Auto Upholstery Redwood City - Car Upholstery Repair Tips - Cooks Upholstery & Classic Restoration Rewood City - 650-364.0923

Car Upholstery Repair Tips

If the interior of your car is not looking like it's seen better days it may be time for some car upholstery repair. Whether it's a stain in your seat from a spilled drink or a foul odor from one of your pets, there are some simple and easy steps to get the inside of your car looking and smelling new again.

The first step is determining what type of material your car's upholstery is. In most cases it will either be: cloth, leather, vinyl, or velour. Each material has its benefits and drawbacks. For example, it's easier to clean up a soda spill on leather or vinyl, but fixing a puncture is easier with cloth or velour upholstery.

The next step is addressing the type of problem you are trying to fix. Some of the more common repairs include: mud stains, spills, cigarette burns, holes, pet stains, etc. And, make sure before you get started to remove all trash in the vehicle and vacuum it out.

Always try to clean up spills as soon as you can. The sooner you get to treating them, the less there is that the stain will be there for good. Use a cotton rag or paper towels to dab at the spill and try to get up as much as possible. Then take a towel, damp with warm water, and dab at the area some more. If that doesn't remove it, purchase some upholstery cleaner at your local hardware store.

To treat holes and punctures, it's best to either purchase a kit or have it repaired by a professional. Holes in the upholstery aren't as easy to fix and there is also a good chance you could do even more damage if you don't know what you are doing.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Car-Upholstery-Repair-Tips&id=3857329
by Alan Lero


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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Interior of a Porsche 911T - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

New interior project on a Porche 911T

Porsche 911 S, 911 T, and 911 L:

In 1966, the Porsche 911 S "sporting" edition became available in Europe, with 160 bhp and a 140-mph top speed. It was the first 911 to have 5-spoke Fuchs alloys, and it had a distinctive red-painted cooling shroud on the engine. But it didn't meet U.S. emissions standards, and was only available in the States as a detuned '67 model.

Instead, the U.S. got the 130-hp 1966 911 L for "luxe." In 1969, the 911 S was back in the U.S., along with the 911T for "touring" and 911 E for "einspritzung." That's German for "fuel-injected." The Touring edition was the base model with 110 hp, while the 911 E had 140 hp.

 

source: http://exoticcars.about.com/od/guidedtours/p/Porsche911History.htm

by Kristen hall-Geisler

 

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Interior of a 1957 Chevy Update - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Here is an update on our 1957 Chevy Project - We have the back Seat Piece in

57 Chevy is a nickname of the 1957 Chevrolet made in America from late 1956 through much of 1957 by General Motors. It is one of many now-classic cars adored by millions of people around the world. These cars are being restored to their original condition or modified into personal favorites. As this car gets older it has become more sought after by collectors than ever before. Its image and likeness have been used over and over again in toys, graphics, music, movies and television. The '57 Chevy is an icon of the era that endures today.
The 1957 Chevrolet was available in three official trim levels: the base-model "one-fifty" series, the mid-range "two-ten" series, and the upscale Bel Air series. An upscale trim option called the "Del Ray" was available for 210 2-door sedans. A limited production two-door station wagon called the "Nomad" was produced as a Bel Air. A fourth designation was also available in limited quantities, the "El Morocco", a custom hand-build mimicking the Cadillac of the era.

The 1957 Chevrolet was a carry-over from 1955, when Chevrolet introduced its now-famous small-block V-8—the first V-8 available in a Chevrolet since 1918. Prior to 1955, Chevrolet only offered an inline 6-cylinder engine. With the new V-8 engine for 1955, Chevrolet wanted to offer a new car design as well. The "shoebox" design, so named because it was the first Chevrolet to feature streamlined rear fenders, was a watershed for Chevrolet. The lightweight car coupled with a powerful V-8 became a showroom draw, but also thrust the company into the arena of competitive motor sports. 1955 Chevrolets went on to dominate drag racing and became a formidable force in circle track racing. In 1956, the design was lengthened somewhat in front and given a more squarish treatment; under the hood, engine power increased and a Corvette engine was available for the first time in a full-size passenger car.

 

source: http://ak57chevy.com/history.html

 

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Mercedes 560SL3.5 Interior Restoration - before pictures - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Mercedes 560SL Interior Restoration

In the 560SL, Mercedes got it all just right, offering essentially bullet-proof reliability, satisfying power, and aggressive good looks. The 560SL combined all that Mercedes learned about the V-8 R107 chassis cars into a cultural icon that quietly and confidently told the world its occupants had "arrived."

