Selecting the Best Upholstery Shop for your Classic Car Interior Restoration

A GUIDE TO RESTORING YOUR AUTOMOBILE

Everything You Need to Know Before Choosing a Professional to Restore a Vintage Vehicle

Restoring your classic car is a project that takes weeks, months, and sometimes even years. Yet, a common mistake when restoring a vehicle, is putting in a top of the line motor, with a second-rate interior. 

​A completely restored vehicle is often judged on a whole, by the quality of its interior. When it comes to upholstery, you get what you pay for. You don’t want all your time and money of your restoration to reflect a second or third-rate restoration, due to the upholstery.  

​In order to ensure a quality restoration, it is crucial to find the perfect shop, to help realize, and attend to your classic car restoration. So here is a list of all aspects that you should know in order for your classic car restoration to be a huge success. 

Where to start?

Plan for Success

​In order to plan for success, budget early in the game. While you organize a total overhaul restoration of the body, and motor, also organize the upholstery and interior. It will give you a better idea of the total cost, as well as a steady point to steer the direction of the project.  For example, an experienced interior craftsmen can provide pointer to make sure the body fabrications or paint work match with the interior.

​It is likely that if you’re doing a total restoration that you will use multiple specialist. Plan ahead for specialist that do engine, paint, chrome, and upholstery. It might be cheaper to hire specialist individually, rather than having the shop subcontract other specialist. If you plan from the beginning, it will be easier to know all aspects, of what your project will need to be completed. 

---

Factor in the Cost

An interior restoration or complete auto restoration project can add up quickly. It's important to obtain a total number for the entire restore project before you get started. I've seen it time and time again: the owner depletes a large percentage of his budget on one aspect of the restore process only to have their project abandon and their automobile sitting for years on end partially restored.

Planning a project in phases, can give you an opportunity to budget for high-quality work. Set a budget early, and make sure the parameters of the project such as parts, materials, and price, are estimated for each phase. Remember a verbal agreement means nothing if there were to be any problem down the line. It is crucial, to make sure every aspect of your agreement, even subcontracts are in writing, before the transfer of any funds, or work begins on your restoration.

Visit Shops

​Unless you already have a particular professional in mind, visit and compare a few restoration shops within your area. Make sure to notice if the shops have lots of tools, or a paint room. Feel free to ask for a quote, and if the shop can accommodate your project, or will they most likely subcontract some areas? Use the information that you learn comparing the auto restoration shops to help you decided which one best fits your classic car’s needs.  

Stop by and visit our shop located in the west valley in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona!

What to Look for in an Auto Restoration Shop

• Cleanliness
  You don’t want to trust a shop that looks like they need to get their act together with your classic restoration. Cleanliness can be a quick way to indicate shop quality, and how well they will care for you vehicle.
  
• Evaluate
  With most restoration there is little formal training, or certification for upholstery, or interior work. So, you must evaluate the quality, and extent of previous completed projects. Feel free to ask them about any show car awards the shop may have won, or photos of past work. Also make sure to clarify who will be performing the work on your vehicle, and how much experience they have.
  
• Protection
  You don’t want to leave your high-end car (or soon to be high-end) in a shop for a few weeks, that doesn’t have a secure building. You also want to make sure that the shop takes protective measures to ensure nothing gets scratched or damaged while they work on different phases. 
  
• Quality Materials
  Yeah, you can save money by buying your own materials. However, if they don’t hold up, you are on your own. If you use coverings that is recommended by the shop, they are more than likely tried and true quality products, which they stand behind. However, if you must buy your own, know that only automotive-grade fabrics should ever go into a vehicle, and buy top brands directly from a reputable manufacturer or brand. Want to know the best brand and materials for your project? Ask your shop’s recommendations on what you should buy. 
  
• The Right Job
  When it comes to classic cars, there are three levels of upholstery work that can be done. Street car, show car, hobby car. You should make sure to find a professional that is aware of the difference. If you are talking to one that is unaware of the difference, find someone who does. 
  
  
  

Be sure the proffessionals you're dealing with understand the difference of restoring a show car vs. hobby car.

Custom Shop vs. Restoration Shop

​Any type of professional restoration shop can do a classic car, but the look you get differs with the type of shop you use. For example a restoration shop uses a professional technicians and quality materials to get excellent results. However, if you want a special design, or upholstery done is a specific way, then you may not find that particular technique in a restoration shop. A custom shop can get you any look you want, and can add upholstery wherever you would like. 

Stay Involved

You want a shop that welcomes your drop-ins, involvement and encourages you to check on your vehicle’s continual progress. How can you be sure that the shop is maintaining your vision, or requests without being involved with the restoration process?

One way to keep up regular communication, is through regular interval billing. Regular interval billing will encourage consistent communication, as well as frequent updates on the status, and the progression of your project. If you are unable to drop in personally, use this as an opportunity, for the shop to keep you informed, with emails, and photos.  It is also nice, to ask the shop take extensive photos of anyway of each step, repair, or upgrade.

​Having step-by-step photographic evidence of your vehicle’s journey will not only be a nice memento, but may be an advantageous selling feature one day.

Fun restoration video for your viewing pleasure
1965 Mustang Fastback restored from beginning to end, 26 months of work in under 5 minutes. Cheers!