Triumph TR6

Please note that there were production inconsistencies during this period, so colours should be chosen on individual basis.

Information from: Piggott, B. (1991) Original Trimph TR – The Restorer’s Guide to TR2, TR3, TR3a, TR4, TR4A, TR5, TR250, TR6, Bideford: Bay View Books Ltd.

Triumph TR6 models featured Piping matching the main trim colour. 

We can also offer the largest range of non-standard “bespoke” colours schemes for those looking for a more customised finish.

Interior Trim Panels

The interior trim panels of the TR6 remained largely similar to what was seen on the TR5 and TR250 models, with the most significant change being the addition of the Centre Console Side Panels – introduced to help cover up the ‘messy’ area of wiring coming from the Dash and Console Assembly units. The shape of these panels varied throughout the TR6 production era, with the most commonly seen versions featuring a speaker-hole cutout and a gently curving profile to open up air gaps for the heater underneath.

Panels

The interior trim panels consisted of the main Door Panel Casings (and Pocket Flap), B Post Panels, Quarter B Post Panels and a Rear Bulkhead Panel. All panels were manufactured in a Hardboard material, with the exception of the B Post Panels that were made from Millboard/Fibreboard. All the main panels (Doors, Quarters and Bulkhead), continued to feature a RF/HF pattern which was updated around 1970 (CP/CC 50k) to a two-line horizontal pattern – with the earlier 1969-1970 TR6s still using the four-line front-to-back horizontal line pattern that had been seen on preceding TR4/TR5 models. The Door closer pull and opening mechanism was also updated on the very last TR6 era production (circa 1976) with the previously used “Door Top” pull panel being removed and replaced with a moulded plastic finisher panel, and a centrally located hole in the middle of the Door Panel was inserted with a lever to release the door and also pull close the door. The B Post “Gusset” Panels were exactly the same as its predecessor – with a creased millboard panel and extra material to allow for both sides of the gusset bodywork to be trimmed in the main interior trim material and colour. 

Loose upholstery trim

There were various pieces of upholstery to cover the bodywork of the car. These consisted of the Wheel Arch / Wheel-Well areas directly in between the Quarter Panels and Bulkhead Panel in addition to the B Post Pillar Covers and material to cover the Windscreen Frame.

Original materials

The TR6 models left the factory upholstered Ambla (Vinyl) not Vynide (Leathercloth) as this material appears to have been superseded for many interior parts during the production of the TR4A/TR5/TR250 era – although records are not overly clear on this matter. Commonly these days, this material is superseded with Vinyl (Ambla) due to availability and practicality of use for these areas. Very few cars, if any, would have left with Leather panels – and if they did, this would have been a special order item. At this point it is worth noting that when “Leather” is mentioned on the heritage certificates, this is often only referring to the Seats (more on this under the Seat Kits tab).

It is worth keeping in mind that for the TR6 models with chassis numbers starting with “CR” or “CF” (approx 1973 onward), Triumph updated some of their standard colour offerings for the Trim Panels and Seats to be supplied in an Ambla material with a heavy grain finish – commonly known to as “Rough Grain” (RG) – with others referring to it as “Bubble Grain / 1290 Grain”.

The Dash areas were remodelled by Michelotti for the TR4s, and then their design remained largely unchanged through to the TR6 era. The TR4 to TR6 models always left the factory with a black dash area, presumably as a cost-saving exercise alongside the undoubted acknowledgement that there is reduced glare from the sunlight on black surfaces, assisting in improved safety for the drivers. This Dash area consisted of the main Dash Top Panel, Lower Crashpads (left and right) and a Central Console H-Frame up-stand. All were supplied in an unsupported PVC material, vacuum formed around the frameworks. Unlike the TR4 and TR4A models before them, the TR6 (& TR5 / TR250) cars did not feature a grab handle on the Lower Crashpads. These elements remained consistent with the previous TR5/TR250 models for the most part with only minor and subtle changes being made in terms of the Steering Wheel lock mechanism and Air Vents on the Dash Top. The Switch Plinth remained the same as the TR5 & TR250 models (barring the number of switch toggle holes), and the Centre Console H Frame remained essentially the same as its predecessor but with a small indentation cut away to make allowances for the newly introduced Centre Console Side “Speaker” Panels. These Side Console Panels evolved from almost rectangular in shape with no speaker holes (for the early TR6 models), to a more curvier shape after realising that despite achieving the aim of covering the messy wiring up, they did not allow for the air to flow out from the heaters. The curvier design was then later updated with holes for the speakers.

