correct vinyl covering for T16 seats

[andrew honychurch]

Does anyone know what the correct colour and type of vinyl is used on the T16? I have a NOS, but terribly bad condition drivers seat back but its pretty hard to see what colour the vinyl is. I know the post war UK fitment was the same as the Universals which is pretty much the same as series one Land Rover. Anyway, if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be grateful .

[Michael Greeley]

5,000 T16's were made 3 towns over from me in Somerville Massachusttes USA. I think Henry would have used the basic OD cloth covering as you find in any M series ww2 Vehicles. Cheers MG

[cletrac (RIP)]

They used vinyl on seats in the back of trucks where they were more exposed to the weather so the same should hold true with carriers. The original seat I have out of the back of a 1940 1A2 wireless body was brown vinyl.

[Jordan Baker]

I had marine grade vinyl used for the seats in my Carrier. I just picked out a colour that was closeish to the original sample I had. Its not super close but Im happy with it.

As far as I know, canvas was not used. There have been a few threads on this topic for the carriers in the past year or so.

[horsa]

I had a NOS driver crash pad that was dry rotted from age. The vinyl still looked mint so we sent it off to a company here in the USA that produced reproduction military vehicle upholstery called Beachwood Canvas. They best matched the color and the simulated pattern in the original from the large number of options they had available. The work order says Olive Drab Vinyl (Whisper/Forest). The bit in parenthesis being their color code for the particular OD shade.

So far it has been very durable with kids and adults climbing all over them wearing boots. They may not be exact but they look the part. Sure you could get away with any mid-shade OD color vinyl/ naugahyde that is available there in the UK. But keep in mind it is more of a typical WWII USA color OD when compared to the brighter green in other British-made vehicles of the time. Either very late war or postwar they went with a black vinyl. Only seen it in surviving Swiss T-16s though so can’t say if it was a British replacement or Swiss after they got the carriers.

[andrew honychurch]

thanks guys, as always plenty of informed comment on here.

Certainly, my dried out old original seat back looks to be a standard khaki colour not the mid green or grass green that the British Carriers have. That said, that was what was in mine and as far as I know that was the British army refit colour. I have never seen any evidence of black which leads me to think it is the Swiss replacement. Interestingly I was looking around a brand new British Personnel Carrier and it has the same shade of mid green vinyl as fitted to the Carriers, must be a hold over.

I guess I will check out the vinyl suppliers and make a choice. Thanks for all the advice

[Lynn Eades]

Tell us how many "M" series vehicles were in fact built during WWII?

[Ron Pier]

If the T16 seat material is the same us a UC? Then the original material used was not Vinyl but green Rexine. I managed to find a very close modern equivilent Vinyl to make new seats from. I have now managed to replace most of my seats with originals.
Here is an original seat and a modern material back rest. Ron

[eddy8men]

i've got 2 new old stock seat covers and they're dark green vinyl and are in mint condition, i'm not sure if they are specific to carrier or t16 but the guys got about 20 left still in the wrapping paper and wants £20 a piece, well that what i paid him anyway. i'll see him tomorrow and ask him to put a proper post on the forum for those that need em.

rick

ps. andrew you are right about the same vinyl being used in modern stuff like 432's and such

pps. me and ron posted at the same time and looking at his pic i can confirm those are the same seat cushions i have

[Michael Greeley]

M series vehicles Lynn? I think were on the Carrier thread right now, You need to more your ? to the correct thread. Happy Days


Mike G

[Lynn Eades]

You have a short memory. Have a look at your previous post (#2) in this thread.

[RichardT10829]

gosh two days that must be a new record..... Rick those seat covers that Ron has posted look just the job... can you win the lottery and buy the guys stock up and we can purchase seat covers from you

[eddy8men]

no need richie i'm sure colin is a member of mlu and he did mention that he was going to sell the stock.

rick

[Ron Pier]

My original cushions came with a load of spares I bought that came back from the Falklands. Here is a shot to show the internal filling. They were also wrapped in brown paper so probably the same source of NOS. Ron

[andrew honychurch]

well there is clearly a difference between the vinyl that Ford sent the T16s over the pond with and the vinyl that was used on other Carriers, and also on the T16 when refitted after the war. Here are some photos of a NOS T16 seat back. Whilst the vinyl has dried and faded its easy to see that it was a lot darker than the photos kindly posted by Ron. Also, nowhere, to my knowledge are studs or lift the dots used on the T16. They are screwed in place or held in place by their own weight.

[Jim Parker]

pebble grain material, same style as on a British Ammo Boot. it should be, or is it stuffed with horse hair.
JP

[Lynn Eades]

According to Nigels book the backrest you posted would be from a mkII universal. I would guess that your T16 should be as per Andrews. (I'm not trying to offend anyone here by the way)

[Ron Pier]

I'm not offended Lynn! I don't own a T16. I was only useing the seats from my MK2 as an example of Rexine seat covering material. Ron

[eddy8men]

spoke to colin about the carrier seats yesterday and he still has some seat cushions left but he did say they were not right for a t 16.

rick

[Lynn Eades]

Is this stuff Rexine?

[Ron Pier]

Yep that's the stuff Lynn. Most vehicles of the period including motorcycle saddle covers were trimmed with this material. The other option would have been leather. No such stuff as Vinyl in those days I think.
I don't know the process for Rexine, but it came in various colours and was extremely hard wearing. Severe wear on the outer colour coating would reveal a whitish canvas type material underneath. Ron

PS. Just found this on Wikipedia.

Rexine is the registered trademark of an artificial leather leathercloth fabric produced in the United Kingdom by Rexine Ltd of Hyde, near Manchester, England. It was made of cloth surfaced with a mixture of cellulose nitrate, camphor oil, pigment and alcohol, embossed to look like leather.

Used as a bookbinding material[1] and upholstery covering, Rexine was also widely used in trimming and upholstering the interiors of motor vehicles produced by British car manufacturers beginning in the 1920s, its cost being around a quarter that of leather. It was used by the British Motor Corporation in the 1960s and 70s, particularly as a covering for 'crash padding' on dashboards and doors. It was also used for British teddy bear paw and foot pads[2] from the late 1930s to early 1960s.

[andrew honychurch]

well now we know! Marvellous thing the internet!. anyway, thanks Rick for finding out about the seat covers. I am just going to get a full set made and chose a material that looks either like the lighter green or the type on my NOS item.