Who did you buy your interior kit from?

[YankeeTR]

I'll be picking up TR 1203 LO next weekend in Tennessee.

I'm going to try to buy some interior pieces for it so I have those "in stock" after I get it running and driveable.

I need to purchase an interior panel kit, seat covers and carpets. I know that TRF makes their own carpet sets and they are probably pretty accurate reproductions.

Does anybody have any opinions on the stuff they have used in the past on an interior re-do?

 

[Lou Metelko]

What is TR 1203 LO? Just be sure to get the essentials right before you start spending on the frivolous.

Lou Metelko
Auburn, Indiana

 

[Paul Johnson]

I used Heritage Trim. Could not be happier with the quality and the company.

https://www.heritagetrim.com/

 

[PeterK]

For a TR3, you can easily make you own and save a lot. Use 1/8" hardboard for the panels, 1/4" foam or none, and vinyl. I bought my vinyl from a local shop. They had a lot of samples to match to the previous panel color and grain. I special ordered 2 yards for $40. So all in all the interior panels cost just around $60. For the trunk panel, I covered it with subwoofer box felt and used 3M spray adhesive.

For the 4A, I used Moss and was very happy with the kit.

 

[R6MGS]

[ QUOTE ]
I used Heritage Trim. Could not be happier with the quality and the company.

https://www.heritagetrim.com/

[/ QUOTE ]

I went with Heritage in my MGA....Excellent quality, but no instructions were included, and every peice(this was a carpet kit) had to be retrimmed to fit properly. Overall I am happy with it, but if I was to do it again I'd probably get a kit from one of the big suppliers as they seem to be a little easier to fit.

 

[YankeeTR]

[ QUOTE ]
What is TR 1203 LO? Just be sure to get the essentials right before you start spending on the frivolous.

Lou Metelko
Auburn, Indiana

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry Lou...TS 1203 LO... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I want to buy the interior first...while I have the $$$ in hand. I can always fund the rest as I go along.

 

[LastDeadLast]

Got my interior kit from Skinner in the UK. Wool/Full Leather... awesome, awesome fit and finish with very little trimming. It completely transformed the character of the car.

Obviously, I'm now required to use big floormats. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[YankeeTR]

John Skinner was one of my choices. What about shipping cost, customs, etc.? Their on-line catalog is harder to navigate than TRF's....wtf?

And what about TRF...do THEY still offer interior stuff? I ordered a special color for my last TR3A from them and it came from England...maybe THEY buy from Skinner, too?

TRF's on-line catalog for TR2's is non-existant and the one they do have really sucks! but they are good folks..but their website sucks!

 

[prb51]

Where did you find the early TR2? This has to be a long door model. What exterior color are you having done? Any pics?

 

[LastDeadLast]

The cost of the kit wasn't that bad... the shipping...ughh! much more than I bargained for. If I had to do it over I might have gone with Heritage... Although the quality of the Skinner kit is very high.

 

[Tinkerman]

Where in Tennessee are you going to pick it up. I live in Central Tennessee and just wondering.

Regards, Tinkerman

 

[Geo Hahn]

I was completely satisfied with the interior kit I purchased from Moss.

Since this is a long-door 2 I expect it probably makes good sense to restore it to a correct original state, thus 'what is as close as possible to original' may be more important that 'what look nicest'.

What were the original colors? (Early TR2s especially had some rather unusual color schemes).

 

[Lou Metelko]

Geo:

Careful with that "unusual color scheme" comment <G>.

Lou Metelko
Auburn, Indiana
TS981 w/Ice Blue and Geranium

 

[Harry_Ward]

I purchased the leather seat kits for my two front seats from Moss about twelve years ago and they are still in great shape. I matched the seat color to a thick vinyl fabric material found locally and attached it to 1/8th inch masonite (fiberboard?) which I traced out and cut from the originals. The only area I needed assistence with was the sewing of the vinyl fabric with piping for the rear fender wells. I cut these vinyl pieces traced from the originals, installed the piping with sewing stitch needles to show the sewer the way, brought them to a local upholstery shop and they sewed them up while I waited for free. I also bought the loop curl carpet kit from Moss. The pieces all fit great, look pretty good, and I thought the price was good. I do find that though that the carpet seems rather thin in thickness and quality. The original loop curl I took out of the car wasn't all that thick either though.

 

[Geo Hahn]

[ QUOTE ]
Careful with that "unusual color scheme" comment <G>.
Lou Metelko... TS981 w/Ice Blue and Geranium

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, my school colors were Olive & Targa Purple.