The Sunvisors remained consistent to those fitted to the TR5/TR250 models in every aspect – including colour, material and design – with black becoming the colour of choice, made in an unsupported thin-PVC material, and a vanity mirror featuring on the passenger side visor. 

Piping

The TR6 Door and Quarter Casing Panels featured a self-coloured piping/beading, matched to the main trim – not only to improve aesthetics, but also to hide gaps between the panels and bodywork! There was no piping used to the Rear Bulkhead Panel, but the panel did feature an embossed pattern with two horizontal lines running from left-to-right, as per the Door and Quarter Panels for the majority of the TR6 range. The early Pre CC/CC 50k chassis number cars did, however, use the same RF/HF embossing style as the earlier TR4/TR5 models (4-line on Door/Quarters and 19-line vertical on Rear Bulkhead).

Seat Kits

Front Seats

Unlike other car manufacturers of this era, Triumph never seemed to settle on a particular Seat assembly design for very long before changing it. This was either led by evolution of design – or in the case of the TR6 – a mix of evolution and legal legislation changes mostly in the North American market. As a result, the Karmann redesigned TR6 models offered five different seat frame and cover designs over its 8 year production era from late 1968 to 1976. Generally classified by North American spec to European spec – before what would turn out to be the final TR6 seat incarnation which incorporated a design suitable for both of these main markets. All the seats were made using a tubular steel frame design akin to the earlier models, with the first couple of years of production offering seats which only tilted forward (CC & CP before 50k); before a tilt & recline version was introduced circa 1970 onwards (CC & CP Post 50k+ / all CR/CR models). Throughout all the versions, the same rubber diaphragm and webbing elements were used, acting as a resistance/“spring” as per the earlier models. The padding foam kits differed for every version of seat cover redesign. All North American seats featured a provision for a headrest support to coincide with road safety legislation changes in the late 1960s, and this cover design for the head support evolved over the years offering a tilting/tipping version (Pre CC50k), a fixed version (Post CC50k+) and a removable version on a stalk tube (CF). The European seats did not feature any headrests until the circa 1973 version – which was shared with the US market version – and included the removable headrest stalk (CR/CF). Following on from some of the earlier seat designs, the first four designs off the production line featured a removable trimmed hardboard panel on the rear of the backrest squab. This was discontinued for the final seat design, first introduced in late 1973 in favour of the sewn-in soft upholstery finish akin to the TR5 & TR250 design.

Euro Style Seat Evolution:

USA Style Seat Evolution:

When it comes to the design and evolution of the TR6 seats, the cushion base assembly covers aesthetically remained very consistent with only very subtle changes, most of which would not be obvious unless you had the different versions side by side. It was the backrest squabs that evolved the most from era to era (1968 – 1970 / 1970 – 1972 / 1973 – 1976), and between the North American exports and European market. All variations included a provision to allow the metal hood framework to pass by without colliding with the seat during the erection and stowage process. This gave the impression of a slightly slanted frame when positioned in the car, which was more obvious on certain designs than others. One common feature between all models was the pleat direction in the centre of the seats switching from vertical/front-to-back, as used on most of the earlier TR models, to a horizontal/side-to-side design. As per the TR5 TR250 seats, these pleats featured an embossed “diamond” pattern on all Vinyl (Ambla) versions of the seats covering all pleated areas. Any leather seats would have left the factory production line with plain non-embossed pleats.

Original materials

The TR6 models used Vinyl (Ambla) for its seat materials. Some cars would have left the factory with Leather seat covers; albeit these would have most likely only been supplied with Leather to the facings of the seat (the elements of the seat covers which touch your body as you sit in the seat), with Vinyl used to the seat backs and surrounds. This configuration is commonly referred to as “LeatherFaced” and should not be confused with Full Leather. Any seat piping/beading would have been made in self colour to match the main trim.

It is worth keeping in mind that for the TR6 models with chassis numbers starting with “CR” or “CF” (approx 1973 onward), Triumph updated some of their standard colour offerings for the Trim Panels and Seats to be supplied in an Ambla material with a heavy grain finish – commonly known as “Rough Grain” (RG) – with others referring to it as “Bubble Grain / 1290 Grain”. As a result of this change, barely any cars of this particular sub-era of production left with leather trimmings.

