S1 Interior Restoration

[Hegg]

Hello everyone!

I'm starting to think about how to restore the original interior of my S1. It's in relatively good condition currently, with the exception that the fabric is severely sun-faded.

Is original-style fabric available from somewhere? Is dying the green fabric a good solution? Is it best to take all the fabric out and have everything reupholstered with new materials?

Thanks in advance!

[Guest teigan]

you may as well rip it out and start over. in time the fabric will come unglued anyway, and some parts will turn to dust between your fingers.

[Loose Cannon]

Ditto, trash it and start again. New materials will have greater wear resistance and longevity. The green S1 interiors I saw had red stitching too, which would be lost with re-dying. I have seen swathes of S1 cloth treasured and presented as hallowed objects, but after 30 years you wouldn't use them for dog's bedding.

I think Gordon Masson who has the first S1 is/was doing his interior. I read somewhere someone having the tartan remade, though I don't know if that was Gordon or not.

Ken Baird has also made extensive use of alcantara in his restored S1 which looks nice and wears well. Not sure where he got his tartan from, but as both he and Gordon are from Scotland they may have a few contacts

[Hegg]

Thanks for the updates! I was worried about covering up my red stitching as well.

How can I contact Gordon Masson or Ken Baird? Are they forum members?

[scott]

The best chap to do this is Nick Fulcher. He went out to Turin with Winterbottom & Chapman, met Giugiaro and discussed interior.

The original show car - first Ital Design study ( 1971 ) was shown at Turin 1972, & was shown to Chapman in March 71. The Tartan theme was evident even then, long before the Bay City Rollers.

The base Esprit of 1976 came with Green Cloth and Tartan "washable fabric giving maximum comfort , warmth in winter and coolness in Summer." Later I believe leather was a cost option, and this came with at the same time as the repositioned ashtrays,ans featured marcasite on doors, boomerang, dashtop ( only to top of runway ) console centers and sides.

I think there was also a 'moquette' type finsh for door infills and complete seats for the S1, again with marcasite.

No Tartan should ever be finished with Marcasite - was never done. Green Cloth.

Nick still has materials, Red stitch thread from Ireland, Tartan and Green. Also Orange carpets.

Tartan in my car is perfect - Green cloth faded at the top of dash / doors. and seats - completely different to the deep Green on the headlining! But I was quoted

[Loose Cannon]

Have a look at the owners section of LEW for more pics of these S1s Hegg, also their contact emails. They are both dead keen to talk Esprits even though Ken is a seriously busy chap. I once emailed him (its an office address) just as I was going to bed at midnight and he replied straight away (He used to own my GT3 by the way).

[diasafe]

friend of mine had his s3 done by lotus few months ago in black leather

[catty s2]

friend of mine had his s3 done by lotus few months ago in black leather