Brown Station Wagon top material

[35fordtn]

Does anyone know of a source for brown grained top material like that used on Station Wagons?

[woodiewagon46]

We have had this discussion before and I don't know if we ever had a definite answer. If you are looking for a '40 to '48 Ford, then 66" is needed and the only supplier was LeBaron Bonney. The brown was used until late '46 and black cobra grain until '48. If you are a member of the AACA there was also some chatter on their site. I have tried most suppliers and found no one that has the 66" width. What year are you looking for?

[petehoovie]

Try these guys > https://smsautofabrics.com/


And, there's this thread from the EFV8 site > https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/vi...top%20material

[35fordtn]

Woodiewagon,
This would be for a 34. While I’m not in dire need of it for a few years I’m attempting to collect the parts needed for when the times comes for me to start on it. I am unsure of the width material on a 34. My last resort would be Either just use black, or dye the black to the brown color.

SMS was also a last resort, but they seem to not have it.

[woodiewagon46]

I'm not sure of the width of the '34. It's probably a bit narrower than a '46. I got conflicting information from SMS, but again I was looking for black cobra grain in 66" width. I probably made at least 10/12 phone calls to various suppliers and none had the 66" material. Rumor has it that SMS was in negotiations with LeBaron Bonny to purchase their inventory, but that has not been confirmed. I went so far as to call two ex LB employees to try to purchase the entire roll of 66" but that got nowhere.

[jimTN]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Mike, it may be the product size that's the problem. I need a black, grained pattern to cover a 29 Packard top and found that the only material in that size was toneau (sp) material that is used for covering boats and pick pup beds. The outfit I got it from in Knoxville is out of bus now so cannot call them. Check with your suppliers for T material.

[woodiewagon46]

According to the book Famous Ford Woodies, by Lorin Sorenson the correct top fabric for the 1934 Ford is, "color 48-866620, light brown artificial leather". With the contacts that you have, perhaps finding someone with an original '34, might give you a better idea of what you need. Although, trying to determine the exact color from an 86 year old top fabric might be impossible.

[woodiewagon46]

According to the book Famous Ford Woodies, by Lorin Sorenson the correct top fabric for the 1934 Ford is, "color 48-866620, light brown artificial leather". With the contacts that you have, perhaps finding someone with an original '34, might give you a better idea of what you need. Although, trying to determine the exact color from an 86 year old top fabric might be impossible.

[alanwoodieman]

according to Lee Atherton, I purchased the last 13' of the brown fabric for my 40 Woodie years ago. We put it on in 1990. Hard to believe that timeline, anyway I do have some salvage from that materiel if you think it would help in trying to die it the correct color, or at least what was supposed to be correct. I think the NWC has a reference to a color to do that. PM me

[35fordtn]

I am a cartouche dealer and I was informed today they will have the 66" material later this year but not in brown. It will be the cobra long grain.

FYI they bought out LB's inventory

[alanwoodieman]

read my post, Lee said there would be no more brown, just black

[deuce_roadster]

When I finished up my 40 wagon for the concourse, the last thing I did after putting the top material (black, only wide thing available) on before putting the steel rain gutters on I masked off the entire rest of the car with one of those plastic bags, scrubbed the top with wax and grease remover, sprayed some pretty expensive SEM brown vinyl dye on it to make it brown. I used another SEM vinyl dye on the cargo mat and rear seat mat to match the Benton gray front mat. 2 different colors, as I recall $200/quart.
This was in 2013, I had already missed out on the wide brown top material. I think I still have some of the top dye and could send a sample color if someone wanted.

[35fordtn]

How is the dye on you top holding up?

[deuce_roadster]

I can't believe it has been 7 years but it has held up fine. No issues. I put the dye on after the top material was on the car because it gets stretched in the rear corners and sides pretty good. Still looks as good as the day I sprayed it. I knew it was 2013 because I finished the car to take down to the Thousand Oaks National Meet in 2014. If you have a piece of brown material the SEM vinyl dye can be tinted to match. Maybe that is why it cost me so much, I just don't remember.

[DavidG]

Mike,


Isn't the SEM product a flex paint rather than a dye?

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by DavidG

Mike,


Isn't the SEM product a flex paint rather than a dye?

Yes you need a water based rubberized paint. I talked to LaBarron
Bonney about this years ago and they told me to spray it with
a water based paint. G.M.

[woodiewagon46]

I think it's great that someone, Cartouche, will order a run of the 66" Black, Cobra Grain. After looking at several pictures of '34s today, I don't think you will need the wider width, as we do for 1941 thru 1948 Wagons. I would really like to know what the 48-866620, Brown actually looks like, as I'm sure you would also. The pictures show that it's not Cobra Grain but it does show a slight texture. Perhaps a trip to the Ford Archives might be in order.

[deuce_roadster]

SEM does make vinyl dye. If you "google SEM vinyl dye" you can find their color charts. They apparently have (or used to have) more then 1 product for vinyl. I also see a more paint like product they call a "coat". I clearly remember the can saying vinyl dye but I must have pitched the can because it is not in my paint cabinet. So I can't supply a color sample like I thought I could. It was a long time ago that I used it. Either way you can change the color of a black top, it is a lot of work to get the material ready but you can get good results if you follow the directions.

[DavidG]

The prep work is time consuming, but without it, neither paint nor dye will stay put. We use SEM flex paint for recreating Benton gray-colored floor mats for '36 and up and to change mismatched shades of taupe on earlier mats and follow it up with SEM low gloss flex clear.