VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Vendors & Suppliers - Parts SMS Auto Fabrics

Much discussion has taken place in a thread regarding Hampton Coach but thought I would start this one dedicated to this vendor. Long story short I placed an order in March of this year for a complete interior for my 51 Bel Air. With HC gone and SMS offering a 19% discount due to the pandemic and not many other options It seemed like a good move at the time as they estimated delivery in about four months. That was then moved to three more months supposedly due to the covid and forest fire situations in their area. Well November has come and gone and now the "new" promised production is scheduled (estimated) for late January. When I ordered the upholstery they said they had inventory of the fabric but now the fabric needs to be made. According to "Kim" the owner of SMS Doug Pollock also owns the fabric mill in Pa. where the cloth will be woven. I will update this thread as needed and if anyone else would like to chime in please do so.

Have you asked them about the patterns they were supposed to get in the deal?

I have not. Having a hard enough time just getting answers on my order. If I do I will follow up in the thread on HC.

Spoke with Kim just now (2-21) and she needs to check with Doug to see if the material is now on hand. When I spoke to her last (Jan 20) she said the material was made and being shipped and they would expect it to arrive in a couple weeks when they would then process the order. So we have gone from guaranteed to being ready in December to making the cloth and finishing the order in January back to I need to check with Doug (the owner) to see if the cloth has arrived. We will see what the next excuse is IF she calls back today as promised. At this point my assessment is they are completely disorganized and have no idea when the order will (if ever) be processed and they don't keep records of their previous conversations or commitments.

It makes me wonder who makes the fabric for them. If someone could find out who that company is maybe we could order direct from that company. At least we would have some idea when they would setup to make it.

According to Kim in customer service the owner of SMS (Doug Pollock) owns the mill in Pa. that manufacturers the fabric they use. MY main concern is that they get themselves in the same boat as HC who also at one time was owned by a fabric mill manufacturer. I have no idea how solvent they are or how big their back log of paid orders are however it is concerning.

Did not receive an Email or phone call so called back today. Hung up after 20 minutes of waiting and called again this time I did reach Kim. She said the material came in this week and they will start on my order "as soon as they can" but no idea when that will be. When I asked about the door panels she said that would be after the seat covers. I did request an Email confirmation but at this point it is probably of little value as their "estimates of time" and production is to me simply useless.

Seems like an odd way to conduct business. Hope you haven't sent them any money. The whole world is blaming everything and anything on the covid issue. Getting to be an overused excuse from my viewpoint.

All their orders have to be prepaid. While I understand all orders are custom made there is no way to know if they will have the funds to produce the order a year or so after it is placed. It is almost like a ponzi scheme where if you get in in the beginning things are great but in the end not so as all the money is gone and orders not filled.

Big article with photos on SMS in this month's (April) issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine. Just an FYI. Bobaouie

I don't get the magazine but am curious if it's pro or con. April? We haven't even got to March yet.

Here’s the SMS Auto Fabrics Reviews!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sms-auto-fabrics-canby

It does not look good with them ever suppling their paid if full orders! Unless possible if anyone had paid in full on their VISA Card then you could call VISA for them to take it off due to never getting what you had ordered!

I got my April issue yesterday just got done with the article which is about how they got started. No mention of how they do things other than every order is custom made and sometimes can be delays.

Well, I guess I'm glad that I ordered the fabric for my 51 last year at this time! I got it within 1 week of ordering it. I had great service and communication with the company. I feel for those of you who are now having problems. They did not fabricate the seat covers which I had a local company do so maybe fabric alone gets shipped quicker. I hope you all get this solved!!
Jeff

Well my guess is they had the fabric when I ordered but failed to reserve it. They are providing the door and armrest panels and material for the pkg shelf and kick panels.

I ordered a yard of material on the 27th of January and got it a couple of days ago. That's pretty fast but again not seat covers or panels made I'm sure it takes time to make. Maybe if their business continues they will hire more people, if they can find someone who is willing to work!

Today I was advised the production person said the seat covers will be another three weeks and the panels will be worked on after that. At that time it will be well over a year from the time the order was placed and paid for.

Just received my Classic Car magazine with a two page article SMS. Impressive article, to bad they can't back it up with better service.

I am sure most would not be upset with a long wait if know when ordering and a deposit at time of order with full billing just prior to production. Full payment up front with a promise of four month delivery and then bump it a month or two at a time for over a year is rediculous. Certainly a cause for concern .

The three week time has passed (Surprise Surprise) and no update received. i did receive this week the two (2) yards of sheet vinyl that was ordered about a year ago. At least it shows the order is somewhat still in process .

Sent and email requesting an update . Kim replied on Tuesday the 5th she needed to check with production and would have an answer that afternoon. That did not happen so on Friday I again asked for an update. She did reply that she has been unable to get a reply from the production manager and would let me know as soon as she can. i did let her know that I at least appreciated getting a response. It has been just about a year this month since ordering and PAYMENT.

I am getting to that point in my restoration of my 35 standard coupe where I need to look for interior material. It is the beige wool. Are there any companies that supply it? I looked on SMS and they only go back to 1948 Chevrolet and nothing looked close for other makes. Also I am leery of using SMS anyway due to the reviews and what I have read here!!

I think if SMS has the fabric and you purchase the material for a local installation it should not be a problem. i am only guessing but I think they would rather have your money than product sitting on the shelf. In my case they had the material but needed to fabricate the seat covers and door panels . Again guessing but during the wait for production they sold out of the material/fabric which they actually produce at another location and then probably they held off until they had enough sales to justify the material production run . With Hampton Coach/Lebarron-Bonney gone SMS has seen an increase of business and frankly they are incapable of controlling it in a manner that benefits the customers.

SMS is slow at building panels but is pretty fast at getting material out. They do have material back further than 48 as I got some for my 35 Standard they just might not know it.

I spoke with Kim yesterday as it was over a week since she was going to check with the production manager and get back to me that afternoon. She asked and his reply was " I'll have to get back to you". Seems it got put on the back burner and the burner is not on! Next week i will start calling every day to see if i can get some results. I have tried my best being polite but enough is enough so may have to get my Credit Card Co. involved.