Seat hardware / fitment

As per the earlier TR4 – TR5/TR250 cars – the Seat Frame was mostly made from tubular steel, and consequently the associated metal seat clips were used for the fitment process. The Paddings mostly consisted of moulded dunlop foam, with diaphragms and webbings being used as resistant mechanisms. Note, as with the five different Seat Cover designs, there were also five different Seat Paddings used, none of which are interchangeable.

Rear Seats

The TR6 occasional Rear Seat remained largely unchanged from its TR5 TR250 predecessors; with vertical HF/RF embossed lines running from back to front and a self-coloured piped finish to the outer edge – the colour of the piping being the most significant difference from previous versions as it was made to match the main trim colour on all TR6 models. The Rear Seat was fitted on top of a plywood base, which was topped with a foam padding before the cover was trimmed over. A recess in the centre allowed for its positioning in the car over the Differential Hump. It was an optional extra for most cars, so whilst not commonly seen, it was present on enough cars to be worthy of a mention, and certainly adds a nice extra aesthetic touch to the rear of the car.

Carpets & Flooring

The Carpet Set for the TR6 was made to the same specification as the previous TR5 TR250. The Front Floor Footwell Carpets extended up into the Engine Firewall Section of the car, underneath the Dash. The Rear Floor Carpets followed the curvature of the tub around the Wheel Arch Wheels.  The Rear Shelf was a large one-piece setup which folded over the shelf and down onto the tub floor. There were cut-outs at the rear for the differential “diff” hump, and at the front for the Propshaft Tunnel. The Sills were carpeted, running from the A Posts to the B Posts along the base of the door opening step. The “A” Post Kick Panels in the footwell, positioned directly in front of the doors, were trimmed onto a millboard panel and affixed in the car. With the Gear Lever Stick being repositioned on the top of the H Frame Console Assembly, the carpet underneath this area allowed for the fitment of this floor-to-dash console framework. The Propshaft cover had a pre-sewn material Handbrake Gaitor Cover.

Original materials

Some TR6 models seem to have left with Wool carpets, before Triumph switched to a cut-pile Nylon synthetic material towards the end of the TR6 production era. The carpets were made in a colour to complement the main trim colour and featured a Vynide (Leathercloth) binding on the edges – and as with previous models, not all edges of every piece were bound. There was a rubber ribbed Heel Pad situated on the Driver’s side Front Floor Footwell carpet, as well as a small “D” shaped Heel Pad on the Driver’s side vertical A Post Bulkhead Panel, and a matching “D” Heel Pad on the Driver’s side section of the Gearbox Clutch Housing Carpet.

Short note on Underfelt

Carpet Kits were fitted on top of a layer of Underfelt, providing basic heat and sound insulation with an additional layer of comfort underfoot. Typically this was a natural jute felt of around 6mm to 8mm in thickness. Not all the carpet sections were fitted with corresponding felts underneath them.

Fixings

Four different types of Fixings were used to keep the carpets in place and all these fixings are still available today. 

Mounting Studs (A) are secured to the bodywork floor pans using Pop Rivets (B). Then the Pronged Rings (C) are pierced through the carpet pieces in various areas and secured using the corresponding chrome Carpet Clip (D) to the back of the carpet. This allows the Mounting Stud (A) and the Carpet Clip (D) to clip into one another thus securing the carpet parts in place. The positions of these fixings is a subject of much debate – although you should often be guided by the pilot holes found in the bodywork of the chassis itself. 

Boot / Trunk

For the TR6 models, the concept of the Boot Trunk Liner Board remained the same as the earlier TR4-TR250 models, but with the addition of casing boards for the Wheel Arch Fenders and Rear Valance areas – a subtle update implemented by Germany engineering company Karmann. As with all the earlier TR models, this panel set was supplied as standard in a black surface grain finish, imitating the look of leather. 

During the TR6 production run, a Luggage Mat was reintroduced for both the Carburettor and Petrol Injection TR6 models. Note that both the Panels and Mat did vary depending on if the car was a Carburettor “Carb” or Petrol Injection (“PI”) due to the position of the fuel pump.

