1968 Interior Color
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Whitby Ontario
1968 Interior Color
I'm restoring a 1968 Convertible. Planning to replace the vinyl seat covers with leather and replacing the carpet. My trim tag shows interior color code as 420 which isn't a 1968 choice. For 1969 models 420 is called "Saddle". Would I order (from Ecklers) as though I have a 1968 seat or a 1969 seat?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 138
Likes: 1
From: Brick New Jersey
I'm restoring a 1968 Convertible. Planning to replace the vinyl seat covers with leather and replacing the carpet. My trim tag shows interior color code as 420 which isn't a 1968 choice. For 1969 models 420 is called "Saddle". Would I order (from Ecklers) as though I have a 1968 seat or a 1969 seat?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,170
Likes: 4,245
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Jim,
If you're saying you have a 68 model year car that left St.Louis with N14
side exhausts people would be pretty interested in hearing about it!!!
I believe many people feel that N14 exhausts are unlikely on cars built before about the middle of January 1969.
Regards,
Alan
If you're saying you have a 68 model year car that left St.Louis with N14
side exhausts people would be pretty interested in hearing about it!!!
I believe many people feel that N14 exhausts are unlikely on cars built before about the middle of January 1969.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Whitby Ontario
The VIN is definitely a 1968. Exterior is 983 British Green.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,972
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
You need to look closely at the VINs on the car and the engine, all date codes, etc. You do not own a '68 with '69 only interior codes and '69 only side pipes.
A bunch of pictures posted here of everything, including numbers, tags, the rear valance, interior, etc. would get you a lot of help here.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Whitby Ontario
My understanding is the same that 420 Saddle became available. The trim tag and VIN align. Would the actual seats be the 1968 model seats though or would there be any possibility that they started producing 1969 seats
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,972
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I'm restoring a 1968 Convertible. Planning to replace the vinyl seat covers with leather and replacing the carpet. My trim tag shows interior color code as 420 which isn't a 1968 choice. For 1969 models 420 is called "Saddle". Would I order (from Ecklers) as though I have a 1968 seat or a 1969 seat?
#420= saddle vinyl * added during the production year, date unknown.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,972
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
They would most likely be '68, there's no real chance of '69 parts. What are the seats that you have? What's the weave design? Were headrests added? Pictures again help a lot.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Whitby Ontario
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 53,985
Likes: 9,353
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
I would skip the middle man and buy your interior parts direct from the manufactures. that would be Al Knock or Corvette America
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,170
Likes: 4,245
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi 68,
With the seats out of the car a tag that gives a part number and date becomes visible (hopefully) and will be a clue to when they were made and when they could have been installed.
There's likely a date on the door panels too.
Regards,
Alan
Seat Tag: part # and Julian date…. 348th day of 1970 for a car built about the 14th day of 1971
Door panel stamp: for the same car.
With the seats out of the car a tag that gives a part number and date becomes visible (hopefully) and will be a clue to when they were made and when they could have been installed.
There's likely a date on the door panels too.
Regards,
Alan
Seat Tag: part # and Julian date…. 348th day of 1970 for a car built about the 14th day of 1971
Door panel stamp: for the same car.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 150
From: Forth Worth TX
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 13,238
Likes: 1,092
From: YANKEES UNIVERSE 70 454-LS5 500 ft-lbs Torque
A 68 Bronze with Tobacco interior is great color combo.I remember Carlisle about 4 years ago there was a Red 68 with Saddle interior for sale in the corral and it was a great color combo,first one I have seen with saddle interior.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
That is definitely a medium saddle interior color. For other years, the saddle color might have been lighter or darker. 1973 had "Dark Saddle" as a specified interior color; 1975 had "Medium Saddle".
There was a "Beige" color that was similar to saddle and a "Neutral" which was even lighter than beige. And, if GM decided to change vendors for those items during the model year, the same color from the two vendors could be a bit different.
Since you have original parts, I suggest that you choose which part has the color you want to have, then have vinyl dye mixed to THAT color so that you can recolor repaired areas, as well as 'old' and 'new' parts. That way you will have uniform color on all your interior parts.
There was a "Beige" color that was similar to saddle and a "Neutral" which was even lighter than beige. And, if GM decided to change vendors for those items during the model year, the same color from the two vendors could be a bit different.
Since you have original parts, I suggest that you choose which part has the color you want to have, then have vinyl dye mixed to THAT color so that you can recolor repaired areas, as well as 'old' and 'new' parts. That way you will have uniform color on all your interior parts.