Anyone have experience of what is the best wadding to use under the leathercloth on a fabric body? There are no open frame areas on the body, that is the fabric is stretched over either plywood or aluminium. I have three samples from Woolies. 1 is thin cotton wadding. 2 is 3/16" plastic foam and 3 is 1/8" total thickness plastic foam sandwiched between two pieces of stockinette type material.
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

I would use something like a 2oz dacron/polyester wadding.

Peter

Having seen the job Peter has made of the fabric covering on his Cup this last weekend Dave, I'd follow his advice. It's the same wadding that I used on my fabric covered Special in the early 1990's and at that time was recommended to me by Jonathan Cooper.

Steve

Location: North Yorkshire

I followed Sue Perkins advice and used a old army blanket on my Rosengart it makes a good job with no lines particularly on tghe subframe you describe.

Location: Oakley hants

Thanks for the advice everyone. Still deciding which way to go.
Cheers,
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

Having seen a number of restored cars that, in my opinion, looked a little like a whoopee cushion, the thinner the better for the under layer would be my suggestion..

Location: Cambridge

Water tends to run through dacron/polyester fibre and it doesn't decay in UV or with age like foam.

Simon

Location: On a hill in Wiltshire

A quick follow up. I've spoken to my pal who fabric covered an M Type MG for me a couple of years back. He's done 20(?) fabric bodied cars over the years. He always uses 'Sheet wadding' from Woolies. Apparently it's about 1/4" in thickness but compresses to almost nothing when the job is done. I was *very* happy with the M Type when he had finished..

hth...

Edit: Here it is..

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/p-1548-wadding.aspx

Location: Cambridge

Thank you Hugh, I have decided to go down the wadding route from Woolies as you suggest.
Cheers,
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

I agree with Hugh Barnes. Foam will almost certainly give that "puffed-up" look. I have covered a few fabric bodies and always used the cotton wadding. The covering job is best done on a warm, sunny day, when the fabric will be more flexible. A hint from experience - make sure there are no projecting nail heads. The wadding may hide them at first but they will appear again when everything settles down.