Heritage Upholstery & Trim

[Dom]

My Austin Healey needs a new top. I have tried to reach Heritage Upholstery & Trim by phone and email but get no response. Does any one know if they are still in business and if so what the best contact number is for them?

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

My Austin Healey needs a new top. I have tried to reach Heritage Upholstery & Trim by phone and email but get no response. Does any one know if they are still in business and if so what the best contact number is for them?

They are still in business but they can take a few days to get back to you. Tony will usually be the one to get back in touch with you.

 

[Dom]

Thanks! I have been trying to connect Heritage over a two week period. Their response time is not acceptable. I will look into a Robbins top which others have said is very good.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Thanks! I have been trying to connect Heritage over a two week period. Their response time is not acceptable. I will look into a Robbins top which others have said is very good.

Robbins top's are top notch. I've had their Everflex and now their Sunfast top.
The fit and finish are great. Here's a photo of each on my car.

 

[richberman]

Have you tried AHSpares? They are in the process of making mine.
Rich

 

[WaltCasten]

I have very recent experience with Heritage. I did not buy a top from them but it seemed more like you were concerned with their response time. Sorry for making this long but want to give you some background.

I first contacted them last summer (2011) about the interior for my BN2. I sent an e-mail through their website. Tony contacted me the next day, he spent 15-20 minutes on the phone with me discussing my options. He had me e-mail some pictures of the colors I was thinking for the car (hadn't even been decided at that time). He responded immediately. I got samples a few days later. He called to ask what I thought, I told him I was thinking something different. He sent me some more samples right away, he called me again to discuss. This all took place July/Aug of 2011.

Fast forward to January 2012, the car was painted and the final color choice was made for the interior. I e-mailed Tony, he called me back the next day. I sent the deposit check, Tony e-mailed me immediately when they received it. Due to some issues on my end, I did not get them the seat parts blasted and primed until some time in April of 2012. I needed to add seat pans to the order as mine were rusted/twisted beyond reasonable repair, Tony e-mailed a new estimate the next day.

So here we go...e-mailed them beginning of June because initially Tony was talking 5-8 weeks "Don't need the stuff in any rush, just want to see how things are going"...no response. I e-mailed them again the first of July...no response. I e-mailed again the first of August...no response, so I called and left a message...no response.

Then out of the blue, August 20th I get a very brief e-mail from a "Melina" out there "Interior done, send check for balance. Amount due $XXXX.XX". I sent the check and two weeks later my interior showed up. There was no note or letter with it, no one ever contacted me via e-mail or phone. I guess I was expecting a "Hey, how do you like it" or a "What do you think" or at least a "THANKS FOR DROPPING 6 OR 7 GRAND WITH US"...but nothing. Strange.

Later,
Wally

p.s the interior is incredible, better than I could have hoped for.

 

[jstmorris]

Good Day Dom;

Geoff Chrysler, Rich Chrysler's son, used to be with Heritage Upholstery & Trim. My understanding is that he was THE Austin Healey trim expert with Tony's operation in Vancouver, B.C.

After Rich's passing in July, Geoff moved back home to Ontario. Now he is starting up his own operation called Rightway Heritage Trimming. An outline of what he does can be found at https://www.ahcso.com/files/Geoff0001.pdf

--Scott Morris, Simcoe, Ontario
PS: I have no financial interest but I am a friend

 

[Hoghead]

My car is in now at Pacific Auto Trim in Vancouver, using all bits I bought from AH Spares in the UK

 

[johnvan]

I restore Healey's to a concours level. The interior on the mark III I am working on took over a year to get back. Seems once Tony gets your money he is almost impossible to contact. Geoff Chrysler did a great job on it while he worked for them. I had another order for another mark III and it took forever to get back and the general quality was second rate. Geoff was not working for him then. The door window crank handle holes were off by half an inch which caused problems and I did not send it back as I could not wait forever to get it back. I repaired it. I waited a year and a half to get a tonneau cover. Tony has closed his Vancouver operation and moved back to Miami. I would not recommend Tony due to his poor service.

 

[RAC68]

Hi All,

In 1972 I replaced my original top on my 1964 BJ8 P1. It was even better then the original and accurate except for the black rather then gray underside. It has lasted in great shape except for some small cuts by the top frame when folded incorrectly. Today, the window is still quite transparent and clear although I did have to renew some small stretches of sewing on the years. Of all the places I investigated at the time, I purchased the top that I installed from Sears mail order.

So, why am I telling this story. Because of all the those providing tops, I have been disappointed with my Robins top on my TR7 and a friend paid quite a bit for a mediocre top from another major Healey service provider. I took close to a year searching for the exact grain for my door panels and in the late 1980s when restoring my car, I created new panels and dash upholstery rather then spend and incur the potential of being disappointed. The kicker is that I learned to use my wife's sewing machine and all panels and upholstery still look as they did when first redone.

My recommendation, as Roger has indicated, look at examples from the top manufacturer and determine if the quality is what you want. Next, evaluate the installation procedure posted by Steve Byers (with pictures) and Jim Werner under Technical/Body section on www.Healey6.com and, if it is within your purview, consider installing the top yourself (as I did). If it is more then you are willing to take on, by knowing what it will take to install, you will be able to better evaluate a the competency of the LOCAL servicer you choose.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[SideShifter Tri-Carb]

My experience:

Just realized that the jute backing supplied by Heritage Upholstery and Trim does not correlate to Gary Anderson & Roger Moment's restoration guide. The guide indicated that the black side is suppose to be facing down (against the tunnel), and the brown side is glued to the back of the carpeting. This wouldn't have been a problem had they not cut the openings for the gear selector - which matters on a sideshift car. Turning it over, moves the opening to the right side.

