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Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 2:21 pm
by Steve Watson
Do any of you experts know what type of material this is in my 56 Coupe? It's original. Would LOVE to find a source for this material as the front seats and door panels were recovered once, but the rear kept original.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6xRAbpELycSj2vqq5

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 2:31 pm
by C J Murray
Acella blast. Do search.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 2:40 pm
by Bil Brown
Warren Eads had some yellow Acella Bast reproduced a couple decades ago. We bought some for the 550, it was very close to OG. I`ve heard for years there`s a real close match used in patio furniture, but could`nt ever find it.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 2:44 pm
by Steve Watson
Thanks CJ. I'll search on that name. Is this material still available? Here are more photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cDUicWpB4XnvJuZT9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BjCQMH1syx9HE3oe9

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 3:07 pm
by C J Murray
Bil knows more than I do. At least he got the name right!

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2018 3:40 pm
by Steve Watson
What's odd is the Kardex for my car states Red Leatherette, but I bought the car last year from the original owner who stated the original interior was this Acella Blast. I guess another example of a Kardex error.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:42 am
by Spencer Harris
Very neat material! Must be what's listed as Naturbast Beige?
FYI from Dr. Johnson's authenticity guide:
56 Color Charts.jpg

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:48 am
by Steve Watson
Interesting. The original color of my car was Black. So someone must have special ordered it with the Naturbast beige.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 7:39 pm
by Mike Vollmer
My car is also a 1956 with what I believe to be original seat material. Kardex states k'elder schwarz. The grain looks different than Acela Blast.
Seems like this group knows a lot about the different materials used. Any ideas?
Thanks Mike

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:22 pm
by Donald Zingg
Acella was a product line of embossed and patterned vinyl upholstery fabrics made by the J.H. Benecke company in Hannover, Germany (see brochure below). Acella Bast, the "basketweave" material in question here was first tested in Speedster number 80021 early October, 1954. After a few weeks later the material was introduced into routine series production of 356 Speedster bodies. It was one of three beige upholstery materials originally selected for the Blue and the Signal Red pre-A Speedsters. Acella Bast was discontinued for Speedster production in December 1955.

The basketweave material was available in more than one color. During that time it was also a seat upholstery in some Spyder race cars, and was an upholstery option for the T-1 356A Coupe. Just for fun, look closely at the '55 Coupe all dressed up in the last photo - - - imagine trying to convince a concours judge that's the factory original upholstery!

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2023 5:46 pm
by Steve Watson
It's been five years, so time to finally get my front seats and door panels recovered. I ordered the Reutter Certificate for my 56 Coupe and it definitely was delivered with Acella Bast. Anyone else know of a Pre-A Coupe or T1 Coupe that still has it's factory Acella Bast? I was told that it's pretty rare to find in a Coupe and that it was mostly used in the Speedsters/Spyders.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2023 8:51 pm
by Bil Brown
The blue was in my friend`s 55 Speedster #80516.......yellow was in my partner`s 550-093....yellow on left is the repro I believe from Eads

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2023 5:50 pm
by James Davies
Hi Steve, yes, plenty of 1954-55 coupes were offered with Acella Bast. Here's some photos of chassis 53437, a 1955 coupe.

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2023 5:40 pm
by Jim Perrin
The 1956 dealer showroom color/upholstery sample book for coupes shows the Acella Bast upholstery material for only one color, Polyantha red. (Color 5602 with the the B upholstery option.) I'll post a photo of the page tomorrow. As Steve suggests, maybe the Acella Bast was a special order (or maybe it was a substitution when the usual material was temporarily out).

Re: Rare Interior Material in my 56 Coupe?

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2023 8:19 pm
by Dick Roth
IMG_1778.jpeg
Reutter web site, Germany