MTFCA Forum

When I go to their website www.cartoucheupholstery.com I wind up on https://www.macsautoparts.com/. My experiences with Macs have been less than stellar. Is Cartouche still in business?

Cartouche IS Mac’s

https://www.classtiqueupholstery.com/index.php. My trusted upholstery guy prefers their stuff. Better quality & fit.

My experiences with Macs have been less than stellar.

I crossed them off my list about thirty years ago. Sometimes I post a list of parts dealers when people ask where to get things. They're not on it.

I agree that Classtique is the best source.

Cartouche replaced the top I had ordered about 6 years earlier. I told them I needed a couple more inches on the front and back. They sent me a whole new top. No questions asked.

I have never had any trouble with Mac's, They seem to be higher priced on most things though. I will agree, they were better before being bought out. The model T catalog they send is getting thinner with each printing. Maybe they are getting away from the T parts business.

I have had serious delays when purchasing T parts directly from Macs since they were bought out. However if you make the purchase through eBay, the delivery problems seem to disappear.
I have even made a purchase from Macs using Amazon with no delivery delays and free shipping as I’m a Prime customer

I have had serious delays when purchasing T parts directly from Macs since they were bought out.

If you got good service before that, you were just lucky. They were notorious for bad service long before the sale to Ecklers. Obviously, if they screwed up every order they would have been out of business by now. But for thirty years there's been enough smoke to indicate that the fire is real, even if it doesn't happen to burn everybody. I don't recall ever having a similar experience with Birdhaven, Bob's, Chaffin's, or Lang's.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:26 pm

I have had serious delays when purchasing T parts directly from Macs since they were bought out.

If you got good service before that, you were just lucky. They were notorious for bad service long before the sale to Ecklers. Obviously, if they screwed up every order they would have been out of business by now. But for thirty years there's been enough smoke to indicate that the fire is real, even if it doesn't happen to burn everybody. I don't recall ever having a similar experience with Birdhaven, Bob's, Chaffin's, or Lang's.

I can get stuff from Lang's or Snyder's in a couple of days waiting time. Depending on when you order with Snyder's, the least amount of time I've waited was TWO days. With Mac's it was always over a WEEK before I would get it. I'm in New Jersey for geography reference.

Classtique is the best thing to happen to Model T upholstery since Carter's Cut and Cover.

If you are wondering what it's like to be S.O.L. for quality upholstery kits, Google "LeBaron Bonney" or, if you happen to be working on a vintage car with a blue bow tie on the radiator shell, Google "Hampton Coach".

LeBaron Bonney was THE one and only place to go for Model A and newer interior kits. Their quality was outstanding. They made a deal, and purchased Hampton Coach. They were to Chevrolet and other G.M. products what LeBaron Bonney was to the Ford bunch. They became one company.

A few years ago, Hampton Coach/LeBaron Bonney went chapter 11, and then they were no more.

Now, thank Henry, Classtique reproduces Model A interiors too. When it comes to the G.M. crowd, good luck.

I was looking at their seat covers for a Model T. They say that are made as original except they are vinyl, not leather. Who want vinyl seats.

While I have not received my top and upholstery from Mike at Classtique yet, his knowledge of what you have and how to order his kits is above any order process I have experienced. Can’t wait to get all of the stuff and get started. Been a wonderful experience so far.

Chris. What year T are you working on?? After 13 they were vinyl. The Only leather was the first roll at the door opening 14,15,and 16 not sure about later models.

My T is a '21. The interior burned and none was left for inspection. I don't know if I assumed it was leather or simply wanted leather.

Ford phased leather out of Model T upholstery production fairly early on. I don't think they went to vinyl, since it probably didn't exist then. What they used would likely have been one or more of several cloth-backed faux-leather materials then available. Pyroxylin, a type of plastic, was widely used in a variety of ways, and may have been used for seat covering material.

I don't know what it was made from, but it was called "Leatherette" Vinyl came out around the 50's or later.

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:55 pm

Ford phased leather out of Model T upholstery production fairly early on. I don't think they went to vinyl, since it probably didn't exist then. What they used would likely have been one or more of several cloth-backed faux-leather materials then available. Pyroxylin, a type of plastic, was widely used in a variety of ways, and may have been used for seat covering material.

I believe it was referred to as "oil cloth."

Mike with Classtique Upholstery here. I'll be happy make your seats out of leather for you.

Ah... the incomparable scent, the lambent lustre of fine Corinthian lather....!

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:17 am

Ah... the incomparable scent, the lambent lustre of fine Corinthian lather....!

RICH Corinthian leather.

I beg your pardon. It's been years...

