A Healey BN2 in persimmon...

5/30/2016

Over the past few weeks I've been working away on making and installing all the interior components for another early Austin Healey BN2 being done in the persimmon shade of red that was common on 100'4s through the early-mid 50's.
I say "another" because this is the second black BN2 with persimmon interior that I've done for local clients in the past 2yrs! We're finishing this one off just in time for the ABFM show in Vancouver this weekend and it will be there beside the identical one from last year!
The leather and vinyl which are persimmon in colour would fade out to a bright orange colour with age.
Contrasting with the richer dark red carpets, Armacord and weather equipment it was a unique and stunning colour combo that is seldom still seen today.

The leather I sourced is in the correct colour and natural grain. It has been vegetable tanned just as it would have been done back in the day.
I also sourced a good matching vinyl - both from local suppliers here in BC. The Karvel carpet and Armacord that are somewhat unique to the Austin Healey's, I sourced from England.
Having made accurate patterns from some originals, I cut all the leather and vinyl and got to work sewing up the new covers.
The piping and hidem strips all had to be hand made to match...

I even made new squab foams in house. After trying several different "molded latex" re-pro foams that just didn't have the right fit or feel, I decided to make my own foams out of a good quality medium density foam with lamination's of softer density foams to fill out the shape..

The final result looks and feels the way they should, sleek and smooth but not too hard or overstuffed...

With the seats all done, I've continued working on making all the rest of the interior components for this car.
Here is the finished armrest that will snap down over the tunnel between the seats...

The interior door panels, complete with furflex draft seals. The vinyl trimmed over thin padding and stitched right through the 1/8" birch ply panels around the pocket opening as original..

Here's a taste of the colour contrast that the carpet gives on this finished parcel tray...

The finished main tunnel carpet, floor mats and the front gearbox cover...

Here's the spare wheel bag being made in persimmon vinyl and sewn to the contrasting red armacord...

The completed rear bulkhead coverings sewn and ready to install,..

And all the Armacord boot linings finished, bound by hand (meaning the binding is sewn twice - without a binding attachment)

Then when the car was painted and ready for the interior to install, I set to work by first covering the floors with black tar paper (as original) and then proceeding to install all the under-felt in the foot wells, followed by all the carpets...

Then I worked my way through the back of the cockpit, installing the wheel arch vinyl, spare wheel cover, the center armrest and Armacord mats...

I then installed all the boot Armacord linings...

And finished off the cockpit by adding all the interior panels and the seats...

Then I finished her off with a new red Everflex top from Robbins

a custom made tonneau cover that I made in the correct red Everflex following the original exactly with a new "lightning" zipper and all original Tenax snap hardware with the knurled heads.