63-65 Riviera interior question

[cjp69]

I am considering buying a 65 Riviera that (in my opinion) needs the interior redone, and I am hoping someone here has gone through it and can let answer my questions below?

The interior in the car right now is complete and functional, but was changed from black to white with some custom touches added. It is a deluxe interior that I would redo in black.

So as I see it, I would need:

Front and rear deluxe door panels (arm rest pads are still black and good)

front and rear seat material (foam, etc. is good) including rear armrest cover

wood trim pieces for door panels

carpet kit

kick panels (are currently white carpet?)

I think that would be it, the rear package tray and dash pad are still black. Not sure about the headliner but I think its black still.

Are these parts all available from Clarks or others?

Approximate cost for the parts?

Approximate cost for the installation labor?

Any problems I might run into?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

[Patrick91914]

Question: Are these parts all available from Clarks or others?

Answer: Yes

Approximate cost for the parts?

Depends. If you want the vinyl and cloth, a complete set from clarks is about $1000. IMO, it looks/feels much better than the all vinyl seat covers; however, both are exact reproductions. I think Vinyl is about $700 or $800 for the full set.

Answer: The other miscellaneous items are available from Clarks or

Question: Approximate cost for the installation labor?

Answer: <$1000, but you can do it yourself if you're patient.

Questions: Any problems I might run into?

Answer: Yup. Replacing the wood is a hassle if you do it yourself.

I'm going thru a full color change now from black vinyl with black dash to black cloth with turquoise mist dash. Patience is the key.

I am considering buying a 65 Riviera that (in my opinion) needs the interior redone, and I am hoping someone here has gone through it and can let answer my questions below?

The interior in the car right now is complete and functional, but was changed from black to white with some custom touches added. It is a deluxe interior that I would redo in black.

So as I see it, I would need:

Front and rear deluxe door panels (arm rest pads are still black and good)

front and rear seat material (foam, etc. is good) including rear armrest cover

wood trim pieces for door panels

carpet kit

kick panels (are currently white carpet?)

I think that would be it, the rear package tray and dash pad are still black. Not sure about the headliner but I think its black still.

Are these parts all available from Clarks or others?

Approximate cost for the parts?

Approximate cost for the installation labor?

Any problems I might run into?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

[Guest Gee_Rydes]

Depending on the seat style, the replacement seat foam may not be available. Be sure to list everything you need and check availability before you are knee deep and budget tight.

If you are going black, SEM makes a very good interior dye/flexible paint that works awesome assuming the vinyl material is still in good shape. This is a process that requires some very specific steps to do right (in my opinion), but once done it looks great. I'd be happy to offer my suggestions if this is a direction you would go.

You couldn't do this with some of the other colors as they have a marbling effect in the vinyl and the coating would make it all uniform.

I had Clarks make me a full leather set for the project I am working on and it was about $3K or so without foam.

[gungeey]

Chris, most black interiors Ive seen had a silver headliner.

Also, in regards to wood panel replacement: let them soak a few days with a gallon of wd-40 in a wallpaper pan, hit them up with a putty knife.

Steve

[cjp69]

Thanks for the replies Guys!

I am not sure what color the headliner is, the pictures didn't include it. It originally had black interior and parts were converted to white and parts left as is, so hopefully it is still silver.

The door wood has already been removed it is now "polished" metal, so I think it is just a matter of putting new wood on and getting more details from Dave on how to dye the seats if I buy the car.

Thanks,Chris

[CTX-SLPR]

I had a black interior '65 Riviera Gran Sport and I do believe the headliner was silver or atleast grey. My white interior '64 has a matching white headliner.

[Guest ahhh65riv]

My black interior headliner is black, Although a black/white combo would look sharp in my opinion.

I have new (oem) set of interior black vinyl (yet to be installed) headliner and sail panels I bought (I think) 20 some years ago. Still look great! Now you've got me thinking I might want to change it up....

