BN1 with persimmon upholstery

[gmlaverda]

New member here. I am getting ready to start a restoration on a 1955 BN1 with Lemans mods. I would like to keep the car as original. I have owned it for years (well decades), having purchased from the original owner. The car is white with red sides but the interior is really unusual. The seats are an orange color leather I believe is called persimmon. The leather cloth is also this color on the door panels as well as all edging on the armacord and various trim pieces such as the pouch for the side curtains. The carpets, armacord remain red as well as the top and tonneau. Is anyone familiar with this color? I will need to source this color material or get together with an upholsterer that can find it and install. I wonder how many cars were built with persimmon interiors? Curiously the certificate I received from the Heritage Trust only shows the White exterior and Red interior. Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks

 

[HealeyRick]

Look at this thread for a discussion of the persimmon interior: https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?91650-Austin-Healey-100R&highlight=persimmon

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey gmlaverda,
Persimmon was not an offered interior color for the BN1's or BN2's as far as I know and per the Anderson/Moment restoration guide. Also, red coves were not offered with a white body but rather black coves were available. The fact that your Heritage certificate says white with red indicates it would have had red trim, red piping and red seats but coves were not painted. That mainly came about with the 100M's and then BN2's had painted coves available. So... if you want to go back as original then you need to follow those specific colors. I have not heard of persimmon being offered as an option and with the Heritage certificate showing red, means it was changed over at some time by someone. All that being said, maybe the persimmon got ordered or changed out by a dealer once imported. Hard to say with the early LBC's ! I would follow the Heritage certificate if it was my BN1 but hey, it's your BN1 now, so do what you want and what makes you happy !
Regards and good luck,
Mike

 

[RandyHicks]

There are 3 BN1's in the AHCA 100 Registry that are indicated to have "Red/Orange" original interiors. No photos.

Randy

 

[HealeyRick]

Mike,

From the discussion I cited, persimmon seems to be a rare option and if the OP says he has it, I'd advise him to tread carefully before changing it. From my limited concours connection (bugeyes) I've learned concour is a living document, always subject to revision when new information is obtained. I can't imagine an aftermarket install of persimmon, it probably came with the car originally. To the OP, do some more research, but if the persimmon looks like it it's an original fitting, I'd probably stick with it.

 

[gmlaverda]

Thank you all for the input. I would have a hard time believing the interior was changed at some point. I actually purchased the car in 1973, when it was a mere 18 years old from the original owner. The persimmon color is everywhere, the parcel shelf under the dash, the trunk, all the areas mentioned earlier including the spare tire bump-out. My wife thinks it looks gaudy, but I think it is unusual and striking. So I plan to move forward with this color if possible. Not sure why the Heritage Trust would show red, except that there is red present.

 

[HealeyRick]

Thank you all for the input. I would have a hard time believing the interior was changed at some point. I actually purchased the car in 1973, when it was a mere 18 years old from the original owner. The persimmon color is everywhere, the parcel shelf under the dash, the trunk, all the areas mentioned earlier including the spare tire bump-out. My wife thinks it looks gaudy, but I think it is unusual and striking. So I plan to move forward with this color if possible. Not sure why the Heritage Trust would show red, except that there is red present.

I tend to go where the evidence leads me. British Heritage can be wrong. If the car looks original, I really can't imagine someone going to the effort to change it to a color that wasn't widely available in the first place.

 

[gmlaverda]

Rick-My thoughts exactly. To further "cloud" the issue, the original owner referred to the car a few ties as a Warwick Healey. This meant nothing to me, a 22 year old and long before all of the controversy over real and imagined 100Ms. I'm wondering if the factory was really diligent in its record keeping? Also I am wondering if perhaps the red exterior sides could have been done by the dealer, in Texas I was told, or the factory. I wish I had asked a few more questions 40 years ago.

 

[RandyHicks]

Hi gmlaverda, how does the color of your interior compare to the "red/orange" interior of the 100 being auctioned Thursday at Carlisle?

https://auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=FC13&ID=r402&Order=runorder&feature=&collection=&grouping=&category=

Randy

 

[bighealeysource]

I meant to go back and edit my original post to place less emphasis on what may be perceived as correct based on publications, records etc but y'all beat me to it !!! As gmlaverda states, everything points to the orange tint red being original and as Randy and Rick pointed out, must be some other orangey red interiors out there. Who knows with the way the Brits were building cars in the early 50's to get as many dollars into the country might have got in a batch of red that had more orange in it and went ahead and used it up and simply called it red ? I stand corrected and applaud you for trying to keep it original as possible. Of course that may do nothing to stop comments from your better half !
Regards,
Mike

 

[glemon]

haven't seen the car (obviously) or a persimmon interior, and I am not saying it is not possible, but could the orange/red color just be red that faded over time?

 

[gmlaverda]

The color may have faded a bit, but is clearly the orangish color. The undersides of the seats as well as the misc. trim in the trunk have not been exposed to sun and both the leather as well as leather cloth are consistent in this color throughout. I need to get off my butt and figure out how to attach a photo.

 

[gmlaverda]

I checked the Auction America website photos. That is the same as mine. You can really see the persimmon against the red carpet. Thanks for the find.

 

[DerekJ]

No question that the persimmon will be original. I remember Rich C showing me an original set that he had in his garage. Beautiful colour. Stick with it.

 

[HEALEYJAG]

My 100 was a special order Healey blue with red interior......there were numerous original "orange " components of the interior..... From 100's I have seen in the past the red is more of an orange color. Your interior is correct.

 

[abarth69]

I have one of these cars waiting in the wings to be restored Cheers Mark

 

[gmlaverda]

Abarth69-Your photo looks familiar. What year and what exterior color do you have? I still would like to know about availability of this color or would it need to be a custom dyed material?

 

[abarth69]

Old English white but someone has done some touch up with different color pretty sure is its 1954. Yes you have to get the materials custom dyed. We should be able to use most of the old material when we get her back on the road