Original-looking interior, but wrong trim code? How? And the auxi top?

[rwd]

Car trim code is STD for black vinyl, but the entire interior and all the trim parts, including the seatbelts is consistent in appearance (and dates where available) with another trim code.

Ever seen a car with an incorrect trim code? Apart from that, a complete interior swap with another car of the same year is one possibility. What I'm looking for is other explanations.

[The sequence numbers on the engine and VIN plate match, btw, and I'm aware of used, aftermarket parts, vinyl spraying and the like.]

Also, after the hardtop headlines became vinyl, did the interior vinyl color on the auxi hardtop follow the car's exterior color or the interior trim. That is, from the factory, would a red car with a black vinyl interior have come with an auxi with a red headliner, or a black one?

 

[67HEAVEN]

I'm guessing an interior swap. What colour is it now? Man, there are a lot of pieces that must have been changed.

 

[c5vetter]

a past owner didn't like the trim color and changed it completely - has nothing to do with #'s matching, etc. - which in my mind is a big misnomer anyhow!

 

[rwd]

Absolutely everything, including the dash pad, has been changed to the dark blue vinyl that would have available with the color. The hardtop headliner is blue, too, hence the headliner question.

I mentioned the numbers because, iirc, the body assembly containing that i.d. panel is dropped on to the car during assembly. If so, at a later date a complete body assembly taken from another car could conceivably have been unbolted from it and dropped onto the current chassis. That would explain the color, but it wouldn't explain the VIN matching.

 

[BarryK]

has nothing to do with #'s matching, etc. - which in my mind is a big misnomer anyhow!

Rick,
isn't that the truth! If you remember we discussed this a little the other day at Tony's. Who can really tell anymore what istruely a numbers matching car or not??!! Looking at the parts catalogs, they will sell you new parts and even date stamp them with whatever date stamp you want and VIN numbers you want, and than there are the restamped blocks.......etc
Who is know what you are really buying anymore? Unless you owned the car since new there is no telling what is really real or not i guess.
What was it I heard? there are 3 times as many BB cars in existence that are supposeable "real" cars that actually ever came off the production line?
:confused

I know there are some real experts out there that can probably identify a truely REAL car from a fake, but the average buyer like myself doesn't have much hope.

Barry

 

[rwd]

Nothing is perfect, and experts disagree all the time. It's a question of learning what is probable and what is likely, and then making a determination as to what degree of uncertainty you're comfortable with. Numbers have to be put in context. The same is true of every collectible. Every strength has its weakness.

But what I'm trying to do is to identify possibilities I may have missed that might explain the situation better than my current ones.

Whether the headliner matches the exterior or interior is relevant. By the same token, switching a body from one chassis/drivetrain to another is a possibility, but that would involve either altering plates or stamps. That's why I provided additional info.

All help is appreciated.

 

[BarryK]

I would agree with Heaven that it was a complete interior swap - makes the most sense anyway. Maybe the previous owner just prefered that color over the black. Or maybe the original interior got into bad condition and he had access to a complete interior from another car but it was a different color (something like a wrecked car that was around the same age and that would explain the proper date codes).

interesting puzzle to unravel..........
Do you have any past history on the car that you can check with prior owners?

 

[rwd]

None whatsoever.

The concepts of color preference or damage repair did occur to me, and that wouldn't be an issue, except as a consideration for when the car would have to be sold in the future since it would cause the same questions to occur to someone else.

Given the potential/possibility for more serious implications like changes to the VIN tag or engine stamp, it just has to be nailed down further.

The question is, is it the entire iceberg, or just the tip of it.

As I said, any ideas or cross-checks are appreciated.

 

[bossvette]

I changed the interior color on my 76 from brown to black new door panels, console, dash pads, the few parts which were OK I dyed , but mostly I bought from E-bay the only problem was I got took on the seats I paid 350 for "leather" and got leather-like vynal guy never returned my calls or e-mails so I negative FB him.
It is not hard to do at all
Craig sr.

