The 1970s were an awkward time for America—in fashion, in hair styles, and yes, even in car interiors. We take a quick look back at the grand velour era of the Motor City.
Like many trends in the Detroit car biz, the velour interior craze didn’t simply fall out of the sky. It was driven by the times and technology. As materials and manufacturing processes advanced, by the early ’70s the textile industry had developed durable, low-cost polyesters with a plush, velvet-like look and feel. And now, suddenly, velours were everywhere: in men’s and women’s fashion (remember men’s suits in velour?), home furnishings from drapes to sofas, and yes, even automobile interiors.
Velours were used in every imaginable color by the Motor City’s interior designers, and in a variety of patterns, including the familiar crushed look on this 1974 Lincoln Continental, above. Red seemed to be the most popular color of the velour age, generating the inevitable comparison to a musical-instrument case—as in the 1974 Ford Thunderbird in the lead photo.
In the 1970s, the maximum-luxury look often included puffy pillow-top cushions with deep, soft button tufting, for example on this 1974 Chrysler Imperial sedan in gold velour, above. This was the standard upholstery for Imperial that year, with a leather-vinyl combination available at extra cost. Detroit had arrived at the grand boudoir look, or maybe your grandma’s sitting room.
As the velour era crested, the rococo theme in cockpit design eventually gave way to more conservative and restrained approaches, like the 1979 Dodge St. Regis shown below. (The short-lived R-body St. Regis was produced for only three years, 1979-81.) Indeed, the auto industry’s velour era never totally went away. In far more muted form, we can still find velour-like fabrics in use here and there today.
“…or maybe your grandma’s sitting room.”
Had it been my grandmothers sitting room there would have been fitted clear plastic coverings on every surface.
You Texans catch on real quick.
“inevitable comparison to a musical-instrument case”
Also compared by some to the inside of a French brothel.
If you live here in Europe, drive one of these undersized grocery-getters who pretend to be sporty with bucket seats unseen in even racecars of that period and if you’re tall, a bit overweight and above 60 and a travelling salesman who has to get on/off the car 20 times a day you wish you had such a car and just roll into the seat!
I always like the velour seats, except the pillow back ones. Had a 77 Firebird Formula , black with black velour seats, it would have been impossible to sit in on a hot southern day if it had of had the vinyl seats. Cloth seating today leaves a lot to be desired, the weaves just don’t look or feel as good as that velour did. Now, I usually go with leather, and it’s almost as hot {and cold} as the old vinyl was. Velour got hot, but didn’t burn you through your jeans like vinyl did!
I absolutely love excessively over-tufted interiors from the ‘70’s! Especially the offers from Chrysler. It’s literally like driving a couch. Super comfortable. The only downside is when window seals start to leak and mold and mildew take over. It’s almost impossible to remove. Driving in a HazMat suit isn’t all that comfortable.
Fascinating fact: velour on a ‘70s Lincoln was not the cheap, standard material. Quite the opposite, it was a very expensive option – $2100 in the mid ‘70s. In today’s dollars, that’s pushing ten grand, the kind of pricing Mercedes gets for its delux everything wrapped in leather interiors.
Beautiful & sumptious. Much nicer to ride in than today’s cheap, spartan plastic & leather interiors–freezing in the cold & swealtering in the summer. CRAP!