I've talked to Mike from Classtique on the phone a couple times and bought new pads and straps for my car.

He's been a gentleman and helpful...both times.

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 06, 2021 8:25 am

TXGOAT2 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:55 pm

Ford phased leather out of Model T upholstery production fairly early on. I don't think they went to vinyl, since it probably didn't exist then. What they used would likely have been one or more of several cloth-backed faux-leather materials then available. Pyroxylin, a type of plastic, was widely used in a variety of ways, and may have been used for seat covering material.

I believe it was referred to as "oil cloth."

The material in question, pyroxylin, is the same as celluloid. I owned a 1909 Sears "Seroco" whole-plate camera. It had pebble-grained leatherette bellows. Same with a 1930 Victor portable phonograph, a Victrola 2-65. It had the same stuff and I know that was celluloid because it burnt like crazy when I took it off & set it on fire (it was deteriorated.)
The tradename for what went on camera bellows was Keratol. It had an admixture of linseed oil in it to give it life & flexibility. I guess that would be a handy material for seats in a car.

This stuff is a pretty close-looking substitute for leather but it wears and looks funny as the threads show through. One of the reasons I never took any photos with my old bellows camera was that the Keratol itself had begun to deteriorate along the corners.

I've no idea if this was what Ford put in the Model T, but it was pretty popular stuff back in the day.

There appears to be several different methods used on the Model T during its production years.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/11 ... 1284707627
R.V. Anderson on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 04:30 pm:
The switch from genuine to imitation leather (a sort of painted canvas) began in late 1912 and was quite piecemeal for some time. The change started with the door panels, then some cars had seat backs of imitation leather, then some became all imitation. I think the switch was more by manufacturer than by date.
By Alan Woolf on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 06:05 pm:
The switch did not occur by mid 13. My June 13 touring still has the original leather on the seats which is in poor condition. Most 13's did have leather and I believe you might find a very early 14 with leather seats.
By CharlieB-Toms River N.J. on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 08:41 pm:
So I guess McCalleys "full leather on open cars" is correct.
By Dan Treace on Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 06:28 pm:
As for the artificial leather Ford used, by 1921 Ford was making its own cotton textiles, 68 looms, each weaving 3,500 yards a day, 60" wide. Used for band linings,and backing for the Ford LeatherCloth. The Highland Park plant made 72,000 yards of LeatherCloth per day. 15 yards used for the top, curtains, and upholstery on the touring.
[Ford Industries, 1926] Perhaps later
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1484441798 Meritas was a brand of oilcloth first produced in 1869 by A.F.Buchanan and Sons at Montrose, New York.[1] The company was taken over by the Standard Oil Cloth Company which then became part of the Standard Textile Products Company. The range of cloths produced under the Meritas brand was expanded to include composite cloth, leather cloth and slate cloth which were used for a variety of purposes including upholstery and trim for automobiles.[2] In 1909, the company built the Meritas Mills in Columbus to manufacture these cloths.[3]
The Standard Oil Cloth Company became the Standard Textile Company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Textile_Company
Which was absorbed into American Cyanamid . The bulk of the AC company is now part of Pfizer, with smaller portions belonging to BASF, Procter & Gamble and other firms.

Just a little side note since we're talking about imitation leather and it's multitude of it's trade names.

The product we all know by the trade marked name of Naugahyde, also started out as a Pyroxylin, or lacquer-coated canvas mixed with a rubber compound material that simulated leather hide, at a large cost savings over genuine leather.

Naugahyde had it's beginnings in 1914. It was originally made (and may still be) by U.S. Tire and Rubber Company (now Uniroyal). It wasn't until after WWII that polyvinyl alcohol compounds were used to replace the lacquer-based coating that produced the leather look. The vinyl coating far outlasted the lacquer-rubber composite. It was also more stable chemically. If you've wondered where that "New Car Smell" comes from, blame it on polyvinyl alcohol. Pyroxlyn is to blame for producing that "old suitcase" smell.

If you've ever wondered how U.S. Rubber Company came up with such a unique name for their extremely popular imitation leather material, which has now become the generic name for imitation leather, like Kleenex has become the generic name for facial tissue. The answer lies in the name of the town U.S. Tire and Rubber was headquartered in. Their headquarters lied in the New England town of, non other than, Naugatuck, Connecticut. Hence the name Nauga-hyde.

Upholstery Mike wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 06, 2021 9:15 am

Mike with Classtique Upholstery here. I'll be happy make your seats out of leather for you.

Mike email sent 10:51

Naugatuck, my foot! I clearly remember the ads and product tags with the images of the poor little Naugas who were mercilessly exploited....

Naugas was made to breed with others and then the offspring were skinned and used for seat covers.