The International Cessna^® 170 Association

The trim code on the plane I'm buying is 6-AD-3-GH

From what I have read, the 6 tells me it's a 1956 model. The AD tells me it was Parchment White and Cardinal Red. The 3 tells me the interior was Red and Ivory. The GH tells me the interior was Black Gloss and Parchment White. Correct so far?

Believe it or not, this plane has it's ORIGINAL INTERIOR. Other than some fraying on the pilots and co-pilots seat bottom and back, and a few holes where some of the seat back is poking through it is in very good condition. Problem is, it has faded to more of a Burnt Orange than Cardinal Red. Does anyone know where the original type material can be bought? I'd like to re-do the seat, but hate parting with an all original interior. All I've had experience with in the past is Airtex. Good quality product, but I wonder what effect it will have on the value of a plane with it's original interior 90% intact

You might try checking with places that reupholster antique cars. I had the front seats redone on my 170A, and the guy found the fabric was the same as 1950 Chevrolet. He got reproduction wool fabric and I bought 1/4 a skin of matching leather. You can't tell the new work from the old!

Yep, that's good advice, Bruce. You'd be surprised how many classic airplanes were originally upholstered in automotive fabrics. Especially non-synthetics such as wool, cotton, leather, etc. The yellow pages may refer you to fabric wharehouses who still stock NOS fabrics. I once tried to repair a ca-1975 King Air 90 seat with original fabric (to avoid having to do the entire airplane) and the aircraft interior shop took me to a local
Dallas wharehouse who had exactly the same fabric, shade, color, and weave. It was from a 1968 Cadillac (and was original Beechcraft interior.) They had dozens of bolts of that fabric on-hand cheap.

Same concept applies to those assist handles you grab to climb into the plane. I had mine done through an auto upholsterer after I found out that the exact same handles were used on 1930's/40's cars.

Thanks for the idea. We've got a local guy who does upholstry lot for several in the antique auto club. I'll have him take a look at the fabric and see if he can find a match.

Does anybody have a source for the assist handles? The cast metal ends have a habit of breaking. Maybe old auto restoration suppliers???

Try these guys.

http://www.lebaronbonney.com

They make assist straps and also recover/rebuild them. Depending on the style of strap, they may or may not have all the parts. For some, they require that you send them the parts for rebuild, for others they have all the parts. Since I had all the parts, I just used them for a recover.

Don't know if it'll help or not, but it can't hurt to look.