LeBarron Bonney

Big Shark said:
Here are some pics of my door panels. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfAEVrox93rLBwiX8
zfAEVrox93rLBwiX8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfAEVrox93rLBwiX8
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I've removed some old original panels and frankly I've never seen panel clips like the ones in your original panel. Not saying that they are not original, I've just never seen them. It's possible there were some running changes done by Ford early in the production year and the patterns used by LB could have come from the later type panel?
 
As Tom said, those are most unusual clips on your original panel and unlike any I've seen on other original Ford door trim panels. But what matters are the clips on your replacement panel and where they are located relative to the holes in the doors.

While you did not mention how far off the clip holes in the trim panel are from where they should be to fit your door inner panel, I would not drill holes in the inner panels to achieve alignment. Rather I would peel off the upholstery material from the cardboard foundation panel and punch in the holes for the new clips where you want them. Reattach the upholstery material with contact cement (applied sparingly in accordance with the instructions on the container) and you're good to go. Been there, done that.
 
I think LB has a big computer aided cutter table that produces the door panel boards. If the program is off or there are differences between body manufacturers then the clip hole alignment may be off. David has the best solution to that problem but it's not really one a product consumer wants to experience. The resto demons strike again.
 
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richard crow said:
you guys are rating l.b from past history i lot of water has gone under the bridge since than
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I am rating LB from VERY current dealings with them. I've been pleased in their service as well as their product.
And for the record, I would never accept anything that was not correct and of top quality.
While I have no doubt others have had some issues as of late, I can speak only of my experiences - all good.
This latest project, a '38 Buick coupe is the sixteenth "kit" I've purchased from them.

I had inspected Cartouche's offerings just last year as like you say, they are much more reasonable on many items. I found the materials to be of very poor quality in comparison to LB and at least for what I was looking at, just plain incorrect.
 
While my experience with them does span a far amount of history (50+ years as a customer), like Mike I am speaking of my most recent experience which is within the last four months.
 
I know Lee used to go across the pond to the factorys that he bought his materials from to be sure they were what he wanted quality wise! kx
 
About 18 months ago, maybe a little more, I ordered a complete upholstery kit and soft top for my 34 Cabriolet. As I live in New Zealand the shipment was first sent to LA where it was consolidated and then on-shipped to NZ by sea. So months later it turns up in NZ, but LESS the all important top hood! Of course, by then the returns/complaints period had elapsed and they were not obligated to do anything about it. And they didn't do anything about it! And I'm still without it. A very disappointing result from a company that once had a top reputation.
 
heres what i did i ordered a sample kit from lb for my 40 ford i than ordered a kit from cartouch when the samples arived i asked several people if they could tell the difference they could not do you think lb makes there own materal or do they buy it from venders lets do a servay whitch is better
 
You're kidding, right? No seller of upholstery kits makes their own fabrics. Textile weaving is an entirely different industry requiring lots of capital as production looms aren't inexpensive. Cartouche and LeBaron Bonney could be buying fabrics from the same textile manufacturer, but it seems that they are not or at least not the same grade of material which would go a long way to explain the difference in the prices of their kits.


JR48,


Did you order and pay for the top boot (hood) separately? It was always a separate item and not included in their top kits. If you did not do so, you have no grounds to complain.
 
I don't know of anyone active in the trim industry in the USA that has there own weaving loom machines to make fabric cloth. Companies like Textron and Berkshire Hathaway got out of the business many years ago. Most of that stuff is overseas now but there may be some small companies in the US that still do specialized weaving for a price.
 
Usually the holes on door panels don’t line up. The clips are off set. Check your clips, as they have a play of about 1/4 inch. Good luck.
 
Wow, a legend out of business. I used them many times, factually Cartouche or whatever it is, was not even close. Admittingly, over the years LB was declining in quality and service. My thoughts are, did they go under because of declining business practices and willingness to adapt, or declining need? I understand all of us here on this site need them, but outside of that, how many customers are really out there for them? Many have touched on it, that Millennials have no interest or clue about old cars, and it is absolutely true. Without a regeneration of clients, I can see how this happened.

I will totally miss them. Now we have to rely on our local guys, or research, and each other to get our interiors right, and I know most of us really care about what it will look like. It matters to us. I hope someone secures the patterns.
 
This news is truly a blow to our hobby. I had called them this past Monday to order a top and side curtains for my 36 Roadster but did not get a reply to my message. I lucked out on not getting caught up in them going out of business.

Anyone have any suggestions on where to get a quality top and side curtains? I looked at Cartouche but they don’t even offer the right color fabric that Lebaron Bonney had.


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