I contacted Heritage to get their feedback and spoke with a guy named Bart. He indicated that their "expert" on Healey's had 20 years experience working on them and that Roger's book was incorrect and that it wasn't unusual to be incorrect. I also saw Rich's carpet installation guide and Rich was in agreement with Gary and Roger. It's laughable that someone in this field claims 20 (recent) years as their reason for their knowledge. I know Rich is no longer with us, but I put his history up against anyone at Heritage. Rich spoke highly about Heritage back in the day, which was why I used them.

Curious of others' thoughts on this - what's correct, and why does the exposed side color matter?

I know most here aren't as anal, but I spent a lot on this kit to be correct (which it is according to Bart). I guess I will install it as it was cut, but I would have thought Heritage would put more stock in the original restorer's notes. It will be one of those things that will bug me whenever I pull the carpet back to check the oil.

From this post earlier this year: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf...allation-on-Transmission-Tunnel-Heritage-Trim

 

[Tech396]

After a recent experience with this company, I highly recommend completely avoiding them !!!
They make all the claims in the world about their knowledge, but after TRYING to deal with them, I got.
Wrong Rear seat material, wrong carpet edging, wrong door trim, they lost and or broke some of my original parts.
Then tried to tell me "they were like that" My list goes on forever.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I had the same problems in getting phone calls returned to me that everyone else seems to have. My wife got really mad about the lack of communication and she grabbed the phone and called Tony 3 times within 15 minutes, That got his attention and he called her back shortly afterwards.

 

[Gearhead_Garage]

I gave up on Heritage and got a local shop to do my interior. I understand they are very busy but their method of working and slow communication didn't give me the warm and fuzzies.

I do know people who are very happy with their work.

 

[jjs64bj8]

A couple of years ago we got a quote from them (which took a while) and it was close to 5 figures for a complete interior for our BJ8. While their web site shows beautiful work which some have praised, I cannot justify that total. Also some of the other kits offered by the various reputable vendors are not that cheap either, and you still have to install them.

So I bought an old heavy duty Singer walking foot sewing machine, leather hides, vinyl, etc. and hopefully can do a respectable interior for a 1/10 of the quote. We will see.

jjs64bj8

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

A couple of years ago we got a quote from them (which took a while) and it was close to 5 figures for a complete interior for our BJ8. While their web site shows beautiful work which some have praised, I cannot justify that total. Also some of the other kits offered by the various reputable vendors are not that cheap either, and you still have to install them.

So I bought an old heavy duty Singer walking foot sewing machine, leather hides, vinyl, etc. and hopefully can do a respectable interior for a 1/10 of the quote. We will see.

jjs64bj8

A couple of the hardest and most difficult pieces to do in BJ8 is the rear squab/fold-down shelf and also the seats. Most vinyl is thicker than the original stuff and you'll get into problems trying to use the thicker vinyl. It's very easy to spend $9k plus for a BJ8 Interior but if it's done correctly your car will reflect it the resale price should you ever want to sell it.

 

[jjs64bj8]

Patrick6jBJ8 is 200% correct in that the rear squab/fold down shelf is infinitely more difficult to redo that it initially appears. I have done several other (non Healeys) interiors in the past and this squab was a real challenge. I spent several weeks trying to get it reasonable using leather and vinyl looking at photos on line. If I had the $9K I would indeed probably go after the best, but the car is not going to be concurs and the money helps in other ways. So a less that perfect but presentable result is okay with me.

Attracted are a couple of photos as we start to assemble the interior. The squab is done and the seats are next.

Thanks

jjs64bj8

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Patrick6jBJ8 is 200% correct in that the rear squab/fold down shelf is infinitely more difficult to redo that it initially appears. I have done several other (non Healeys) interiors in the past and this squab was a real challenge. I spent several weeks trying to get it reasonable using leather and vinyl looking at photos on line. If I had the $9K I would indeed probably go after the best, but the car is not going to be concurs and the money helps in other ways. So a less that perfect but presentable result is okay with me.

Attracted are a couple of photos as we start to assemble the interior. The squab is done and the seats are next.

Thanks

jjs64bj8

A couple of thoughts for Interior info. There's 3 types of rear side panels with the first being for the Phase 1 cars. The Phase 2 cars have the early version with shoulder harness and the later phase 2 cars have the single large hole for the rear seat belts. Note: The black plastic caps for the rear seat belt hole covers are I believe the same for the MGC's. No matter which Panel you need the square grid lines on the side panels are the same for both vinyl and leather interiors. The reason I mention those grid line pattern is Heritage sent me plain smooth panels and we got into an argument about them. As it so happens I was right and the Concours folks backed me up as well as the Parts Manual. However, my wife is an Interior Designer and she said that the smooth panels work better with the smooth door and foot kick panels and the patterned rear panels would look outta place. I believe she's 100% correct on that. The first set of rear side Panels I received had to be sent back to be redone because the wood that was used was so stiff and would not bend properly and the metal front edge was bulging. The second set was done right but the foam was still thicker than the original.

For guys doing the Interior installation themselves should be aware that the Door and Rear side panels come with no holes in the vinyl and the holes in the wood do not line up! I was fortunate to have a gentleman assist me with tips and photos on doing my Interior in installation which I am forever grateful to.

 

[Keoke]

Well jjs64bj8 ifin it ain't perfect it sure pretty----

 

[Top Down Resto]

Who was that guy Patrick ??? : )