I have an RN in neeed of tlc and have just started to think about the interior trim and upholstery.
I am not too worried about authenticity but if I have to renew anything then I would prefer to get it right, the problem being, 'what is right'.
The car is pale yellow and black whilst the interior is a couple of shades of dark red.
I have been told that the interior is mostly genuine but I do not believe that it it is original to this car.
The souce book states that the seating and trim should match the main body colour.
Now, I have some leather from 2 & 3 seater sofas, in a cream colour which I think would go with the pale yellow body colour and in pieces large enough for the front seat squabs. The pieces for the rear seat squab would need joins.
(Almost)any suggestions, hints and tips would be welcome.
I'll be looking at cars on show at Wollaton next Sunday but it's not easy to know what is right and what has been changed over the years.

Location: Near M1 Motorway, Jtn 28

Cream interior doesn't sound right to me. I would have expected a mid-tan colour to go with a light cream exterior; I'm usually wrong.

Rns have two patterns of upholstery that I have seen . Mine was made in Dec 31 and is generally original, and I will be at Wollaton if you like a look . Its navy upholstery and non original grey and black paintwork.

Location: doncaster

2 views of my RN interior,It is a de luxe.Seat backs, rear side panels and door surrounds in Rexine.

My car is RN1971 and has the curved door pockets. All the rear side and the door panels are leather,also the seat backs. I'm not sure about the upholstery over the rear wheel arches as I removed this in the 60's and must have thrown it away although I kept all the rest of the upholstery for patterns.It was too far gone to re-use any of the original. It was navy blue, as the car was originally below the waistline.( But the bonnet top would have been blue originally.) It's now reupholstered in navy blue Connolly leather. Also the finger plate on the door panels is scumbled (grained). The finger plate is the steel bit with the chrome pull handle. Dave Martin who used to look after the RN register somewhere wrote an article on the various features of the RN which gave the correct base colour and top coat for this scumbling.
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

Many thanks for your answers and pictures. If you see someone taking an unhealthy interest in RNs at Wollaton it'll very likely be me.
Mine is numbered RN 493 and also has the curved door pockets but no scrumbling though I seem to remember seeing some instructions on how to do it.
The sunroof has been filled in but I hope to rectify that one winter using the Phil Baildon drawings in the Souce Book.

Location: Near M1 Motorway, Jtn 28

Hi AiS

Great to see a car in that functioning well used state. When Sevens were last in reasonably common use here, the late 50s, the better ones were like that; many had by then acquired ply door panels, crudely covered seats etc. Car even retains the rubber mats.

The RN rear seat appears more in keeping with an economy car than the somewhat sumptuous ultra deep fully pleated arrangement of the RP.

I notice a small bolt type door lock seems to be fitted. I do not know if this original but on my car a hole is simply drilled in the channel just behind the sliding door catch. A nail or somesuch inserted acts as lock.

How were RN/RP passenger doors locked originally?

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland

I think the RN was the last model without door locks.

I didn't think the RP had locks, either..

Location: Cambridge

I must admit that I have strayed away from originality with regards to door locks. The door handles that were fitted when I acquired the car were in a bit of a state and so I fitted a pair of reproduction ones with locks with identical keys.
I have included 2 pictures of my rear seat squab, one I have labeled 'closed' and this shows the seat as it would normally be in the car. The other one shows it opened up and, in the car, the squab rests against the backs of the front seats and may serve to prevent objects from sliding forwards.
Whoever carried out the restoration work appears to have taken great care to keep as much original material as possible.

Location: Near M1 Motorway, Jtn 28