I checked out my guides... its not for the scissor top. I only have the instruction guide for the "normal" one

I use glass markers for a long time but they are expensive an brake fast. Actually I use "stabilo all markers" . They dont brake that fast and do the job. Also they are not that expensive.
Also I use Space pens (silver), chalk and rub off Markers depending on the job/material

I do the most frame/spring jobs by myself. I bought some helpfull tools over the last years which make the job much easier. The only thig I dont do by myself is with the small coils with thin whire. Therefor I have a company I can order the common seatframes also with custom spezifications fitting on bodylenght and wheight.

Here are some tools I use.
Great osborne tool for vertical bending of ZigZag-Springs (need 2 of them):



for bending Springwire:



clamps for attaching wires or springs/making a bypass (there is a special pliers for it but you dont need it necessarily


There are also some other clamps but i dont know where you can get them. They are smaller and are fixing the springs at the metalband frame. But I only have my own stock on hand.

We are currently making a Porsche 356 and the customer has opted for the Porsche natural leather from Hans Reinke. Despite templates, the cut off is extreme. I will probably take it out of the customer selection. If one of you uses the Reinke leather I really advise you of the nature leathers. The quality really not very good. And not everything can justify as natural marks.:s

I do it the same way. With leather its a little bit more difficult. Here its depend on the quality of the hide. I had learned you need calculate 30% cut off. I have cutting templates for a lot of cars. So i can lay out all samples and can find out the best way to cut out my parts.
Also if I use expensive leather, I first make a pre-cut of cheap material to find out the best way for the leather. On this way I think I save nearly one hide my last Connolly Project. But the cut off on old Bentley is horrible :s

I glue the cover and pop some rivets on it. I use rivets with bigger heads than normal about 1/2".

We made a Eldorado with a scissor top a few years ago...but I dont know if it wars a '74. But i think i have still some documents about parts and maybe a installation guide. I must have a look. But i cant promise!

I totally agree with you!!!! The fact that I found "The Hog Ring" was one of the most important successes I achieved last year - although I also got a highly acclaimed business award ... (L) ;) (L)
And I believe that through you and the cooperation with you in the future also great enrichments of knowledge and experience for me and my business. In the past, all saddlers used to pull their things out with extended elbows and only saw the others as competitors.
Since the 2 years in which I am now the business I try to go another course. Meanwhile, I am friends with my direct "competitors". We exchange ideas intensively and also have ordering co-operations to get better shopping conditions.

But I have to say that we have enough work here. Therefore, it is easy to see the saddlers in the area as not a competitor

I spend a lot of time for searching for distributors of OEM Cloth and Vinyl for classic cars in the last years. So I hope I can save your time a little bit:

Global Upholstery (European Cars)
SMS Auto Fabrics (US Cars)
Westtrading BV. (European Cars)
Antex & C.A.S.E. (European Cars)
Franz Josef Döpper (Mercedes,BMW, European Cars)
Steenbuck (only Mercedes)
Martrim (British Cars)

If I think about it, I'll remember a few more:-!

Sorry I dont have any advices. I think our button maschine was mounted on the table long before I was born. And also the button pices will suffice till I quit work. :D
But I shot a picture today to show how the skived vinyl have to look that it works with the button maschine

Thank you for this great compliment! I think cloth will make a comeback. We do a lot of classiccar restaurations - more than custom jobs. Our customers are looking much more for OEM cloth than 10 years ago. Also the combination of old OEM cloth with leather in new cars. The old Recaro cloth and scottish tartan pattern will start up.

Oh sry! I missed that information. Thats also a common price over here. ;)

THX! We are actually searching for a possibility to put it in a glas covered trailer. But there are still some problems with the agency which is responsible for the traffic :s

My problem was that the counterpart cut off the vinyl if its to thick. So I skived down the backing cloth and the little foam part some vinlys have. The Problem of the backing cloth (often Nylon) is that it blut down the skiving maschine fast. Meanwhile i have 2nd skiving maschine so I use my old one only for the vinyl jobs and the other for leather.

I like the origami style. But the next evolution step of the diamond-patern is my NaehKRAFT-Loop of course ;)

I had to present my work/shop at a fair of a economic award. Problem was it was on the 3rd floor with a small elevator and stairway so i could not use a already made car of one of my customers. So I made the best of of the situation an cut a car into a half (i have to cut the half also in 3 pices to get it into the elevator :-! ). A lot of hours later my new advertising project was ready. And it worth the afford! X-) :D ;)

Wow! 700$ is not really cheap. The regular price on german amazon is actually 500$ (without sword). And a few days ago i saw a warehousedeal for 380$. I can keep an eye on this if someone interested.

I Use the same button press for all leather, vinyl, or any fabric. If the leather is to thick for the button counterpart you have to skive it down. The same trick works for the vinyl. You can skive off the fabric on the back of the vinyl. Its a little bit tricky to find out the right adjustment if you you use a skiving machine.

Oh! Interesting thread. We dont use a steamer until now. For years we use the heat gun (leather/vinyl) or a Iron with a wet towel (cloth). The steamers are not that common over here - but its on my shopping list. In january is a trade fair where i wantcheck up some models. But I am glad for suggestions or links ;)

I prefer the self tapper screws. But sometimes there ist not enough material thickness. In this case just fix it with some hot glue poins but for the durability I use the black adhesive stuff you use for windshilds.

Carbolux
I have been working/selling these for 15 years and have never had a warranty claim to date.

Thanks for checking out. I will give it a test with the trial version

Oh thanks!...thats the guy! I'll give him a call. ;)

I just glue in really rare situations. Mostly i perimeter stich my material. When I glue i use a very low athesive and low temperature resistant glue in a spray can (I call it "stamp-glue" because its just stick and dont glue ;) )
What is "calico"? Weaved cotton LIKE #? The horizontal thread goes over one vertical and then under a vertical and always so on?

QuickBooks just offered in english language? I have to update my Software after a few years and the Program i use (Lexware Faktura&Auftrag - just common over here) has some tools I miss.