 

[BruceBed]

I was at an auction (antique furniture). I was talking to the auctioneer , who I've become friendly with. He tells me he is looking at a Mustang. He knows I'm up on my muscle cars and he asks me about a 68. I tell him certain things about motor codes and options and he soaks it all in. I see him the other day and he shows me a pic of the stang he bought. Anyway, the car is georgous, but it is a collection of everything (just like a 2005). I look at the pics and point out some of the things (which are numerous). He agrees and I asked him if he did his homework? He said "he wanted it so what was the point". Moral: If you like what you see , what does it matter if the original lint is still in the bellybutton. I like all original myself, but I would buy something if I liked it. It's here to enjoy. Not everyone needs a Barrett Jackson sanitized car. By the way have you noticed the "non matching and clones" are starting to bring really big $$$$$. Why, because they just can't build enough of the originals.

 

[rwd]

Everybody likes different things.

Realistically, there's no question that it could have been changed for color preference; beyond that, though, is the issue is of whether it was from choice, necessity (why and what else may have been affected) or for some other reason. There are a number of other factors that might suggest something more is at work. Or not. More information is needed.

It all goes toward determining what the car really is and that affects what it's worth, but that's another thread.

I'm just trying to put the pieces together, literally, to figure out how and why it got the way it is.

 

[youwish2bme]

I posted earlier but for some reason it didn't post..and I didn't feel like typing it again but here goes.. Did I miss this.. Are you purchasing it as a numbers car? If so then it can't be documented it's wrong.. right?? If it's a non numbers car why does any of this matter unless it's just trivally to you.. right?? Someone went thru the expense to not only change the exterior color to white on my 66 but also the interior to saddle and.. and the convertable top to saddle.. The car started life as a yellow ext with std black interior.. So I don't think it matters much unless this is supposed to be a correct vette. Did I miss something.. Dave.

 

[rwd]

Everything affects the value of a car, and the implications of some things go beyond price.

The real questions are does the post-'65 auxi hardtop headliner color follow the exterior color or the interior trim, and what other ways not previously mentioned might result in the trim code being incorrect. Thanks.

 

[c5vetter]

a number of us have stated the interior has been changed, and it doesn't matter what the trim tag says, it happened/s a lot - now, are you buying, selling or what? why are you so concerned? this has been asked several times also - yes, it should affect selling price, and if I was buying I would definitely be looking for a deal! (VBG) - since you don't know the history/don't have documentation - you live with it or change it to what it should be

 

[magicv8]

My car came with 27 boxes of parts. The bright blue interior was in one of the boxes - and it was 21 years old and junk. I bought a navy interior. The same thing probably happened to your car 15 years ago. Dark blue is good.

 

[youwish2bme]

Got it.. I would think that the hardtop headliner would follow the interior color. As when I do my hard top I plan on putting in a Saddle headliner... because I have a saddle int. My pop has a numbers car that he's had for 30 yrs and the headliner matches the int. however his is a blk std int so it could have been that the tops matched or not.. I'm confused now.. Dave..

 

[c5vetter]

me thinks that the auxilliary top possibly(?) was bought after the car?

NOTE: if ordered from the factory and ORIGINAL to the car, the headliner in the hardtop matched/s the interior of the car (TRIM TAG)

 

[magicv8]

My aux hardtop still has the bright blue headliner because I removed it 17 years ago and hung it on the garage wall. If I ever used it - I would have changed the color to navy - heck - I even changed the convertible top to navy 15 years ago.

Did I mention that dark blue is good?

 

[rwd]

As I mentioned earlier, I'm working from pics, so this is a bit complicated. I've owned and followed vettes for a long time, so I'm aware of the personalization cars go through from owner to owner, and I don't have a problem with that. I'm also aware that the tops sometimes float from car to car and can be bought on ebay.

I do have other pieces of the puzzle about the car that I haven't posted (which could lead to other conclusions) in order to avoid biasing or narrowing the information in the posts.

Many thanks for the helpful replies on the top. If anybody has other info or experience with either the tops or non-original interiors (specifically, interiors associated with deception), I'd be very interested to hear them.

Similarly, if anyone has thoughts on the amount that might be bargained for as a deduction, that will be useful if the car turns out to be otherwise ok. The interior is in good shape, and the only reason for replacement would be originality.

I do appreciate the time and effort it takes to post.

 

[c5vetter]

so, you are contemplating buying this car? you have never really come out and stated why you were asking - the interior color change along with other "mitigating" areas could significantly lower the cost of the vehicle