64 Riviera interior

[lrlforfun]

OK Riviera People: I currently own 5 copies of the 1964 Riviera. All have a custom interior, no standard interiors and no fabric/vinyl interiors.

Page 7 of the full size 1964 Buick sales brochure shows a model sitting by the car interior and the caption states that there were 2 luxurious types of vinyl offered. One at no extra cost and the other featuring "exceptional smoothness and suppleness as a custom option".

Here's my question. I can't tell any difference in any 1964 Riviera vinyl. What do they mean by this?

One other thing. If anybody has tracked these cars for sale on the internet it's easy to notice how horrible some of these interiors have gotten. As beautiful as they were from the start I often wonder how they could get as nasty as they do. Mitch

[RivNut]

Is there any way to scan that and let us see it? Very interesting.

[1965rivgs]

The most likely explanation is that a trim weight vinyl was on the seat covers in the standard interior and an expanded vinyl was used in the custom trim. This is, without a doubt, the case for the `65 models but I would not make that statement for the `64`s without cutting up a few original seat covers.

Trim weight vinyl is very thin and best used on door and side panels. Expanded vinyl is bonded to a very thin layer of foam, almost like the vinyl and foam are "whipped" together to a certain degree. Expanded vinyl has a much thicker, luxurious feel to it and holds a stitch much better. The expanded vinyl used in the `65 Custom trim is of a VERY high quality. It is not uncommon to see these interiors with excess of 100K and still looking GREAT! The pleats in the standard trim interiors are usually coming apart at 60K, even in a very well kept car. The quality in most premade seat covers and typical re-upholstery jobs does not compare to the original materials. They are only original once!!!

Tom Mooney