Kim and others with samples interested in Rep re-manufacture - I suggest send a small sample to Paul [earlier on this thread] - in the UK - who has the (Ledger corroborated) 'Margate' trim and can start to compare patterns properly.
I think the two samples may be the same pattern with different colour way, perhaps?
If some companies are saying £100 a metre for bespoke projects, I imagine something with a useable pattern in stock might still be £40-50/metre with choices of thread. If minimum order for a truly bespoke project is 50 metres, it definitely requires a consortium but it will be interesting to see how much Malcolm required.
One of the points will be how much consortium members wish to compromise over the weaving type to save cost... or not!
[I'm afraid I'm not a potential member. Car too far gone - only interested in this for research.]
The picture is of a portion of original "rep" cut from the back of a seat from an early 1928 fabric Saloon that I owned and restored in the early 1970s. After very extensive searching I failed to find anything remotely similar from the stock of UK cloth manufacturers, still plentiful at that time, and ended up using a light brown Bedford Cord.
Also in the early 1970s, Flt Lt Chris Edwards (later Capt Edwards I believe) had a small amount of the same pattern manufactured to use in his early Top Hat. The weave of the resulting cloth appeared to be an exact match, and although the colours maybe were rather bright, the result was much better (and no doubt considerably more expensive!) than my Bedford Cord.
If Chris is still contactable then he might prove to be a good source of info. He might even have some cloth to spare?!
If anyone needs a small sample of mine then just ask.
Mick - was there any chalk marking inside the car frame/behind the seats that might have given a clue to design/name of the material you had on the 28? No ability to assess from Ledgers...
I'll try and link these photos of the three samples in one image to enable a better comparison.
(09-07-2018, 10:25 AM)JonE Wrote: Mick - was there any chalk marking inside the car frame/behind the seats that might have given a clue to design/name of the material you had on the 28? No ability to assess from Ledgers...
I'll try and link these photos of the three samples in one image to enable a better comparison.
Jon, It was a long time ago! I doubt if any marks existed, and I wouldn't have thought then to record anything, either on paper or film (too expensive!).
Best of luck in your quest.
If nothing else, it would be a big breakthrough if Capt. Edwards thought to preserve the draft pattern and specification of the weave he had made. I am starting from the assumption of course that the original mill is unknown and patterns lost, but if someone knows better....
A significant factor in costing will be the time spent analysing the sample, generating a pattern and attempting to match colours.
and another reference as a Sdn Ldr for something in 2003.
and The Automobile Jan 88
"The Freehollow Flyer – Chris Edwards found the last remaining Gordon England Austin Seven Sunshine Saloon in a barn in America"
any leads, anyone, from people knowing those cars?
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 653 Threads: 16
Reputation:
6 Location: The far North East of England
Car type: 1934 Austin 7 AVH Van (in bits & incomplete!), 1936 Morris 8 Series I Tourer
**Edit** For some reason the link I've posted above doesn't take you to the relevant thread - so, on the old forum key 'Chris Edwards' into the search box which brings up Chris Garner's results and look at the 22nd thread down topic: Chris Edwards, author Chris Garner, dated: Jan 1 2017 11:27am
When Holdsworths did my moquette, they used a small loom which was used by the design team to test new patterns, rather than the larger looms.
The roll I got was 26.8 metres, apparently once the loom is going it goes at such a rate of knots it is difficult to produce much less, it probably does 10 metres just coming to a stop.
Sounds a lot but the width of the moquette was only 36" instead of the usual 54". The loom takes ages to fit with the 100's of bobbins of thread needed, so it is easier and quicker to do a longer run of narrower width.
My 26.8 m roll did my saloon and there is enough left for about 1 1/2 other saloons, or one saloon and a two-seater. The moquette was used for the two front seats, the rear seat, the door panels and window surrounds, the rear body side panels which extend the full height as shown in Steve's photo (where did he get that from?).
As a guide to the amount of moquette used, say 10 metres at 36" wide (nice mix of imperial and metric units!), which would be about 7 metres at 54" wide.
Hope this helps.
The photo provided by Steve makes the moquette look a bit bright, the background colour is fawn.
