Package Tray Material

[Shelly Harris]

I inadvertantly put a hole in the rear deck material just over the rear speaker. The material is so brittle and weak from years in the sun. So I cut out a nice size hole over the speaker and the window tint guy gave me a speaker grill which I spray painted and placed over the speaker on the rear deck. While at it I also painted the entire rear deck the same to match the colors.

But... that rear deck material is so brittle and weak from the Sun I just picture someone (my grandson or?) poking more holes in it. Is the rear deck material readily available or what?

[Mad Scientist]

Had a similar problem. The material looks like it might have been a some kind of burlap that was painted to match the interior.

I just went to a fabric store and bought some material that was close to the original color.

[Jon W]

I got some sun shade type vinyl fabric that had about the same weave as the original and painted it with fabric spray the same color as my interior. looks great.

[Barry Wolk]

I don't have a rear deck.:p

[Rick Payton]

I don't have a rear deck.:p



Show off:)

[Don Henschel]

I got some sun shade type vinyl fabric that had about the same weave as the original and painted it with fabric spray the same color as my interior. looks great.

Jon and Mad
Is this what your replacement material looks like?
The proper material will have two strands crossing over a single strand.

[Pat Marshall]

I talked to Lowell Domholdt about the package tray material. He also mentioned the two strands/one strand construction.

Lowell said tht Buddy Holiday found grass wallpaper with a close weave. Lowell found vinyl lawn chair material with a similar weave. Both Buddy's and Lowell's substitute required painting to get the right look.

Lowell said that some Cadillacs of the same vintage used the same materia for the package tray.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Lowell said that some Cadillacs of the same vintage used the same materia for the package tray.
That is correct. I still have a roll I bought (where?) some years ago. It was reproduced and you should not have a problem to find it, maybe by a Cadillac supplier.
If needed, I can do pictures from the material I still have.

[Don Henschel]

This is (what I have pictured)probably vinyl lawnchair material supplied to me by "one of the usual suspects" long before the internet was around to see you guys mention other sources of material:o If I would have known this is what I would be receiving I would have snooped around and had more imagination of what to look for!

[Pat Marshall]

http://www.opgi.com/product.asp?search=yes&topcatid=227&chapterid=17737&KeyWord=tray&submit.x=34&submit.y=11

[Roger Zimmermann]

This is a lousy company: I ordered several time their catalog, by e-mail and by phone, never got one. I ordered parts, the delay was postponed many time until I cancelled the orders.

[Pat Marshall]

I wasn't suggesting that this was what to buy, I was just showing that the Cadillacs of that era did have a mesh fabric package tray. Now it's up to us to be creative and find that fabric in bulk form. We certainly don't want to buy preformed Cadillac Package Trays. I just wanted to get t juices flowing.

[Jon W]

Jon and Mad
Is this what your replacement material looks like?
The proper material will have two strands crossing over a single strand.

Don: Yes, I recall my fabric looked exactly like the picture on the left - two strands crossing over a single strand. I found it at fabric store when I was looking for vinyl replacement fabric for lawn chairs and sun shades. Just painted it up with fabric stray and it looks original and has not deteriorated.

[Roger Zimmermann]

This afternoon, I did pictures of a rest of material. I bought it by Jenkins Restorations in Wilkesboro, NC.
In 2000, the roll did cost $ 40.00. Now?
One picture is with the flash, the other one without.

[Don Henschel]

Here is some of my original material very brittle from the sun. It appears to be a cotton? or like Mad mentioned burlap. I couldnt find my metric ruler for a direct comparison but a milimeter would compare to a thickness of a dime. This is the unpainted underside of mine and it would appear your Cadillac material is alot courser. Mad? what did your burlap like material look like? If it is a closer match I will go for that instead of this cheezy vinyl material with a much finer strand.

[Mad Scientist]

Mad? what did your burlap like material look like? .

As I recall mine looked like your pictures plus the addition of a few rips and tears.
Didn't even bother to try and find an exact match, just went to a fabric store and looked for any material that was a close color match.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Found this on a chinese site.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/200223053/jute_fabric/showimage.html

[Don Henschel]

Thats probably what it is. I like the description:
"convienent to use,nice,strong,environment,ecnomic,cheap,high quality"
Cheap and high quality, for a change thats nice to hear:).
At least we know what to ask for.......jute fabric.

[Pat Marshall]

The weave pattern looks similar but the strands are too loose (fluffy). The Mark II package tray strands are tight and crisp.

[Nick DeSpirito]

I think they would tighten up (or look that way) after being painted. JMO

[Roger Zimmermann]

I think they would tighten up (or look that way) after being painted. JMO
I doubt. As the original package tray of my de Ville is gone since a long time, I cannot remember if the original material was similar to the Mark II material or like the sample I photographied. Anyway, the package tray of my de Ville, done with the reproduced material, is looking like my picture, with the sole difference that it's black now.

[Bob Barger]

I replaced mine several years ago with burlap and painted it to match.

[Shelly Harris]

What about the rear deck board itself... the item that the burlap or material covers ? Is that board or a pattern available? Mine is really weak form the years of Sun and heat.

[Nick DeSpirito]

I think it's masonite. Anybody know for sure?

