Upholstery Question

[63Electra]

I Recently ordered some Upholstery fabric samples from SMS for my 63' Electra 2 door. I ordered the samples mainly for the insert/ door panel fabrics. They Included Two different samples that do not match the original in the car.

Three questions:

1. How Many different Insert fabric options were available for the Electra?

2. My Vinyl is perfect, could a good upholsterer remove the original covers, Replace the insert material in the original covers, do new foam on the seats and re-install the covers? Or would this compromise the structural integrity of the originals too much to make it worth it?

3. Does anyone here own a 63 electra 2 door with a front bench that could send me a couple of Interior pictures for some reference?

Thanks

[Guest Tom]

I've got a '63 Electra Sport Coupe with the bench seat. I also have a color trim album with the fabric samples. Am at work now so don't have access to it, but will try to post some pictures of the interior and answer your questions as soon as I get a chance.

[Guest Tom]

According to the color trim album, there were really only 2 interiors available for the 2 door hardtop. The standard cloth and vinyl interior with the bench seat and the custom interior which had the bucket seats trimmed in leather and vinyl. The cloth seats used 2 different types of cloth. The backrest and bottom seat cushion insert areas were a ribbed cloth. This was surrounded by cloth material that was very tightly woven in what I would consider to be a miniature diamond pattern. The rest was vinyl. This was the same on the 4 doors too. Optional on the the 4 door hardtop and pillarless sedan was a secondary cloth material that looked almost like felt, but the primary cloth material on these 2 models looks to be the same as the standard trim. The cloth insert on the 2dr door trim panels looks to be the same material of the seat inserts. The upper part of the trim panel is a ribbed vinyl while the lower is carpeted.

Here are a couple of pictures. Hope this helps.

[63Electra]

Here's some shots of what I have. It is like some velvety dimply stuff for the Inserts. The Samples from SMS look like yours (Great car BTW)

The front is the same Material. My carpeted part on my door panels matches your area color wise as does my carpet.

I doubt this is custom, but where would I get the fabric, and where do I find the Interior color code Info on the car?

I have never seen another one 2 tone like mine Special order? I know Cadillac Has special option books but have no Idea if Buick did.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

The interior code should be the "Trim" code on the body data tag on the cowl / firewall area.

[Guest Tom]

63Electra, your seat inserts were obviously replaced at some point in time with non-original material. There should also be buttons in the seats as you can see in the pictures of my car. Can't tell for sure from your picture, but it would also appear that the headliner was replaced too. It looks like a vinyl headliner while the original is a cloth, almost mohair looking material very much like what was in cars back in the 40's and early 50's. Material should be available from SMS. Not sure what you mean by tu-toning. I assume you are referring to the outside of the car. Tu-toning was a factory available option where the roof was painted a different color than the rest of the car.

[63Electra]

The headliner is Perforated vinyl, It seems that if it was re-upholstered at some point, the person who did it was masterful. Even with the wear, something just seems factory about it. It's just not a car I could see someone redoing at any time but I could be wrong. Tomorrow I'm going to go get the trim codes off of it to see if that helps me at all. As for the Tu-tone, I was referring to Two color Upholstery. Something seems odd about a white on white car to me, but I will check.

[Guest Tom]

Ok, now I understand the tu-tone question. There were no tu-tone interior colors, at least as far as the seat material is concerned. Your options were either Sandalwood, like my car which is really an off white or very light tan color, silver, blue or aqua. The dashboard, and carpet was a darker color. Judging by the dash on your car, I'd say it had the same interior as mine. If it was, the trim code on the data plate should be "831". The seats are light sandalwood in color, the upper dash pad is dark sandalwood the carpet is medium sandalwood and the pedals are just sandalwood. .

[63Electra]

I'm having a ton of Difficulty finding that trim data plate, but I believe you are correct about the Sandalwood Color. I can see why the car was painted black at some time, as the sandalwood on White could have been a bit intense on the eye. The Perforated vinyl headliner was really well done also, so it looked quite stock to me. I actually think Buick Should have Gone with that as an option because It gives a better Sport feeling in my opinion than Cloth. Now I am not too sure what to do with the car. I wanted to keep it stock, but Knowing what SMS charges for their fabrics kind of puts me off a bit.

[Guest Tom]

The data plate is in the right (passenger) side of the cowl, facing up, under the hood. It is just in front of the windshield wiper pivot point. It may have been painted over when the car was changed from white to black.