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Upholstery & flocking

Upholstery & Flocking

Hi to all, I am still working upholstery, making slow but steady progress. I have a few questions which I hope someone can help me with. 1) How are the carpet underfelts held in place against the firewall and the bell housing cover. Are they glued with upholstery type adhesive or held with self tapping screws or both. 2) The storage areas in the doors of the 140 roadster are made of something approaching cardboard. It appears that this cardboard was covered with some sort of felt like material. From what is left on mine it does not appear to be moquette. Can anyone tell me what this material was, and weather it color matched to the rest of your upholstery or always the same color. If always the same color,what color. The Dick Van Dyke TV series which in early episodes had an XK in it is called Diagnosis Murder. Many Thanks. - Neville Laing

Neville, Since nobody picked up your questions, I'll give it a try. 1. My jute underfelts were glued to the firewall and transmission housing. The carpet snap retainers were then screwed (riveted?) thru the underfelt. Since my carpet was not original (altho the underfelts appear to be original), I can't be positive about how it came from the factory. 2. The door boxes are cardboard with a spray-on greenish-tan flocking. I think the material/ process is similar to what is applied to the Mk V tool box, but not as green in color. There are usually adds in "Hemmings" from people who can apply flocking. I'm applying felt to my boxes - it's not original, but it will wear better. - Mike Carpenter, XK-140MC OTS

Hi Mike, Thanks for responding to my questions. I learnt something of the art of "Flocking" when I called to ask Bartlett about the cost of new storage boxes for the doors. If anyones interested I was quoted US$100 for left and right side doors. What I still don't know is what color the flocking should be. Is it matched to the color of other upholstery in the car, body color of is it always the same color regardless of upholstery or body color. My car was originally white with red upholstery and the flocking in the boxes in the doors appears to have been a tan color. I say appears, because their is not much left and it may have faded from its original color. I have called a few craft shops and speciality wood working supply shops and get an extremely long pause when I ask if they can supply "flocking" equipment and materials. I do have another question, can you Mike or Cleo who I know have 140 Roadsters or anyone else, tell me what is the correct way of securing the carpet across the door way. Someone told me their should be a "L" shaped chromed plated piece of steel fixed to the floor with sheet metal screws. - Neville Laing

Neville, Looking in the latest "Hemmings" there is a "John" in New York (516) 796-2984 who advertizes original process flocking. The add implies that he may only offer black color. I'm positive that all OTS vehicles had the same color, i.e., brown. Last I talked to Bassett, his door boxes were made from aluminum. Yes, you should have a chrome "J" profile carpet retainer at each door. It's screwed to the floor in three or four places (you may still have the holes). British Auto sells them (part BD9935) for $37 each. - Mike Carpenter

Neville, On the sill chrome, its shape is more of a "J" than an "L". The chrome is screwed down to the sill with pan-head slotted sheet metal screws. Carpet edgeing fits into the slot of the chrome strip. The outer part facing the door has the furry beading or moquette to act as a finishing piece or seal against the door. The lip of the beading is slipped under the chrome to hold it in place. If you don't have the chrome strip, I can measure mine. Some of the older reproductions have correct dimensions. Lately, however, I have seen some poor copies. - Cleo Bay

Cleo, Thanks to both you and Mike for responding. I would like dimensions of chrome door strip so that I am sure I am buying the correct thing. It may be easier to make a sketch than to describe, if so my fax number is 804 843 5698. Thanks - Neville Laing

The flocking in my 51 120 is a light tan. It is one of the things that probably doesn't fade too fast, since it is covered. A large hobby store does have flocking materials, but not the light tan color. - XK120@aol.com

Neville, I may have suggested "greenish brown", but my door boxes appear to have been really light brown. The car interior was red. Hope John is paying attention! - Regards, Mike Carpenter

It was suggested I would enjoy the trivia of the colour of the flocking. Yes, yes, yes! When my door pockets on the 120 were done, they were trimmed with some sort of beige / fawn material, but I guess they should have been flocked. All info re flocking colours and where they were, is welcomed. I have only seen green, in the glove box of the 150. - Regards, John Elmgreen

Hi John & all -- some more "trivia" -- my original Mk IX, 792817 BW, has green flocking in both dash compartments; both have a burled walnut door on brass hinges; right door has a key lock opened by the key that opens the magazine compartment (bar in my car, original option) behind the front seat. Green flocking also in both front door tool boxes. Dash compartment flocking in mine is still good; I sprayed tool compartment flocking with green blackboard paint -- exact match for colour. I hope this info is helpful -- Larry Martz