Weather Equipment

Convertible Soft Top Hood

By the time Triumph had started the mass production of the TR6 cars in the very late 1960s, they had refined and updated the Convertible Soft Top Hood over a number of years, resulting in the TR5/TR250 design being subsequently widely considered as one of the most functional and well-designed Hoods of this era. Due to this impressive initial design, TR6 cars used the same template as the TR5/TR250 – with only one major change – and this was the inclusion of a zip-out central Window panel. Barring this Zip Window (and the addition of a reflective silver strip around the rear and outside edges of the Hood for the North American/US exports), every other element remained essentially the same as the TR5 TR250. The metal stick framework around the area above the top of the door glass, included metal “U” channels containing rubber seals and velcro. The rubber seals were used to direct the flow of running water, whilst the velcro attached to the associated velcro on the material Hood.  The front edge of the Hood remained an unsewn edge with excess material allowing it to be wrapped around the header rail, with the three-piece metal channel and rubber seal then being attached to the hood frame metalwork – with two levers/handles used for securing and releasing to and from the header rail. Again, the rear edge of the Hood featured some excess material on the underside which was wrapped around a metal assembly bar which was then bolted to the rear deck bodywork of the car – with plastic press studs used around the rear section for attaching the Hood Frame or Tonneau Cover. As with all of the previous designs from the TR4 onwards, the Soft Top Hood also included the 3 rear window set up – with the left and right quarter windows HF/RF welded into position – but the main centre window was sewn in with a zipper on all edges barring the rear edge, allowing it to be “opened” to allow air to flow into the cabin area. As with previous models, an additional left to right flap was sewn in the middle of the underside of the Soft Top with studs inserted, which was used to wrap around the horizontal Hood Frame rod above the Driver’s head, and secure in place.

The majority of Triumph TRs left the factory with PVC Hooding – this is effectively a pvc vinyl plastic material with a waterproof membrane, and featuring a grain in the surface of the material to imitate vinyl/leather. The actual material used was Everflex (known as “British Everflex”) – which was an ICI trade name for PVC Hooding (think “sticky tape” and “sellotape”!). Some special-order models may have left with Deluxe Mohair Canvas (also referred to, albeit not exactly the same as Stayfast/Twilfast etc – see Glossary for more details).  The clear plastic windows at the back were made in a Vybak plastic. The TR4 to TR6 Soft Tops all seem to have been available in either White, possibly Off-White, or Black Everflex from the factory production line. However, as mentioned previously, this is by no means set in stone – reports suggest that colours were also available for the Soft Top and Weather Equipment elements, and we know for a fact that “coloured” Hood Frame Covers were offered as standard as we have various original factory production line surplus stock that John Skinner purchased directly from Triumph in the 1970s.

Hood Frame “Envelope” Cover

Triumph was one of the first sports car manufacturers to commonly use the Hood Frame Cover on their cars as a stowage cover for the framework of the Convertible Top. Sometimes referred to as “Hoodstick Covers” or “Top Frame Covers” or “Boot Envelope Covers” – this is the pre-sewn material cover that is used to hide away and cover up the folded down metal framework of the Soft Top Hood. On the early TR models, the Convertible Hood Cover had to be removed from the frame prior to folding the frame away behind the seats and covering over using this Hood Frame Cover, or the briefly used Hood Frame 3pc folding Squab Unit of the TR4s.

For the TR4A models, the traditional Hood Frame Cover was reinstated, but with revisions to make it larger with the capability to accommodate the bulkier Hood and Hood Frame (as these now worked as one complete unit). Two horizontal rows of piping were featured, in a similar look and finish to the Seats and other interior trim panels. Small tabs were sewn to the underside of the front edges for fixings to attach to the Rear Bulkhead and B Post areas respectively. This design was maintained for all the TR4A, TR5 and TR250 models – with only changes to the fixings used to attach it to the bodywork being updated. They all used the “hood” press studs; with the TR4A versions supplied in silver, whereas the TR5/250 were originally in black (plastic). For the TR6s, there were a few minor updates – largely related to the B Post Pillar areas.

It should be worth noting that the TR6 cars actually had three different varieties of shape when discussing these Hood Frame Covers. The most commonly seen version is the Soft Top ONLY version. Triumph also supplied a Hard Top ONLY version. Whereas most cars, if fitted with a Hard Top would not include anything related to the Soft Top, Triumph – in their wisdom – still included the Hood Stick Framework used for the Soft Top and simply covered this over at the back of the car with the material Hood Frame Cover. To make allowances for the actual Hard Top Framework, the Hood Frame material cover was not as deep as the commonly seen Soft Top variety. The final version of the Hood Frame Cover originally offered by Triumph was the extremely rarely seen Hard Top+Soft Top version – this incorporated both elements of the above designs, but used a row of stud fixings to fasten together the two elements of the different covers, thus making it interchangeable between a fully opening Soft Top Convertible or the Hard Top version with the Soft Top Framework stowed away.

