03-03-2019, 12:04 PM
Looking at that charming 'R', I can't help wondering if nothing could have been done to save the interior? Maybe it was just too far gone but in too many cases I think a refit is just the order of the day. I spent countless hours restoring the original leather of my Swallow. When I got the car it was rock hard and the door cards were being gradually eaten away by wood worm. In the end the only new items were the carpets (missing) and the roof lining (hanging like rotten curtains). Interestingly, if I ever claim to have added anything to our sum of knowledge about Swallow interiors it was the discovery that William Lyons opted for brushed cotton to save costs. It was an easy thing to buy and cut up a bed sheet! I copied the original lining exactly and even soaked the material in tea to age it. It's an OLD CAR, after all.