Green in my XK120 FHC cubby box. Same shade of green in my two cubby boxes and the tool tray on the Mark V. Looks like I'll use a whole kit just for myself. Thanks for the tips on sources, guys! - Rob Reilly

Rob, I just received and used a Constantine minikit ($23.30) on my 140 glove box. The instructions are super and the job looks equally good. Take care to get adequate adhesive thickness on ridges and sharp edges. The adhesive/ paint tend to get a bit thin over those. The box job consumed less than 5% of the kit..any interest out there in a slightly used kit. - Regards, Klaus Nielsen

I just ordered their catalogue. Is there a choice of green shades, if so which did you use? I would be interested in purchasing your remaining kit as I am in the process of restoring my dash. I'm in northern California. E-mail is saraanni@northcoast.com. - Jeff Kelley-Day, XK-120 DHC

Jeff, As distributors, Constantine and Wodworkers Supply offer Kelly Green only. The Kit Manufacturer may offer more shades, but I do not know if you have to buy a 55 gallon drum to get what you want. The shade is rather good though and will match my old sample well with a little aging. - Klaus Nielsen

While thinking about cubbies: The inside of the dash drawer on my 140 FHC is lined with green felt that is ratty enough to look like it must be original. Is that the right stuff? - Sam Bell

Klaus and Neville, It sounds like the XK (DHC/FHC) gloveboxe is green and the -140OTS door box is tan. Neville indicated that there is an outfit in New Jersey that offers tan. Guess I'll look at that route. - Regards, Mike Carpenter

Jeff spoke first, but if there's still 80% left I'll get in line.

My map drawer also has green felt in it, a bit darker than the cubby box flocking. If I find a yard of it we may have another shared deal brewing. - Rob Reilly

Sam, it sure is the right stuff. - Peter Fielding, '55 140 DHC

Sam, When I think about it, what tehr was left ofmy "green stuff" came off partly in small flakes, which I thought was just flocking with glue or paint as binder. However, I wish now I had looked much closer at a couple of larger pieces. Upon reflection it/they could have been thin felt. Wonder what the gurus have to add. Regards - Klaus Nielsen

Rob, Unless Jeff also does the trunk, he will have plently left over. It would be kind of fun to see how many XK glove boxes we can squeeze out of one kit. Regards - Klaus Nielsen

To Peter and Sam, Now let me get this straight. Did Jaguar really flock the gloveboxes andline the drawers with felt.... and in two different colors at that? Consistency was not a virtue then, wasn't it. Regards - Klaus Nielsen

Rob, Please count me in. How many drawers to the yard? Thanks - Klaus Nielsen

Dear sirs, For the record, I feel that my 54' DHC 120 is original and it has green flocking in the glove box located on the right side of the dash. - E.W. Blake

I've just "reflocked" my 140's drawer. It was not felt-lined. - Brian Pel

Green felt on mine..- Jim Warren '55 140dhc S817518

Rob, Klaus, et al: I need some green felt for both the drawer and the storage bin over the batteries. Group purchase? By the way, in the spare parts catalogue for FHC under "Carpets and Felts" there is a felt listed for RH and LH dash (BD.6470, -71). Where does that fit? - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

For Carl Hanson: I have a substantial amount of green felt (from British Auto) left over from my FHC dash-drawer restoration that I'd be happy to share. There's probably enough for another half-dozen drawers. However, I've only seen 120 FHCs with moquette or vinyl lining the parcel box, not green felt. The vinyl is more practical from a cleaning standpoint but I'm not sure which material may have been more common or more proper. The parts book seems to stop short of addressing the parcel box lining. Any other inputs? - Dick Cavicke, 120 OTS & FHC

Carl: I believe that the Felts, Part Nos. 6470 and 6471 listed for the LH and RH dash are for the interior firewall areas below the dash. - Dick Cavicke

Everyone except one person reported felt lining for the dash drawer, with Brian Pel (817002) reporting flocking. A local restorer here has told me that he has seen both felt and flocking in these drawers, so we need a survey to work out when a change took place. All reports from 120 and 140 owners would be appreciated, in addition to the ones already sent. - Regards, John Elmgreen

John: I'm curious as to what what in the 120 map drawers - felt or flocking? - Brian Pel

Dick, Thanks for your response. My "parcel box" very definitely was lined with a green cloth which in its sorry state appeared like an old flannel shirt. Maybe it was not felt, but it was not vinyl. What is "moquette?" - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

Dick, May I supplicate for enough felt for a 140 FHC drawer. Please let me know what I owe you. Thanks - Klaus Nielsen

