I was at a show today and saw a couple of cars with flaked vinyl inserts on their seats. It brought back memories of our family ski boat back in the seventies. I'm now considering throwing some flake in on my current project. Just wondering if you guys have some pics for ideas? There's already a couple of threads for flaked steering wheels so I'm looking for flaked seats, dashes, door panels etc. Take me back to the seventies! I found the attached pic on the web. Threw it here to get the ball rolling. Cheers Sent from my Pixel XL using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Recently I found a supplier and had them send samples, I was not impressed. They didn't have the "sparkle"of the old stuff. I don't think tthere are more than a couple of manufacturers. So send for samples before you commit
Dunno if this helps but heres a colour chart I picked up in the early 1970's from the Oz reps of Metalflake, Phoenix Lacquer Co............they look even better in full sunlight..........lol...........andyd
When I did the interior in my first T Bucket, I ended up with these folks. The material matched my steering wheel perfectly. Check them out. They may have what you're looking for. http://www.diyupholsterysupply.com/Zodiac-Naugahyde.html "Zodiac".... it won't let you down.
A local upholstery supply place closed one of their branches recently and sold all the inventory at that location at half price. Wife and I went there to get fabric she wanted to have a couple chairs recovered. While there I was surprised to see they stocked 6 or more different colors of metalflake vinyl. I thought its popularity had faded away a while ago, but evidently not.
Zodiac... That name rings a bell.. must've been around for years? Sent from my Pixel XL using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I've seen a few cars with what I thought was old/faded flake vinyl so perhaps they bought the shit stuff Sent from my Pixel XL using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had a car with metalflake upholstery years ago, and it wasn't pleasant to live with or particularly durable. One, it's incredibly 'sticky' to bare skin. Two, it doesn't 'breathe' AT ALL. Lacking any surface texture, you're guaranteed to sweat on this stuff if it's even moderately warm. Three, the high-gloss finish shows wear faster than you'd think. And four, the 'layered' construction (clear outer, translucent middle with the flakes, backing) because of the clear offers little UV protection so fading and cracking over time is common. They may have improved the UV stuff since I had it, but 1-3 would still apply... I might use it for accent panels or trim, but I would never use it for a seating surface.
I remember it being hot and sticky myself. Also slick as snot on a doorknob, anything you laid on the seat would slide off in the floor. That is except your ass, you would have to peel it off after you sat on it a while.
Looks so cool......but, as said, 'orrible to live with. Due to a medical condition I can't even contemplate a good quality leather for my interior, let alone metalflake vinyl....... Its not easy trying to find a suitable vintage period material that's very breathable to do the seats on my 32 coupe for when the time comes. Lots of head scratching still to be done.
Jenny used quite a bit of it in the interior of my '62 Merc, but kept it away from areas that would attach to my skin, especially in that rolling greenhouse.