Hood Frame Covers would have been made from PVC Hooding, and the colour would have always matched the colour of the Convertible Soft Top Hood and Tonneau covers when leaving the original factory production line. Piping was self-coloured to match the main colour of the cover. Some special-order models may have left with Deluxe Mohair Canvas.

It is worth noting that the Hood Frame Cover is only ever on show alongside the interior trim (and not any other Weather Equipment) and has no requirement to be waterproof. As a result, a popular option is to deviate from originality and have the Hood Frame Cover made from Vinyl / Leather to match the interior trim.

Tonneau Cover

The overall concept of the Tonneau Cover remained unchanged from the TR4 through to the TR6 – the only major visual difference from the TR4-TR250 design to the TR6 design, was the inclusion of pre-sewn pockets for the cars that featured Headrests on the Seats.

As with the earlier cars, there was a pocket located on the Driver’s side to allow the steering wheel to be covered when the cover is fully in use and a slightly off-centre zipper offering a larger opening on the Driver’s side for when using the cover half-open. A tab was sewn to the underside of the Tonneau Cover for securing to the fixing located on the inside edge of the passenger side seat base framework. The fixings used to attach the Tonneau Cover to the bodywork were kept consistent with the previous TR5/TR250, using black (plastic) “hood” press studs.

The majority of Triumph TR6 Tonneau Covers left the factory made from a PVC Hooding – this is effectively a pvc vinyl plastic material with a waterproof membrane, and featuring a grain in the surface of the material to imitate vinyl/leather. The actual material used was Everflex (known as “British Everflex”) – which was an ICI trade name for PVC Hooding (think “sticky tape” and “sellotape”!). Some special-order models may have left with Deluxe Mohair Canvas. The TR4 to TR6 Tonneau Covers all seem to have been available in either White, possibly Off-White, or Black Everflex from the factory production line.

Headlining

With the introduction of the TR6, various changes were implemented by German engineering firm Karmann including elements of the bodywork and interior trim such as the hardtop section – which was still an optional extra from the factory. Very much carrying on from where the earlier TR Surrey Top had left off, this hardtop now included the Rear Screen and B Post Windows as part of the main section supplied as one piece, which was detachable from the car for storage. This update effectively meant that when in use, the car was a fixed-head two-seater sports car, or when removed it was a fully convertible open-two seater (with no in-between option available for the TR6).

Although not as widely seen as the earlier TR4-TR250 “Surrey Top” styling, the TR6 hardtop is still something that you see from time to time. For the first fifty thousand or so cars, the inside lining of this hardtop roof assembly was upholstered in a Black PVC material (with some speculation over a few cars leaving with White PVC). In 1970, and onwards from this year, the majority of the hardtops would have left with a Beige PVC material. (It should be noted that “beige” is a very ambiguous reference, with the reality being that this colour was much more of a “dirty” off-white material, based on the original samples and examples that we have access to). Differing from the earlier cars, this hardtop headlining included the materials for the Rear Quarter Windows already sewn and attached to the main roof lining section. In addition to this, a matching material was used to re-trim the cover panels for the rear shelf at the base of the hardtop windows – as well as the B Post Quarter Light Upright Supports. Following a very similar concept to the earlier Surrey Top cars, the main headliner section featured sewn scrim loops on the reverse of the headliner to allow the rails/rods to be inserted during the fitment process.

Glossary of Materials

Armacord – a coloured grained PVC material with a natural jute felt backing and ribbed surface finish. Very similar to Hardura in quality but the ribbed effect was a finish used specifically to Austin Healey models across a combination of Rear Floor, Boot Trunk and Rear Deck areas depending on the model specification. Also seen on Jaguar C Type Gearbox Tunnels.

Beading – see ‘Piping.’

Binding / Edging – a strip of Leathercloth that is fed through a binding machine and secured around the edge of a carpet. Generally only applied to edges of carpets that are exposed when fitted. Leathercloth is a sturdy yet nimble material that gives a neat and durable edge to carpets, enabling them to lay flat when fitted. (Please note, Vinyl binding – although available in a wider colour choice – is thicker than Leathercloth which results in a bulky appearance. It can also catch and snag easily, and wrinkles around corners when sewing. For these reasons, we never use Vinyl to bind our carpet edges at John Skinners).