[Mad Scientist]

As I recall it looked like some kind of partial/wafer board.
But 1/8" masonite would work just fine. Use the original as a template making it slightly oversize and then trim to fit.
My original appeared to be a bit undersized.

[kwenger]

The interior of my '56 is in excellent condition with the exception of the headliner which is a bit stained in places and the package shelf which has several ugly holes in the fabric. Does anyone know where I could purchase "correct" fabric to replace the deteriorated package shelf covering? I've searched the forum and cannot find anything. Would it be correct to dye the fabric to match the interior leather (light blue & ivory?) For now I've decided to leave the headliner in place. Thanks, Keith, Durham, NC

[Dan]

I am in the process of re-dying the leather of my interior, and I intend on using the same dye on my package shelf. I am fortunate that my package shelf material is in good enough shape to re-use.
I am having Leather Magic match my Medium Blue dye for the shelf.
http://www.leathermagic.com/index.html
I thought I had read somewhere that many fabric stores have a suitable replacement material for the package shelf, but I have no experience there.

[Pat Marshall]

I merged the last two post with the thread that already exists on this subject. It's a good idea to use the search function when looking for help.

We have not found a source for the proper 2-1 thread pattern for the package tray. Members of the Forum and Jack Pugmire have identified that some outdoor awning and lawn chair materials are made in the 2-1 pattern. However that is vinyl and not jute(grass). Back in the day, Buddy Holiday used grass wallpaper that was made in the 2-1 pattern. (The original material was not paper backed).

I am attaching pictures of an original package tray for reference purposes.

If you are interested in an original-like material, but aren't concerned about the 2-1 pattern, Al Davenport has a couple rolls of grass paper in the 1-1 pattern (see the Mark II vendors section for Al's contact information).

[Don Keller]

I just read in one of the naratives on one of the Mark IIs for sale within the last week that it had a new shelf fabric, but that it would need to be dyed. Sorry, that I don't recall which car it was, but apparently the material is available and others have mentioned on the Forum that they dyed theirs. It sounds like you're on the right track to me and I sure don't know of any alternatives. Good luck Keith. Sorry Pat, I commented while you were moving the posts.

Don Keller
C56R3838
Jackson, TN

[Pat Marshall]

New doesn't mean it's authentic to original standards, it just means it's new.

[Joseph Stebbins]

Well I have been looking for a good and the seat webbing material w/paint seems a bit off to me so I started looking around and found this material which is a sunlight resistant shade material for commercial use and comes in various greys whites and some really interesting browns and tans. It does not have the 2 crossing 1 warp vs welt but I think it is OK. I am not sure about the scale of the thread but the original seems to be a heavier material from the other posts on the subject. from seeing the other stuff installed does anyone think it will matter much I am not showing but want to keep the feel of the car Original I not looking to impress a judge but want it to feel stock for the most part. Basically Factory Appearing on Stock Tires as they say.

[Dan]

Thats not too far off.
I doubt if anyone would catch the difference in material, and visually it reflects the original
I've had someone from the Textile Museum here in DC researching material.
Nothing has come up yet

[Doc]

Looks period correct and Mark II appropriate to me; especially if you're not seeking to have a car for LCOC-type judging. I would suggest you take extra care in fastening the material down to the package tray as many of these types of fabrics will begin to wrinkle as they heat and curl under the intense sunlight of the rear window when install in a flat position...yes, I speak from experience:o

[Don Henschel]

Looks good enough for me as well. What is it made out of? I bought some material from Jack years ago and it seems to be made out of a vinyl material and the threads look smaller. I havn't installed it yet hoping a cotton like material shows up.

[Joseph Stebbins]

Some space age wonder material that is flame retardant, fade resistant, uv blocking - I think it also helps with spots on my dishes...

All kidding aside it looks slicker than cotton but far better than painted fabric or webbing. I will as the rep of what it is made.

[Pat Marshall]

Once again I am merging a splintered thread into the main thread pertaining to the Package Tray Material. It's a good idea to use the search function when looking to check on existing threads that pertain to the subject you wish to discuss.

Obviously, if it this material suits your purposes that's fine. However, because of the diagonal pattern of the weave, it's has a far different look than the original and I believe if you were outside looking in, through the back window, the diagonal weave would be obvious.

FWIW the original was jute or a grasslike material. I believe that Al Davenport has a roll of original-like material for sale, except that it is a 2-2 weave, not 1-2 as original. But it is still very authentic looking and you have to be real close to see the difference.

Way back when, Buddy Holiday found grass wallpaper that was a pretty good match.

More recently Jack Pugmire found lawn chair material that was in the 1-2 weave, but of course it was nylon. (there are pictures of material like this, earlier in this thread) Proper painting would disguise the nylon.

[Joseph Stebbins]

Once again I am merging a splintered thread into the main thread pertaining to the Package Tray Material. It's a good idea to use the search function when looking to check on existing threads that pertain to the subject you wish to discuss.


My apologies for splintering the thread. I was on the topic of the interior of my car and didn't consider the greater scheme of package tray materiel. Mea Culpa...

[Pat Marshall]

No Problemo! It happens a lot. If it does again "I VILL BE BOCK!" :)