Hi guys. Im in need of a little help and advice google isn't delivering.
I need a seat upholstery kit for a four door calais and Im struggling to find a supplier.
I also need to know what should be in the rectangular hole on the dash top, above the steering wheel as all I have is the hole.
There will be lots of other stuff Im sure but thats it for now.
Thanks for any and all help.
As I said in answer to your previous post I doubt you will find a kit as there are so many variations. The correct material is probably available so any competent upholsterer could recover the seats.
Hello Matthew,
One of the largest suppliers of old car upholstery fabrics in the States is SMS (http://www.smsautofabrics.com/). I was recently told by a high-end restoration facility that SMS products are very good, but they are expensive, and depending on the particular fabric, you may have to wait.
If I recall correctly, the hole in the top of the dash near the steering wheel is for the Twilight Sentinal day/night sensor. If I am incorrect on this (a possibility) then the hole may be for an Automatic Climate Contol cabin temperature sensor. Does your car have the Twighlight Sentinal option, or Automatic Climate Control? The shop manual will indicate which option uses that hole. If your car has neither option, the hole will be empty (no sensor). but the hole should have a little grill covering it, in the same color as the dash, regardless of the presence of a sensor (see attached photo).
Forgetfully submitted,
Christopher Winter
The Twilight Sentinel sensor is in the speaker grille. If you have a stereo the sensor will be in the left speaker grille. The rectangular opening in the edge of the dash pad is the in car sensor for the Climate Control system.
Quote from: savemy67 on October 24, 2016, 09:23:49 PM
Hello Matthew,
One of the largest suppliers of old car upholstery fabrics in the States is SMS (http://www.smsautofabrics.com/). I was recently told by a high-end restoration facility that SMS products are very good, but they are expensive, and depending on the particular fabric, you may have to wait.
Christopher Winter
I second that. I re-trimmed my 59 coupe some years ago and they matched the fabric with what looked like gold wire running through it. I never thought it would have been available. Expensive yes, but all the good fabric is these days.
Quote from: Steve Passmore on October 24, 2016, 06:19:28 PM
As I said in answer to your previous post I doubt you will find a kit as there are so many variations. The correct material is probably available so any competent upholsterer could recover the seats.
Thanks Steve but I was looking for suggestions of suppliers. Im happy to change upholstery colour if the exact option I have isn't available. If the correct material is available then what google wont tell me is who supplies it and thats the answer I am looking for.
Quote from: savemy67 on October 24, 2016, 09:23:49 PM
Hello Matthew,
One of the largest suppliers of old car upholstery fabrics in the States is SMS (http://www.smsautofabrics.com/). I was recently told by a high-end restoration facility that SMS products are very good, but they are expensive, and depending on the particular fabric, you may have to wait.
If I recall correctly, the hole in the top of the dash near the steering wheel is for the Twilight Sentinal day/night sensor. If I am incorrect on this (a possibility) then the hole may be for an Automatic Climate Contol cabin temperature sensor. Does your car have the Twighlight Sentinal option, or Automatic Climate Control? The shop manual will indicate which option uses that hole. If your car has neither option, the hole will be empty (no sensor). but the hole should have a little grill covering it, in the same color as the dash, regardless of the presence of a sensor (see attached photo).
Forgetfully submitted,
Christopher Winter
Thanks so much Christopher I will email them and see what they have. I am off to look for a grill now and Im looking for a red one. If anyone has one please yell.
Hi Matthew. Perhaps the responders didn't quite get to you. What they were saying is that there are NO suppliers of "kits" for Cadillacs in the year you need. Well, there are some, but they are ones that will not come anywhere close to original in your era. There were so few Cadillacs made relative to Chevy and Ford, that there would be absolutely no market for exact reproductions of such upholstery. SMS will (probably) get you what you need and as was mentioned, any competent upholstery shop should be able to do a good job in redoing your seats. Best of luck and welcome. Barry Please remember also that the Calais series was the cheaper line of Cadillacs and upholstery in some fabrics may be non-existent, since few cars have survived.