Upholstery gives the interior of a car the feel and look of custom quality. Car builders throughout Southwest Virginia come to Mike Moore’s Vinton shop for both traditional and modern upholstery styles. Born in 1952, Moore grew up in Rockbridge County. Even before he could drive, he had owned and sold his first car.

Around 1971 Moore moved to Roanoke and became a driver for a local furniture retailer. In the evenings he honed his car building skills. Moore’s wife ordered a mail-order auto upholstery course for herself, and from her books Mike became interested in the craft. Teaching himself, he picked up ideas at car shows and from car magazines. In 1978 Moore went to work for a Roanoke upholstery shop before opening his own business in 1981. Moore does any kind of upholstery work, but car builders and restorers are a steady part of his business. In his spare time Moore continues working on his own vintage cars.

Mike Moore has watched auto upholstery change over the years. When he started his trade, velvet was the trendy fabric. Now tweed, leather, and ultra-vinyls are in demand. The older upholstery styles, such as tuck-and-roll and top-stitched roll-and-pleats, were replaced by diamonds-and-pleats and pre-shaped interior panels sculpted over foam. Moore is one of the few upholsterers regularly doing the traditional styles for old-time street rodders.

Chapter 5 » Dragster Building