I am fixing up a '68 Checker Marathon and need some fabric to redo the seats and door panels. How does one go about finding original materials for obscure makes of car? Does anyone specialize in that sort of thing?
SMS Auto Fabrics in Canby, Or. They have it ALL for just about every American make you can think of from about 1940 through the 1990's! They also make custom door panels from your originals..have them in my Falcon (along with the NOS seat cloth).they do amazing work. www.smsautofabrics.com
I use them all the time. I even found OEM fabric for a 72 Javlin and 6 months ago got some fabric for a 65 Marlin. Didn`t even do the backseat. Crazy guy, He drove the Marlin from Iowa to the DelMar Goodguys show in Ca.He was worried about driving threw the desert. Should of been worried driving threw the moutains of ColoRODo, snow packed roads with cars in the ditches.
I just bought a headliner from SMS. Not cheap but it was exactly what they claimed and what I wanted.
I worked for SMS for quite a few years actually...have personally touched almost every roll of material in the warehouse. Was a neat place to work.
I drove to college in a Checker Marathon wagon!...327 engine, hump heads, 9" ford rear..that thing was a tank and reliable as heck! In a sea of new imports there sat my old Checker in the parking lot..lol... SMS will most likely have it. I had a bad experience with them. They sent me the wrong stuff twice and took almost 2 years to get my door panels done all the while telling me they were going to ship next week..that went on for 8 months...maybe I was a fluke?? Is your Checker the sedan or wagon?
This car is a Checker Marathon sedan with the usual huge legroom in back (as opposed to the obscene amount of legroom in the extended version). Maroon body with two tone gray interior. I do have two wagons and they are beautifully simple machines - not so different from an IH Travelall or early Jeep Wagoneer - minus the 4WD. Thanks for the advice, I will check SMS out. -Chris
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