Actually the story I heard was that Lady Black selected the early colors and that she was actually color blind. Sounds like a TR urban myth.

 

[Andrew Mace]

[ QUOTE ]
...TS 1203 LO...

[/ QUOTE ]WAY COOL! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Just curious, since this is so close to the change point: does this car still have the original "squared" taillamps or the later L549 lamps common to all later TR2/3 models?

Yeah, we want to see pictures and hear details. And I applaud you for (hopefully) staying with or returning to original colors; I needed to say that before Lou did! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[YankeeTR]

I guess I'll TRY to answer all of these questions....

I bought the car on Ebay...long story about that but the winning bidder was in France but never sent any $$$...then I got a Nigerian "second chance" offer...then I was offered the car...then THAT offer was rescinded 'cuz the Frenchman promised to send the $$$...then he didn't (again!) yada,yada,yada...now I own the car.

It's in Knoxville...a California barn find from last year. Amateur resto in the early 70's but never put back on the road. Seats are gone...most everything else is there.

The car has later tail lights (and license light...no brake light) but I am working on getting a leftover set from the TS 2 resto project...I'm hoping! Not cheap but of high quality. XXX'ing my fingers!

The car is red/red...not sure if the interior (what's left of it) is RED or Geranium (I think it's red). I'll get a Heritage Certificate to be sure then redo the car all original.

The trunk is locked and hasn't been opened by either the PO or me...maybe I'll find Jimmy Hoffa in there!?!?!?

I was dealing on a nice TR3A RHD when this car appeared. When I didn't win the auction, I committed to buy the other car but not until spring...with my new job and all I just couldn't swing $12K plus...

Then this TR2 came back to me...it's a nice example of an early car and I couldn't say no...plus it was affordable. I hated to back out of the TR3A deal, but the seller really wanted to sell it NOW and it would have been tough.

I posted a few pics earlier on another post but here's a few more...despite the "200 foot" paint job, I'm going to drive it a couple of years then redo it.

I really like unrestored survivors just as much as full blown resto's but this car deserves better than what it got 30 years ago...

 

[prb51]

Thanks for reposting the pics.
I've read in Bill Piggots book that you could order a white wheel from the factory. Is that a white one or just aged? If it's a white one it would be very unique.
Old colors; Ice Blue, Pearl white, Black, Olive Yellow, Geranium, Blackberry, Grey...old color pics are hard to use to judge the colors but you might be able to find some original paint hidden somewhere, that red doesn't seem close to geranium whick was actually a pink kind of shade.
After reading a bit about the old factory practices you realize you can do about 'anything' reasonable restoration wise and not be off the mark. The factory would special order, mix and match TR2 to TR3 specs and parts while retaining the TR2 badge, rebuild older 2's with 3 parts, paint frames and underbodies with whatever color was handy, find older parts laying about and refit them etc. etc. I know there are concours standards but quite a bit could be honestly argued based on research by present specialist authors. Still a lot of leeway even when you have the build sheet.
Looks like you have a solid car to base your project on, keep us up to date please as I think all of the older 2's are really special.
Great find.

 

[YankeeTR]

The wheel is a unique part. I'm not sure if it was a factory deal...it may be painted (it IS a little darker in spots)...I'll give a full report ASAP.

One fella in England 'sez a lot of US spec cars returned to the motherland with white interiors and trim due to the 60's custom car craze where white was a common interior color. That might explain the color.

Lou from this board gave me a link to the VTR concours judging rules....whew! I knew most of the items in there that would be judged. But, according to their standards, even if I restored this to near 100 point condition, it wouldn't stay that way long because this car will be my wife's daily driver. This car will have stone chips and road rash!

They DO address the mix/match of colors and some parts in their checklist. I have a one TR3A that's powder blue with a matching color on the frame and another that is white with a black frame. My old '59 was originally red with a red frame.

I will make this early car nice once I get around to re-doing it but these cars were made to be driven, enjoyed and shared with other enthusiasts. I DO have two more TR sidescreen cars in storage...both are probably too rough for MOST concours guys to tackle...so I may resurrect one of those for a daily driver and put this one in the garage for sunny days...who knows?

 

[prb51]

I'd be interested in seeing the TR2 specific items, bonnet latch mechanism etc.
I agree that cars should be driven and a stone chip belongs on a cars snout/drive it as it should be driven-hard.