Planning to have my front and rear seats reupholstered . Looking for advice on the most practical/cost effective way to ship them from MA to NC and back . Thanks in advance for suggestions . ... Paul Tesone CLC # 6876
Hi Paul,
Shipping costs are very expensive nowadays. If you're dead set on using the upholsterer in NC, I suggest you take a NC vacation and drive them down. I hear there are some nice golf courses on the Outer Banks.
But here's another option. I am working on recovering some seats too. What I'm doing is sending only the covers to a shop that makes copies from the old covers, and when I get the new covers I plan to either install them myself or get a local upholstery shop to install them.
This was the strategy I used for my '65 Deville and it worked out great so I'm trying it again. The IMG_1369.jpg strategy only saves a modest amount of money, however. Shipping just the front seat covers from Maryland to Texas was $200 one way. I imagine when the Texas shop has the covers ready for shipment, they'll stick me with the cost of shipping them. Which will probably be another $100. At least the cost of this shop making the new covers is reasonable - actually I was surprised at how little they are charging me. So silver lining, right?
Good luck with your project.
Greg Ellers
Paul & G,
Are there no upholstery shops in your towns or close by that have a good reputation.
Why is there a need to ship out of state.
Please educate me.
Have fun,
Steve B.
I might suspect Jenkins is a noted Cadillac upholsterer and worthy of shipping efforts to his location?
I personally would suggest that you purchase premade new Leather seat covers correctly stitched and to size and after receiving them take your seats to a local reputable furniture upholsterer and have the old skins removed and the new ones installed. I did this in 2015 with a 1972 Eldorado convertible and in 1999 I purchased correct red leather and red vinyl for bolsters from SMS auto interior's for a 1968 Cadillac DeVille convertible and brought the bolts of Leather and Vinyl to a local professional upholsterer along with the original seats and a catalogue from 1968 and he duplicated the seats correctly stitch for stitch perfectly and saved quite a bit of money, time and headache.
Thanks all for your thoughts . It is indeed Jenkins that I plan on sending the seats to . He has done two other cars for me in kit form and they turned out great . He has the correct buffalo grain leather for the seats and correct patterns for door and rear quarter panels . Was actually considering a road trip , but I would still have to crate everything for the return delivery - unless I made a second road trip . I might do what I did for my 55 Caddy - crate up the front seat backs , send them to be upholstered , and get the rest delivered in kit form for my restorer to put on . My only concern with that is , if they don't fit , the restorer blames Jenkins and Jenkins blames my restorer . Would prefer that Jenkins does the complete job . I'll get some quotes for freight delivery and see what happens . Would appreciate suggestions for trustworthy freight companies . Thanks , Paul Tesone CLC #6876
Steven : that's depressing to hear . Your story is one of the reasons why giving him the complete job to do would be my first choice . I already gave him a deposit so I could "get on the schedule" . He hasn't purchased my leather yet . I've asked him for a sample before he starts , both to give approval and to use as a color sample for the dash restoration . Even without hearing about your experience , I had come to the realization that I would - as I have with my other restoration projects - have to keep personally involved . There's just too much time and money being spent to have an unhappy result . I can see that a trip to NC is in my future . Jenkins has come through for me in the past , so I'm hoping for the best . I'll stay on top of things and let you and the other readers know how everything works out . Tomorrow , I'm going to take some measurements so I can build wooden crates for whatever I end up getting to Jenkins . Thanks for your interest and advice .. Paul CLC #6876
Someone tried to get me to send my seat covers to LaBarron Bonnie to have them make patterns and recreate a couple of sets.
I was talking to them about the process and their answers were vague and slow. Then they stopped talking to me. Then a few weeks later I heard they declared bankruptcy and closed. I am glade I didn't not send my covers.
I will only drop off my stuff close enough for me to get my parts back.
I have used https://www.uship.com/ a few times to save some dough.
Good thing you did not send your seat covers Carl, people are getting more used to business failures growing up in Rochester New York Cutbacks, Layoffs and Closings were a way of life.
Paul you are definitely on the right track taking them down there yourself. A little lunch with Hill at the diner down the street from his shop always seems to make things go smoothly .
Well , it has been 5 months since my last post . For those who are interested, here's the update . Jenkins told me if I were to make crates to send the seats , I should make them strong enough to protect the newly upholstered seats for the trip back . So I did . A bit of overkill , but all six of them are strong . Unfortunately , with their strength came weight . I compared the cost of renting a truck ( Penske , U Hall , etc ) to drive to NC myself, to using a freight company . Most of the freight companies were $1700-$2100 door to door . A one way rental including gas , an overnight motel stay plus the flight home was just as expensive - plus the aggravation of handling them myself . So I decided on a freight company . I was VERY fortunate to have a friend who recommended using a local freight company ( FORWARD AIR ) that he uses for his auto parts business . They were $800 less expensive than anyone else . I saved another $75 by taking the crates to the dispatch station myself . I was shocked to find out they arrived at Jenkins' shop three days later . So , for any of you looking for a reasonable freight company , I think this is the one . It's worth investigating if there are dispatch centers in your area . .... Just to be sure Jenkins and I were on the same page with regard to the details of this restoration , I flew down to Charlotte in the morning , rented a car to get to North Wilkesboro , and was back in Boston by 8:30 pm . I didn't have time for that lunch at the diner , but I hope he now knows what I want him to do . I'll post pictures of his work once I get the seats back . I also have been taking pictures of the restoration since it started . I'll start posting them on the Forum soon . Hope you enjoy them . ...Paul Tesone CLC#6876