[Healeys] Original leather interior, what was leather, what was vinyl

[Earl Kagna]

Gentlemen:

I recall many years ago seeing a BJ8 with the factory leather seat option. 
I seem to remember the seat 'flutes' being much wider than the normal ambla 
trimmed Bj8's - this was done on the rear seat pan inserts, as well as the 
front facing part of the seat back.  Can anyone comment on what the very few 
factory leather equipped BJ8's looked like?

Another point - something that I recently learned:  the leather equipped 
BJ8's had plain vinyl on the rear quarters, rather than the square patterned 
material on the rear portion, which I assume was that way to match the 
smaller square pattern on the seat inserts / seat back on the ambla trimmed 
cars.  The gent that trimmed my recently restored BJ8 - in leather (using 
the narrow 'normal' inserts), used plain vinyl on the quarters.  He is a UK 
trained trimmer, and is certain that it was more correct without the pattern 
on the quarters.

Again, can anyone comment?


Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

-----Original Message----- 
From: Peter Svilans
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 11:09 AM
To: jjsandsms at cs.com
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: [Healeys] Original leather interior, what was leather,what was 
vinyl

Hello jjs

The optional leather interior was very rarely seen over here in North
America on export cars, mostly on home market cars.  Many cars are being
done in leather nowdays because it was "optional" in the printed literature,
but historically it wasn't like that.  The ICI "Ambla" vinyl was actually a
very good quality expanded vinyl which has stood up better than the leather
has many years on.

The following are listed as Optional Extras in the BJ8 Parts List:

- Seat assembly - AHB6575- in red, blue, black or grey (Pale. Actually more
of a parchment colour).  As mentioned, seat faces only, vinyl backs,
matching colour piping, not chrome silver.

- Armrest - AHB 6909- same colours and piping as above

- Rear seat pan - AHB 6200- same colours and piping as above

-Rear seat squab - AHB 6799- same colours and piping as above.  Not square
pattern like the stock vinyl, but vertical pleats to match pleats on seats
and pans.

The rest of the interior was vinyl as per stock.

Tops and tonneaus were in Everflex, a British made special weatherproof  PVC
hooding material in a shallow leather-type grain and a grey cloth backing.
The top bows were painted a matching grey to blend in.  Wood millwork on the
bows was trimmed in a thin pale cream leathercloth  (non-stretch vinyl).

Best regards
Peter