Fulvia Sport 1600 Teddy Bear fur seat upholstery

[Chris Hopkins]

Has anyone recovered their seats as per original or found someone who can or at least a supplier of the material please?
Both of my front seats are a bit worn and the stitching is coming apart in a couple of places.  I don't really want to replace them with leather as the back of the rear seat is in good condition as it has probably never been used.

[GG]

Does your Fulvia Sport have the fur upholstery? Didn't know of any that were supplied with that. Might you post some pictures?

[Sliding Pillar]

I think that most U.K. Fulvia 1600 Sports had the 'Teddy Bear' ( I prefer to call it Drowned Rat, because that's what it looked like after a few years use) seat fabric.
Photo of the colour brochure below, with an actual sample of the fabric!!

[Chris Hopkins]

Thanks Ade, sounds like you prefer leather!

[GG]

Familiar with the color chart - but never seen fur in any interior. Anyone got any shots of an installation?

[Sliding Pillar]

Yes Chris, I prefer the leather interior, the 1600 Sport I had many years ago was purchased specifically because it had an original beige leather interior. Although now I think if I had a car with the fur seats I would definitely try to preserve or restore them. Can you post a picture of your interior?
Geoff, I have trawled through all my old photos and can't find any of a car with the fur interior, guess as I didn't like it, there was no reason to take a photo of one.
Photo below of beige leather interior. (sorry not very good quality)

[DavidLaver]

Walking through the Goodwood car park lots of period shades while ten years back my friend called them "canal boat colours": bright reds and greens and dark blue.  I guess for interiors its now the HF fabric and drowned rat that is going to grab the eye not the "had it redone in leather".

I'm remembering a friend's mid 70s Triumph with "brushed bri-nylon", whatever that was.

[GG]

A broader issue here is all those "trendy" colors and fabrics and plastics from the mid-1960s into the 1980s, that decay in time and are very difficult (if not impossible) to replace or refurbish. Makes refinishing an alum dash on an Aurelia look positive. Not clear what people will do to restore  these cars in years forward...if they want to. 

[DavidLaver]

There's no question is a huge challenge, and why plastic parts and fragile fabrics are massively expensive, and why original examples of basic 70s, 80s and even 90s Fords (built for a three year life?) command the prices they do.

I had a 1974 Fiat 124 Coupe that I realised was never going to be good as new, perhaps could have had a metal  dash made and forget the bumpers and fit bucket seats for a "rally look".  Mrs L said "make it nice or get rid of it" but I couldn't justify spending on it. In the end I got an Aurelia instead which was less work for all it looked a lot worse at that time.  That one was worth the time and effort, and it continues to reward for all its been in someone else's care the last ten years. 

[davidwheeler]

Mine has leather probably beige though it looks a little darker than that - but it came from Singapore so probably does not count.

[andyps]

When I was looking for a Sport a couple of years ago one I looked at had the fur seats. It has since been rebuilt and they have been replaced with leather which seems a shame. The only photo I have isn't mine so not sure I should post it here.

[ColinMarr]

When I was looking to buy a Fulvia Sport in 1993/94, one of the six cars I looked at had the ‘fur seats’. As was my habit, I took photos of all of them – see the attached photos of S2 1600 MMD 77L. The photos show how the textured panels were on the seat squab, back and the transverse bar at the rear. The texture was more like Afghan Coat than real fur – very much in the style of the 1970s.

I was tempted to buy MMD 77L, but preferred the all-aluminium early car that I went for. Note the unusual fitting of a rear-screen wiper. The car was then owned by Mike Darrieulat and it was subsequently bought by Peter Loftus. Sadly, it was written off after a bizarre accident when it was crashed into while parked outside a garage.

Colin 

[frankxhv773t]

A broader issue here is all those "trendy" colors and fabrics and plastics from the mid-1960s into the 1980s, that decay in time and are very difficult (if not impossible) to replace or refurbish. Makes refinishing an alum dash on an Aurelia look positive. Not clear what people will do to restore  these cars in years forward...if they want to. 

Wheeler Dealers on the telly did a Golf GTI and were able to get the unique seat fabric brand new from (I think) VW's own classic parts supplies so If a car is popular enough the fabrics may be remanufactured. Also a friend gets batches of historic fabrics, not automotive, made by a small specialist weaver. They are expensive but the potential is there. I could imagine a batch of, say, Delta striped seat cloth being made or the tweed cloth for Betas.

[ben]

My car (HAN 60K) has exactly the same chocolate teddy bear fur as shown in MMD 77L. And also needs some repairs so if you have any luck Chris do let me know.

She is due back on the road on Friday for the FFF Rally after being laid up for about 25 years---my longest test run so far is only about 10 miles----- so, fingers crossed!!

Ben

[ben]

Hi All
As those of you who were there will know I was a bit naive to think I would make the 200 miles to East Anglia after such a brief shake down.

I set off on Friday morning and drove about half a mile before I suffered a complete loss of drive so my long suffering wife towed me home and we went instead in her trusty VW Polo!

For the full story I think it appropriate I start a new thread.