SMS Auto Fabrics did my deluxe door and kick panels complete. The price was right but has taken them

F-O-R-E-V-E-R. I wont use them again unless they have the materials in stock and will ship out immediately. I will say they have a great selection of good material.

Erik

Edited December 31, 2009 by ahhh65riv
more info.. (see edit history)

[RivNut]

You might check with Tom Mooney to see if there's a '65 Salesman's book in the ROA library. Those books will tell you the color of everything depending on the exterior/interior combinations. And they're year specific; the same ext/int combo in '65 might not be the same as in '64. The seat cushions that Calvin Clark has are for the Corvair line he has, there are some minor changes necessary for the Rivieras but the cushions, both lean backs and seat buns, will work for all 63/64 seats, and for the '65 standard seats; they won't work with the '65 custome seats.

Ed

Ed

[1965rivgs]

Just to add a few comments here..

The correct color for the headliner in a black interior`65 riv is silver. This may sound strange but folks almost never notice the contrast unless specifically looking up at the headliner. The benefits of this color are it looks very elegant against the chrome trim moldings and adds to the light levels in the interior. Seriously, it makes a significant difference to my 50 year old eyesight.

Another point which I find to be a neat little fact...in `64 the white interior had black contrasts in terms of the carpet and console, windlace, etc...the `65 models with white interior have dark charcoal accents, carpet, console, lower dash color, etc...apparently the Buick designers wanted to soften the transition between the bright white upholstery and the adjacent components. Try finding a mint condition standard `65 steering wheel in dark charcoal!

Aggravating this situation would be the fact the custom version of the white interior in `65 was only available from mid-year on. That is the reason why, once in a while, a loaded `65 with white STANDARD interior will surface. Early in the model year, if a buyer wanted a white interior and a well optioned car, he/she had no choice but the standard trim.

Tom Mooney

[Guest 1963 Riviera]

My 63 headliner has some mould issues, so I have been doing some research about either, cleaning, dyeing or replacing.

Any info out there regarding these options ?

My interior is black with "silver" (is that the official colours name ? ).

Has anybody used the Headliners available by CARS ? and how did they match to the original ?

Thanks as Always

Nick

[Guest middleman]

I second the question about a moldy headliner!!!! Mine's in good shape but plenty of mold. Thought I would try bleach and water spray first?

I'm also replacing sandalwood interior with black. Seat covers and carpet from Clark's and I've had good luck with Rustoleum's vinyl paint so I'm going that route for door panels.

[bb1970]

Maybe dilute Tilex shower cleaner for mold. I have used it in my shower. The mold just dissapears.

[RivNut]

Bleach will react on the vinyl the same way it reacts on any color; it will "bleach" it out. What ever you try to use on it to clean it, make sure you do a test first on some hidden spot, to determine the color fastness of the fabric. I used bleach to clean my deck. The next day, I put the same shorts back on and it looked as if someone had peppered them with a pellet gun, all sorts of small holes in them - where ever the bleach came in contact with them. Not stuff to be taken lightly.

[Guest bigoldv8]

Yeah I Would not go anywhere near it with bleach if it were my car. If it's that nasty, I think I'd just replace it.

[Guest slacker1965]

softscrub(contains bleach) followed by armorall works good on boat seats....I'd cover the seats & carpet.....

[RivNut]

When I was working for the Dr. Vinyl franchising operation here in Kansas CIty, we did some tests with Armor-All and other vinyl protectants. We found that after repeated treatments with a number of protectants that Armo-rAll had a tendency to dry out hard vinyl items (dash boards and door arm rests) more than some of the other protectants. The chemist at UMKC with whom we were working blamed the drying factor on "plasticiser migration" brought on by "excessive amounts of silicone and no UV protection." One of the better vinyl protectants now on the market is the Aerospace 303 brand. It blocks UV rays and doesn't allow for the evaporation of the plasticers.

Ed