Standard equipment included driver's side airbag and ABS brakes. Interior improvements for the 560SL included lovely burlwood accents, improved lateral seatback support, and a power passenger side mirror. The steering wheel, however, was still fixed and seat adjustments were still carried out manually.

 

source: http://560slmercedes.com/

 

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Mercedes 3.5 Interior and Convertible top Restoration - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Here is the before picture on the interior and the after picture on the top of this Mercedes 3.5.

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Ferrari 355 Dash Restoration - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Here is the finished Dash that we repair on this Ferrari 355

The leather was pulling away from the top of the vent.

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Ferrari Daytona Trunk Restoration - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Ferrari Daytona Trunk Restoration

The 365 Daytona is generally regarded as one of Ferrari's greatest ever GT's. A combination of enormous performance, stunning Pininfarina bodywork and its place in history as the last front-engined Ferrari GT that Fiat had no hand. Therefore it occupies a special place in Maranello history. The press in recognition of the prancing horse’s stunning 1-2-3 victory unofficially conjured up the world famous Daytona name at 1967's Daytona 24 Hours. Rumors persist that Ferrari was actually intending to name their new model as such but for some reason they never officially used this evocative title themselves.

A top speed of 175mph and zero to sixty-sprint time of 5.3 seconds were enough to eclipse every other manufacturer, even Lamborghini. Meanwhile, as had become normal practice since the mid fifties, Ferrari commissioned Turinese carrozzeria Pininfarina to design the Daytona's bodywork. Exuding power from every angle, the Daytona remains one of the most jaw-dropping post war GT's to this day. Panels were fabricated by Scaglietti of Modena who used hand-formed and hammer-welded small sections of steel for everything other than the doors, bonnet and boot lid, these being light alloy.


source: http://www.ferrariregistry.net/

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Ferrari 550 Steering Wheel Repair - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

Ferrari 550 Steering Wheel Repair Project

It's probably fair to say that the Ferrari 550 Maranello's press reaction was muted upon its launch in late 1996. Despite the passenger rides around the Nurburgring with Michael Schumacher at the wheel, the press were less than effusive about the car's styling, denigrating it by repeatedly comparing it to a pumped up Toyota Supra. Whilst stylist Sergio Pininfarina's aim was to ensure that "the car must be aggressive and must give you an emotion. It must not be a cold fish'it must respect the best of the Ferrari Pininfarina tradition", his results were less than 100% successful. Nevertheless, whilst it's unlikely to go down as a classic Ferrari shape, the 550 Maranello has gradually become accepted as possibly the best Ferrari driver's car of the last twenty years, leaving aside for a moment low-volume specials such as the 288GTO or F40. It is this level of acclaim that will appeal to Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari's charismatic president, who dictated the layout and name for the 550 and who made no secret of his dislike for its predecessor the mid-engined 512TR. Neither was he particularly enamoured by the fact that the average Ferrari owner was covering less than 2000 miles per year. Firmly believing that the best advertisement for Ferrari is seeing the cars on the street, di Montezemolo envisioned a more usable car, a car which could be used in the Grand Touring tradition, but which wouldn't compromise on raw ability. Packaging constraints suggested a front-engined layout, the mid-engined 512TR dismissed as "a car that was too much of a show-off". Judging the 550 Maranello by those criteria, it's a resounding success, but the jury may well be out for some time yet on whether Pininfarina's objectives were ever met. The 550 Maranello remained largely unchanged since launch, a few small detail changes being made along the way. The big news came in October 2000 with the unveiling of the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina Limited Edition, a run of 448 'speedster' style convertibles of which 45 were earmarked for this green, pleasant, and notably wet, land. The 550 was replaced in summer 2002 by an evolutionary model, the 509bhp 575M Maranello.

source: http://www.rac.co.uk/buying-a-car/car-reviews/ferrari/550-maranello/207798/

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Chrysler Woodie Project - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

A interior and Convertible top restoration

Chrysler introduced the Town and Country line for their post-war selection, featuring sedans and convertibles. This body style was the most memorable of all the Chryslers with its name coming from the combination of the steel front end representing 'Town' and the wood paneled rear portion resembling 'Country.'

The convertible was the most favoured of the Town and Country line with 8,368 sold. In 1948, the price tag showed $3,395. The body was framed with white ash (adding structural rigidity to the doors and deck lid), fitted with interlocking miters, and varnished to perfection. Mahogany veneer plywood filled the spaces within the framing. The Town and Country convertible was built on a C-39 chassis with 127.5 inch wheelbase. It featured a Spitfire Straight Eight, 323.5 cubic-inch engine developing 135 horsepower coupled to a fluid drive transmission.

