whole hide!) some carpet and rexine. Would I be right in guessing this should be carpet? If so how is it fixed and is it trimmed in leather or Rexine? Also are the side cheeks of the footwell the same? With the strip across the front of the rear seats I can see that carpet has been cut off by the threads showing but I cannot see how to release the leather clad valance to the seat which seems to clamp it.
Its been like this for probably approaching 50 years but its never too late to get it right is it?
Rob

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 8:39 pm
by GOY189
Maybe Bill McCreath can advise.

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:41 am
by TonyG
Hi Rob,

I don’t know if it is of any help, but my 12 Tourer originally had carpet sections on the lower part of the front seat backs. The edges were ‘whipped’ with a matching coloured thread. The under edges around the seat were also covered in carpet. The lower door sections were covered in carpet which, I assume, were edged like the seat backs to the same height. These were removed when I was a small boy so can’t be too specific. The tunnel carpet was edged in Rexine to match the upholstery leather - no doubt to reduce cost. There was a leather panel to the left of the clutch pedal to reduce wear and dirt on the carpet. The panel under the rear seat squab was carpeted such that this area, the seat backs and the doors were covered to the same height.

I’d suggest edging the carpets with leather if you have it as this would be better than Rexine. On my car I had all the carpet edges whipped by a local rug maker. As yet, I haven’t put carpet panels along the door bottoms or on the seat backs as it seems a shame to cover the new leather. Maybe when I put everything back once it returns from the paint shop?

Your car is a slightly later model and built in a different place. However, the indications you have found suggests so many similarities to the way mine was originally that I doubt you are far out with your deductions.

Tony.

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 11:02 am
by RobHomewood
Thanks Tony
Your observations seem to match my guesses so far although I have seen no signs of the leather patch to the left of the clutch. I am still trying to think how best to fix the carpet to the doors and how to remove the leather clad 2" deep valance which retains the rear seat squab and the carpet below.
As Mike suggests I will try Bill Mc Creath by email
Rob

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2021 4:26 pm
by luli
Have a look at the attached link, It may help https://wp.me/pXLKy-1py

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:38 pm
by RobHomewood
Thanks for that Luli
I have seen those pictures of the 20 Tickford renovated latterly in the US and I was not sure how authentic any of the upholstery detailing was. Thats the trouble when you change one detail all the rest is questionable ( unless you record everything carefully)
R

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:05 pm
by luli
That restoration took place in the UK by a respected restorer.

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 3:26 pm
by RobHomewood
Sorry I understood the final restorations and changes were done in the US after the initial works in the UK. I was not questioning the quality of the work but the adaptations and changes made to the owners requirements not to the original specification.
There are not many Rover 20 DHC's about so it could be that in the future someone might unknowingly use this one as a reference for the 'correct' specification. My point was that once you discover one thing is not original then you have to be alert to question whether other parts are exactly original. And that applies to my car as well as 99% of others this age I would think
R

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:22 pm
by luli
Try to get in touch with Howard Buchanan who is probably the most qualified person to answer your questions. See also the following thread:
http://www.rover-forum.thersr.co.uk/vie ... d+Buchanan

Re: P2 body upholstery

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:05 pm
by RobHomewood
Thanks Luli
I have been in touch with Bill McCreath who has provided much info as well as referring me to his article in the February RSR mag which I had overlooked somehow. So I have lots to absorb and various decisions to make on how far to go with trying to get back to orginal look eg should I install the rear footwells where I have a flat floor because that means changing virtually all the carpet!
Rob