Back in the day...Mine anyway,

seat covers were very popular and available in a wider variety of colors and textures than factory interiors. In 1953, Ford for example, had 14 different styles of factory seat covers available in 3 or 4 colors. If you didn't want seat covers you got your choice of 1 pattern for each model in 2 or 3 colors. Below is a factory brochure spread with a couple of examples and the style list.

Click on either photo to see a larger version.

Here's an interesting fact I'll bet you weren't aware of... Fingerhut, the catalog sales folks, got their start in 1948 making seat covers to fit most makes and models of American cars. Below is the interior of their 3 fold brochure for 1953 featuring a Ford Sunliner decked out with one of their seat cover sets. Pretty Spiffy, aye what?

Seat covers got so popular that you could buy them via catalog or in just about any major retail outlet back then. Sears, Wards and other catalog companies were good sources as were auto parts stores like Western Auto and Firestone Tire outlets.

These covers are not very difficult to make. I'll be posting a bunch in color from another source to give you some examples to work from. If you've got one of the newer printers that uses pigmented inks you can make some really nice covers for your models using decal paper and a softening solution.


Hope you enjoyed today's post. Your comments are welcome

Jerry K