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Does anyone here know for sure which years used the Teak wood grain accents for the deluxe interiors and which years used the Walnut?
The catalogues seem to be a little vague on this detail.
Thanks, Greg
Does anyone here know for sure which years used the Teak wood grain accents for the deluxe interiors and which years used the Walnut?
The catalogues seem to be a little vague on this detail.
Thanks, Greg
My '70 has walnut wood grain on the door panels and on the shifter console. When I ordered it back in 70, teak was not an option (IIRC).
Last edited by 70Yellowbird; 05-03-2018 at 12:01 AM.
I have no clue on the years but my early 1976 is teak. I have been unable to find a replacement teak wood grain trim sticker for my shifter console, only walnut.
Why not just buy some teak veneer of adequate size, glue it to the shift plate substrate, sand/stain/varnish it, and install? You don't need to wait on someone to make it for you. Chances are that the demand volume is so low, no one wants to make it.
Hi Greg,
While 68 and 69 cars could be ordered with leather seating surfaces there wasn't a custom or deluxe interior option available.
I believe that 70-72 cars had walnut veneer used as trim on both the door panels and console top.
The walnut trim was part of the Custom Interior option and was available in Black and Saddle only.
Regards,
Alan
Thanks Al, I think you're correct. And I now believe the Walnut door inserts carried through to the '75 model year. The info I've been gathering points to the Teak only being offered for the 1976 model year so I think that clears this up.
The originals were made of actual thin wood veneer, at least the earlier years were. I just ordered some and they are made of wood. I think some of the later years might have been made from adhesive backed vinyl.
Greg and others,
Yes, walnut veneer was still used for the 73 thru 75 cars for sure. I'm not exactly sure about the Teak though, if it was used in 76. FYI 76 was the last year for the deluxe woodgrain interior for C3's. Starting in 77 they all had leather seats so they used a plain black door insert.
Aerofix,
You can find various wood type veneers online and make your own replacement woodgrain shifter insert. Just make sure the pieces have a paper backing. If not it will split when you try to cut it and work with it. I've done this project myself. What I found that worked best was to use Teak Veneer and stain it with Walnut Danish Oil. It matches the original pretty well. Original inserts were were actual wood veneer as Greg mentions. The woodgrain veneer was adhered to a metal backing plate. The GM original backing plates were very rigid. The EARLY service replacements were still wood veneer but the metal backing plate got thinner and less rigid. Today's repros are all vinyl and flimsy. There is no comparison from what I've seen. Visually they appear nice from a distance.
The first two photos below illustrate the actual wood veneer insert after it was removed. The next two illustrate the differences between wood and vinyl.I used the magnet to show the metal backing. Insert on the left is new repro vinyl piece.
Third photo is a side by side showing wood vs. vinyl. The last pic is the finished product.
Last edited by Tooch1; 05-05-2018 at 08:47 AM.
Reason: Added pics and info.
1976 was the only year that used the teak door panel and console inserts. The 70-75 inserts were walnut. As was stated by others, the inserts were an actual wood veneer, not a vinyl tape like the "wood" used on the side of station wagons from that era.
I have two 73-75 NOS console inserts. Unfortunately, the wood veneer has come loose from the metal backing in a few spots. You can clearly see the wood veneer in the pictures below. These should also give a good idea of what the original walnut color looks like.
Just search the web for "paper backed veneer sheets" and you'll find plenty of suppliers. The paper backing (like the original) allows extremely thin and fragile veneer to be used. Contact cement applied to both the paper backing and piece to be veneered is the best way to attach.
In retrospect it seems a little odd GM would use real wood veneer for these pieces when you consider the elements they can be exposed to.
Not at all. They were covering their asses with regards to false advertising. When they said the likes of "wood grained" and "rich look of wood". No, it was not solid wood. It wasn't even veneer in the older sense because it was nearly paper thin and paper backed--thus "wood grained". A durable finish on top of a photo produced plastic veneer was just as difficult and likely more expensive than using "real" wood.
To this day true wood in some form is what you typically see in automotive interiors.
If you're not certain about "real" wood in some form just use a hand magnifying glass. If it's not wood you'll see dots!
I watched a show once about car production and the extent that auto makers go to make any real wood that is in a cars interior from splintering in a accident, nowadays is incredible!! Ike
05-02-2018, 08:03 PM
What Years/ Which Wood Grain?