Carpet: Karvel – Karvel carpet is a utilitarian floor covering with a tough ribbed surface structure and a woven hessian backing. Seen most commonly throughout Austin Healey and MGA interiors.

Carpet: Nylon – Nylon carpet is a man-made material constructed from polypropylene fibres glued to a flexible rubber backing. Ideal for budget restorations, or for areas of the car that are rarely on show e.g. Boot / Trunk areas. Avoid this choice for the main cockpit cabins if possible – Wool is always preferable and far superior.

Carpet: Wool – Wool carpet is spun from wool yarn and glued to a flexible rubber backing. The wool fibres provide a thick, springy and dense pile that doesn’t spread when fitted over bodywork curvature. Luxurious to the touch. Something about superior in quality, finish/touch etc etc – this should be the choice for most restorations  

Carpet: Wilton Wool – used for immensely luxurious, spacious and often chauffeur-driven saloon cars e.g. Rolls Royce and Bentley. Very densely packed, fluffy pile – akin to living room carpets. Not suitable for sports cars where its quality and feel looks out of place.

Carpet: Loop Pile – a carpet where fibres are ‘looped’ and left uncut to create a flat and durable carpet surface. Most commonly used on Triumph TR4s. Please note that Loop Pile carpet is not supplied by John Skinners.

Edging – see ‘Binding.’

Fibreboard – see ‘Millboard.’

Furflex (Tac-On & Snap-On) – with a similar velvet-like touch to Moquette, Furflex is the name given to a very short pile, high quality wool mix material wrapped around a rubber tube with a flanged edge. Used most commonly for trimming around door edges for the purposes of a draught excluder.

Hardboard – a versatile wood based material with one side having a very smooth finish and the other a heavily grained finish. It was used very extensively for Trim Panels and gradually replaced Millboard. ‘Motor Grade’ Hardboard is around 2.5mm thick – thinner than the more readily available 3.00mm – that 0.5mm makes all the difference – which allows for doors to close fully against draught excluders and be fitted to the bodywork of the car with the use of Trim Clips which are designed specifically for use with the original 2.5mm thick board.

Hardura – a coloured grained PVC material with a natural jute felt backing. Most commonly used to trim Boot Trunk areas – particularly across the Jaguar range – and was also used for flooring and other interior parts.

Headlining: Union Cloth – a woven material made from wool/other fibre mix (around 80% wool content, 20% cotton). Ideal for lining the interior roof of the car – most commonly Jaguar XK and MK2 (Saloon) models. Available in 2 colours; beige and grey to complement all interior colours. 200cm wide.

Headlining: “West of England” Wool Cloth – a woven material made from 100% wool fibres ideal for lining the interior roof of the car – most commonly Jaguar Saloon, Sedan and XK-E models. Available in 3 colours; beige, green and grey to complement all interior colours. If trimming a roof from its bare bodywork, opt for pre-bonded foam backed wool cloth to avoid having to twice glue and trim the headlining area; first to apply a foam base, then to glue and trim the headlining onto the foam. 150cm wide.

Hidem – made from Leathercloth or Hooding, Hidem is a type of banding – around 16mm wide – with a central seam running through it that can be used to hide unsightly tacks and staples across trimming work. Seen, for example, around the base of the backrest on Austin Healey BN1-BN4 Front Seats; and commonly seen on the header rails of soft top convertible Hoods.

Hooding: Deluxe Mohair Canvas – a woven twill waterproof canvas material with a dense rubber membrane encased between its twill surface and a textured dobby backing. A premium material seen most commonly on Soft Top Convertible Hoods for the Jaguar XK and some E-Type models. With minimal shrinkage qualities, Deluxe Mohair Canvas is exceptionally durable. Can also be referred to / known as – DMC, Canvas, Haartz®, Sonnenland®,, German Canvas or Dobby Cloth. 

DMC is the superior canvas hooding product; more so than the commonly seen SMC (Standard Mohair Canvas) products on the market, which can also be referred to / known as – Stayfast®, Twillfast®.

Hooding: PVC – a waterproof plastic coated material with a knitted cotton backing. Heavily grained surface finish. ‘Everflex’ is the ICI trade name for PVC hooding. Can also be referred to as – British Everflex, Vinyl Hooding or Crush Grain Vinyl.

