You may have heard the name, but you’ve definitely seen the work. We interview Jay Teske of Pirate Upholstery for the third installment in our “10 Questions” series – where we pose 10 questions to a master, innovator or business leader in the field of auto upholstery who we believe our community of auto trimmers can learn from or be inspired by.
Check out the convertible top on the all-new 2012 Fiat 500c. A cross between a traditional ragtop and a sunroof, it features an accordion-style folding cloth top with a glass window – but retains its pillars, doorframes and even parts of the roof.
Designed to resemble ripples in a pond, the Nissan Cube’s “water drop” headliner goes down as the coolest headliner I’ve ever seen. While the rippled effect goes against my natural trimmer instincts for a wrinkle-free finish, I just can’t get over how unique it looks.
My only complaint is the Cube’s boring dome light. As the center of attention, you’d think they would have designed a more modern-looking courtesy light.
We received such an enthusiastic response to “Top 10 Wacky Car Interiors“ that we decided to put together a sequel.
Remember – we didn’t do the following work ourselves, but found the pictures online. If you’ve worked on a similar project and want to feature it on The Hog Ring, feel free to email us pictures. If you’d prefer we not publish your shop’s name, we completely understand…
Check out The Hog Ring in Hotrod & Restoration Magazine‘s e-newsletter and website – where an article of ours will be featured at the end of each month.
This month’s article is the THR classic “10 Tips to Organize Your Own Car Show“. Hosting your own car show is an excellent way to tap into your local auto enthusiast community and drum up business for your auto upholstery shop. Let us show you how!
FYI: Coast to Coast Leather has mailed out samples of its latest materials, including automotive/marine leathers and vinyls. Most notably, the package features the long-awaited 2009-2010 foreign and domestic OEM leather sample card.
Anyone who thinks that auto upholstery is a dying trade needs to check out Edge Automotive Interiors and meet the 26-year-old trimmer behind it, Stephen Palmer.
He’s only been in the trade four four years, but his work is that of a seasoned pro. With expert craftsmanship, cutting-edge designs and an impeccable attention to detail, Stephen is quickly making a name for himself in the UK, where he’s based, and the auto upholstery community at large.
Are you an out-of-work auto trimmer? Fear not. We’ve scoured the internet for the latest employment opportunities in the field of auto upholstery and posted them on our jobs page. Best of all, we’ll continue to do so – so check back often!
The Hog Ring is saddened by the passing of Nat Danas – a pioneer, leader and role model to many in the auto trim industry. Founder of the National Association of Auto Trim Shops and Auto Trim and Restyling News, Danas dedicated his life to building a strong and connected community of auto trimmers. His accomplishments and contributions to our industry are far too many to list and have reached far too many to count. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. May he rest in peace.
For a moving industry salute to the life and times of Nat Danas, see Hotrod & Restoration Magazine.
At the WardsAuto Interiors Conference held last weekend, industry leaders hinted that automakers may soon forgo dome lights in favor of multiple LED lamps – a possible precursor to LED-laden headliner boards like that found in the Rolls Royce Phantom.
