General technical - 12/70 modern fabric Materials

I am slowly replacing rotten ash woodwork in my 12/70 saloon. DRW167. The metal body has been removed (after drilling out every rusty screw & nail head !)                                                                                         Material was used extensively between the wood and the metal work and even between some wood sections, (to reduce squeaks?). Two types of material seem to have been used a tape and a softer fabric. Any experience & advice from members on sources of replacement material / material alternatives which they have used would be greatly appreciated. I have some samples of various materials from Woolies, but they are not quite close enough. Does it matter ? Is silicon sealant an alternative ? Posted by valman 13/06/2012 09:36:40

Valman,  Use silicone cautiously. Its chemical composition before curing may be detrimental. Try humble leather. A local upholsterer may have cheap offcuts. Leather has good scuff resistance and is very long wearing. It should not be too thick. I hope this helps. Posted by RichardWallach 14/06/2012 06:13:24

While leather strips are useful for making up a gap and has good scuff resistance, it is inclined to retain moisture; not wanted inside car bodies and it would shrink after drying. Coachbuilders use a fairly hard linen tape - I think its readily available - otherwise tear up some bedsheets - (I'm sure the missus will be delighted!).  The purpose of the tape is to 'seal' the timber from the steel at contact points to reduce the transfer of moisture from the timber to the steel and thus setting up corrosion from behind. Posted by Nickalvis 28/06/2012 18:00:33

Many thanks Richard and Nick. Old linen sheets >> decorating covers. My wife need never know. I am also checking out calicot which is cheap at £3 / m2 from an upholsterer and has a similar weave to the fabric from the 12/70, not quite as fluffy, but strong.  A reply (from a boat builder) on the practical classics website also suggested the material might act as a caulking. Certainly around the rear of the car the wood joints were not all "perfect" and the material has been used to fill, albeit small 1-3mm gaps- which is definitely as good as I can manage, splicing in pieces by use of hand tools.  I assume the material must have been impregnated with a wax or some sort to make it waterproof so as to achieve the barrier required between steel and wood. Fascinating detail. Michael Valman Posted by valman 29/06/2012 17:28:39