Leather – a natural product derived from animal skins with marks, blemishes and scratches an inherent part of the materials’ surface and character. Modern day processes – such as mechanical graining and dyeing techniques – help hide imperfections to maximise use of the hide, reduce production waste and make leather products accessible to the wider market. Whilst Vaumol™ natural grain leather would have been original for these cars, our Grained, Smooth and Antiqued Leathers offer a more than suitable alternative in keeping with originality – you can read more about these here.

Leathercloth / Vynide – both names refer to the same material; a coloured and lightly grained PVC material with a thin woven cotton backing and no stretch. Leathercloth / Vynide replaced Rexine in the marketplace. ‘Vynide’ was the ICI trade name for this material. Used for Trim Panels, Piping & Binding. The choice for restorers looking to return their interior to truly original specification. Available in a select range of colours.

Millboard – a flexible and tough cardboard like material with a grained finish to its surface. Used for Trim Panels & Boot Trunk Areas. Can be creased to allow for bending around bodywork fixtures such as Petrol Filler Pipes. Can also be referred to as ‘Fibreboard.’

Moquette – a short pile, high quality wool mix material with a velvet-like touch. Used for various trim items across the Jaguar range such as Seat Backs, Wheel Arch Covers and Trim Panels. Available in a variety of colours.

Piping – a flexible core encased in either Leathercloth or Vinyl and finished with a flanged edge. Sewn around seat edges and pleated panels, and either sewn or stapled to some interior panels such as Wheel Arch Covers or Door Panels. (Please note, although Vinyl piping available in a wider colour choice than its Leathercloth counterpart, it is thicker than Leathercloth which results in a bulkier appearance. It can also catch and snag easily, and wrinkles around corners when sewing. We would always recommend to use Leathercloth piping where possible, unless you feel particularly limited by colour choice within the Leathercloth range).

Piping: Chrome (as seen on Austin Healey BJ8 Front & Rear Seats) – a silver and black twisted yarn core encased in bendy plastic with a flanged edge to create a ‘chrome’ / metallic effect piping. Original for Austin Healey BJ8 Vinyl Front & Rear Seats. Often referred to incorrectly as ‘gold’ piping (the result of the original chrome piping yellowing through age and sunlight exposure).

Piping: Plastic (as seen on Triumph TR4-TR6 Panels & Seats) – a 3mm moulded plastic piping only available in Black or White. Originally used for Triumph TR4-TR6 Interior Panels & Seat Kits. No longer used by John Skinner for Seat Kits as it does not provide the flexibility required for good seat structure. John Skinner would only use this plastic piping on trimmed panels if customers are not ordering seats to match. Where customers are ordering both Interior Panels & a Seat Kit, Leathercloth piping is used in place of the original plastic piping.

Rexine – a coloured and lightly grained plastic material with a thin woven cotton backing and no stretch. Rexine was an early type of Leathercloth, but thinner and of a similar quality to book-binding material. Used across Trim Panels, Piping & Binding. It is no longer available on the market and was gradually superseded by Leathercloth / Vynide.

Underfelt – a natural material made from compressed jute felt fibres to offer heat and sound resistance properties. Anti-scuff finish to face. Flexible, durable and essential for flooring restorations to ensure carpet kits fit correctly. Place directly onto the bodywork floor of the car prior to fitting carpets on top. Can be used in conjunction with modern-day heat and soundproofing materials such as Dynamat®.

Vaumol™ – a leather finishing process developed in-house by Connolly Leather to celebrate the natural and individual characteristics, patina and aroma of each hide. The leather is vegetable tanned and surfaced dyed and left with its natural grain to the surface which is enhanced through the Vaumol™ finish. ‘Luxan’ hides are further enhanced with a secondary colour application. 

Vinyl / Ambla – both names refer to the same material; a coloured grained PVC with a thick knitted cotton backing allowing for good stretch qualities. Its knitted backing makes it thicker than Leathercloth / Vynide. ‘Ambla’ was the ICI trade name for this material. It was introduced to the market in the early 1960’s and was used widely across Trim Panels & Seats from this period onwards, quickly replacing its Leathercloth alternative. Favoured by today’s restorers due to its more flexible nature and wider colour range availability, it is quite common to see Vinyl used as a substitute for Leathercloth.

(Note that for carpet edging and seat piping, we would always recommend using Leathercloth. It is thinner than Vinyl, making it more suitable for sewing round corners and curves without wrinkling or adding bulk).