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Convertible Top Installation - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

 

Cooks Upholstery & Classic Restoration is committed to installing the highest quality convertible tops and we are proud to be recognized by Robbins Auto Tops as the Peninsulas preferred installer. All convertible tops are backed by a 3 year manufacturer’s warranty. 

Why buy our Top? Often customers ask us about buying a convertible top off the internet believing they are going to save money. 

 

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. In our experience, we have found convertible tops sold on the internet are fabricated with substandard materials and adhere to less stringent standards of construction. Many times convertible tops found on the internet are actually 2nds.  If the convertible top found on the internet is incorrect, damaged or fails, the consumer is responsible for tracking down the replacement top and this will cost them valuable time & money. It is in the consumer’s best interest to let the professionals handle the process of obtaining materials for the job.

The team at Cooks Upholstery & Classic Restoration takes pride in providing our customers with the highest level of service before, during and after the sale.  This allows our team to provide you the service you need with the least amount of down time. 

 

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Interior of a 1957 Chevy - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

The 1957 Chevy Project.

New Interior

57 Chevy is a nickname of the 1957 Chevrolet made in America from late 1956 through much of 1957 by General Motors. It is one of many now-classic cars adored by millions of people around the world. These cars are being restored to their original condition or modified into personal favorites. As this car gets older it has become more sought after by collectors than ever before. Its image and likeness have been used over and over again in toys, graphics, music, movies and television. The '57 Chevy is an icon of the era that endures today.
The 1957 Chevrolet was available in three official trim levels: the base-model "one-fifty" series, the mid-range "two-ten" series, and the upscale Bel Air series. An upscale trim option called the "Del Ray" was available for 210 2-door sedans. A limited production two-door station wagon called the "Nomad" was produced as a Bel Air. A fourth designation was also available in limited quantities, the "El Morocco", a custom hand-build mimicking the Cadillac of the era.

The 1957 Chevrolet was a carry-over from 1955, when Chevrolet introduced its now-famous small-block V-8—the first V-8 available in a Chevrolet since 1918. Prior to 1955, Chevrolet only offered an inline 6-cylinder engine. With the new V-8 engine for 1955, Chevrolet wanted to offer a new car design as well. The "shoebox" design, so named because it was the first Chevrolet to feature streamlined rear fenders, was a watershed for Chevrolet. The lightweight car coupled with a powerful V-8 became a showroom draw, but also thrust the company into the arena of competitive motor sports. 1955 Chevrolets went on to dominate drag racing and became a formidable force in circle track racing. In 1956, the design was lengthened somewhat in front and given a more squarish treatment; under the hood, engine power increased and a Corvette engine was available for the first time in a full-size passenger car.

 

source: http://ak57chevy.com/history.html

 

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Auto Interior Restoration Bay Area - Convertible Top and Interior of a Mercedes 190SL - Cooks Upholstery Redwood City 650-364.0923

The Mercedes 190SL Project

It might not be a widely known fact, but strictly speaking, the Mercedes SLK roadster has a 55-year-old pedigree. Allow us to explain. When the German automaker presented the first SLK concept study in 1994, it was continuing the firm's small roadster tradition which stated back in 1955 with the 190 SL.

The latter was the brainchild of Maximilian Edwin Hoffman, an enterprising American with Austrian roots who imported European cars to the USA. In 1953, after seeing the potential of a more affordable sports car than the 300 SL, he urged Daimler-Benz executives to build one.

The 190 SL was unveiled on February 6, 1954, in New York, alongside the 300 SL “gullwing”. It was designed more as an elegant two-seater touring model than a purebred sports car. It took engineers only five months to develop the open-top car, which used a shortened frame floor assembly from the Mercedes 180 (W120), combined with a single-joint swing axle sourced from the 220 (W180). The front suspension also came from the 180 model.

Under the bonnet, the 190 SL had a newly developed 105HP 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine with an overhead camshaft. Performance was good for the era, as the roadster could complete the 0-to-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 14 seconds and reach a top speed of over 170 km/h (106 mph).

Series production began in May 1955 and the 190 SL was available as a soft-top roadster as well as a coupe with removable hardtop, with or without the soft-top as an option.

Between May 1955 and February 1963, 25,881 units rolled off the assembly lines in Sindelfingen, well above the initial estimates.

By Csaba Daradics

source: http://www.carscoops.com/2011/01/short-history-of-1955-mercedes-benz-190.html

 

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