FYI: I Found it or something close! Original Car Interiors...As close as possible. Not 1/2inch ribs, but 1/4inch is as close as I can find. http://www.ciadellainteriors.com Great people...Pete & Cindy Ciadella. They carry a lot of original fabrics and accessories.
They have it listed under individual cars by year. They didn't actually have it listed for '53, but I found it under 1957(Which is the same but a little larger) @ http://www.ciadellainteriors.com/1957210sw.html
LOL! That is the post I tried to post a picture with and had trouble! Joe, I had looked already at SMS Interiors. I could not find it anywhere. The info went back to 1955, but had no vinyl listed. Could you please post a link? Thanks, Chevy Gal
Hello - this is something I can help with. I have been working on 1949-52 Chevy wagon battleship linoleum for a (long) time. *Not a plug here, since they're not done...but I can save someone some wrong turns if they are looking for something cheaper, and at least visually "close" only. I just decided to go one step further myself, and make some extras too. But even with what is already mass-produced, you can get pretty close and get points for the effort! ~Thanks for your inquiry, Chevy Gal - I don't have the pattern yet for 1953-54 with the fixed 2nd seat. But when I do, I'll have the battleship linoeum for them CNC grooved exactly the same depth and profile as orig.. About the Ciadella 1956-67 wagon replacement product ~ You did find a GOOD compromise, there. Modern , readily available. Not super authentic but more durable finish with less upkeep. Glue it down and take some pictures already! THANKS!
Yeah - they have neat odd stuff, but SMS has nothing to help with 1949-54 wagons' cargo area. They sent me samples of what they had as a close, modern replacement a few years ago. it was plasticy - PVC based shiny stuff with STAMPED-in grooves, about 1/2" apart. Probably pretty durable. Not even close to authentic. So for anyone looking at your car who knows...it'd be cooler to carpet it, than put something "not close" in, while trying to replicate a hard-to-find authentic detail. Sorry. Original stuff in the cars - It is battleship linoleum. Thick, dense matte finish material with little grooves routed in it. The stuff is super tough, and after it's in a car for 50 years it actually gets more solid and harder to dent. ========= ~Restoration specialties sells the raw material I think, (ungrooved). They ONLYhave the 2.5 mm thickess, whichj you cannot make grooves in, without the botom of each line cracking. Help there knows nothing about the product, good luck. And it is going away bit by bit. My 2 manufacturers I know of are the only ones left. It is an antique product and basically still made the same way as 100years agg, so it's only got a niche or two of demand in the world. Mostly in restoration of old buildings and old boats, etc.. ========= ~Another eetail source (for more colors...ungrooved)...is the guy that advertises in Hemmings. He used to mainly sell for use in old buildings and antique (brass era type) cars. Only recently did anyone seem to pick up on the 1940s early '50s wagons that used it. GAve him a new group of buyers. BUt...it is not grooved. I get it from the mfr., and I still have to route it to match the original stuff used in early wagons. Not easy to do, and make the grooves the same "shape" as the the original stuff like I thought. Each car has a different groove, too. Neat stuff. ======Have fun Chevy Gal. Impressive the effort to try to get it close... great family history on it. ======