I pulled out the fragments of original green felt from the map drawer of 679187 and discovered it was quite faded on the exposed side, while the hidden side matched the color of the flocking in the glovebox very well. This same shade of green felt is in the map drawer of my Mk5, incidentally. I went around to some fabric and craft shops (plenty of green felt in stock this time of year) but couldn't find anything that was an exactly-exact color match, so I settled on something very close. Spent nearly the price of a McDonalds hamburger. Cut my pieces and glued them in yesterday. Now I see Dick got some from Brit Auto. So Dick, is it an exactly-exact color match? For Klaus or anyone who doesn't have anything at all as a pattern, the front, bottom and back are all one continuous piece of felt, but the sides are separate pieces. For Carl, my parcel tray is lined with the same covering as on the lid and parcel shelf, moquette which is sort of a fuzzy on one side cloth, stiffer than a flannel shirt. Of course yours being so early I suppose it could have been felt. Incidentally I'm still eager to hear details of your map drawer mountings. - Rob Reilly - XK120 FHC 679187

My glove box appears to have an original green flocking in it, although badly in need of replacement-full resto underway, will be done soon. - Scott Selbach, XK-120M FHC S680701

For Klaus and anyone else who needs a small quantity of green felt. Please forward your addresses (direct to me) and I'll send you a Christmas gift of enough felt to do a couple of dash drawers until my supply is exhausted. I have to be specific about "dash drawers" since I was told that the folks in our favorite village of "Bonnethinge" all wear green felt drawers at Christmas time. :-) - Dick Cavicke

Rob, I haven't forgotten about your request about map drawer mountings. Problem is that I stored those parts very carefully up in the loft -- so carefully that I will have to reorganize the shelves in order to find them! Promise to do it one of these days now that winter has definitely arrived here in New England. - Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

Green felt in my drawer originally. Since replaced with new green felt. - Gardner Howard, 53 XK120 DHC S677053

I am quite sure that ALL XK120/140 drawers had a green felt material very similar to billiard table cloth fitted as did the MKV and MKVII More on this and flocking later - Terry Mcgrath

With requests number 6 and 7 today for my "excess" drawer felt (from John Brown and Rob Reilly), I must sadly announce that "The Great Christmas Green Felt Giveaway" must end. The supply has been exhausted. You're on your own! - Regards, Dick Cavicke

I reflocked the cubby boxes of my 150 FHC this weekend. Since I am a sucker for tools, I bought the metal flocking gun and the kit instead of the smaller cardboard gun. I'll probably never use the gun again unless I go on a flocking spree around the house. At any rate, I bought the gun/kit ($64.50 USA) from DonJer in New Jersey, who advised they were the originators of the product. I chose their Emerald Green material which perfectly matched the cubby boxes. I spent about twenty minutes and now have two renewed boxes ready for reinstallation. My schedule for painting the car slipped to this coming weekend. I previously noted that I had trouble fitting/aligning the bonnet. At a later time I'll share my story as to how I got around that problem. Cheers. - Bob Oates

Can anyone help me with another question re 'flocking'? I have a XK150 DHC, which was restored when I bought it. The pockets on the door sides have an inset made out of card board and covered with the same bisquit vinyl material as the door sides themselves. The two (glove?) boxes on the dash are flocked with green mtrl. Someone told me that the insides of the pockets should be flocked ( green ?) or covered with felt ( glued on ). Is this correct? If so, is both bottom and both sides of the inside pocket covered with flock/felt? All up to the rim of the pocket, or just halfways? - Claes Boregard, XK150 DHC, 03/60

Please let me know if you are interested in selling your flocking tool. I have lost/misplaced mine and am in middle of several repairs/restorations where one might be very nice. By the way, several "respectable" restoration companies told me that they don't flock anymore - they just glue on felt! Thanks. - Bob Hamilton

Hi John Elmgreen, I note that none of the members objected to you providing information to Porter on flocking. I too have no objections. I wonder what you have concluded from all the postings and in particular what color the storage boxes in the doors of OTS cars should be. For the record I reflocked mine in tan and it will have to wait until the 2005 rebuild to be changed if they are wrong. Hopefully by then the long awaited authoritive book by J. Elmgreen will be available. - Neville Laing

On my late ( 11/60 ) XK 150 DHC the interior of the boxes is covered with the vinyl material . However the bottom of the box is not covered. I suppose that this is original. - Michel Gosset

Claes, Both your messages were received. The door pockets on my OTS, which appear to be original, were mostly covered in the same black vinyl as the door trim but the bottom part of the pocket which I thought had been left uncovered looks as though it may have been originally flocked in a buff colour. The boxes on the dash are flocked in green. - Colin Haywood, XK150S OTS

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