1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

[Mark E.]

I have a reproduction 1970 Light Saddle front console (I think from Corvette America) with different coloring than my original dash and console. It's a long story, but I'm stuck with it.

The original console and dash are light saddle in color on the higher surfaces of the vinyl's texture, and darker brown in the lower recesses of the texture.

The reproduction console is also light saddle in color on the higher surfaces of the texture (within a shade or so of the original), but a lighter tan in the lower recesses of the texture. (See photo; I don't know why it's sideways but it shows the original dash and reproduction console next to each other).

Can anyone recommend a source for a reproduction 1970 Light Saddle console with light/dark "marbling" like the original?

Alternatively, in an attempt to better match the original coloring, does anyone have a technique for dying the lower recesses of my reproduction console darker brown, while leaving the higher surfaces its current color?

Thanks again folks! Isn't this hobby fun?

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

The "Insert Image" didn't work in the first post, so I'm using "Attachments" to add the photo.

Hope this works.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

Is the original really suppose to look like that? I don't recall seeing them like that.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

My FEB. built 1970 light saddle original interior is ALL the same light color & dos NOT have the dark recesses. I have never saw one that did.

[Michael W.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

The marbling is the result of many years of dust, dirt etc. Not original.

Your picture is sideways as that's how you were holding your phone at the time.

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

I don't know guys; I think the car is telling a different story.

The sections of vinyl on the underside of the original console that were mostly shielded from sun, wear and dirt (third photo below) appear similar to the exposed dash surfaces (first two photos). This coloring looks much different than the repro console coloring shown in my prior post.

Is my '70 Light Saddle interior really the only one like this?

photo 1 (3).jpgphoto 2 (2).jpgphoto 4 (2).jpg

[Leif A.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

Mark,
I owned a '72 Warbonnet Yellow/Saddle car and that interior looked nothing like your pictures. The coloring was consistent across the entire surface...seats, dash, console, door panels, etc. The coloring was darker than what your pics show, as well.

[Bill C.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

looks to me like it was redyed at some point and it is wearing out.

corvette America will dye certain parts before selling them
they do this with the door pulls and I be willing to bet on lots of other parts too.
chesper than making twenty colored parts instead of five or six

i have never seen anything like that on light saddle interior before

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

Mark,
I owned a '72 Warbonnet Yellow/Saddle car and that interior looked nothing like your pictures. The coloring was consistent across the entire surface...seats, dash, console, door panels, etc. The coloring was darker than what your pics show, as well.

Leif,

1970 Light Saddle, code 418/424 is unique to that year and is significantly lighter than code 417/421 Saddle from 1972.

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

looks to me like it was redyed at some point and it is wearing out.

I really don't think so, Bill. This marbled pattern is too uniform, even on tucked-away surfaces as shown in my last photos. It doesn't look worn; it looks like it was made that way.

Any suggestions who I may talk to about this?

[Russ S.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

What it looks like to me is that someone has washed the top finish off with a solvent like lacquer thinner.

I don't know guys; I think the car is telling a different story.

The sections of vinyl on the underside of the original console that were mostly shielded from sun, wear and dirt (third photo below) appear similar to the exposed dash surfaces (first two photos). This coloring looks much different than the repro console coloring shown in my prior post.

Is my '70 Light Saddle interior really the only one like this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]63906[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]63907[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]63904[/ATTACH]

[Russ S.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

Try talking to Al Knock.

I really don't think so, Bill. This marbled pattern is too uniform, even on tucked-away surfaces as shown in my last photos. It doesn't look worn; it looks like it was made that way.

Any suggestions who I may talk to about this?

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

What it looks like to me is that someone has washed the top finish off with a solvent like lacquer thinner.

Russ, if you look at the third photo above, it shows a section of "virgin" vinyl that was protected under the console. The two-tone marbling pattern is similar to the rest of the interior's vinyl. I doubt solvent was applied in this obscure area.

[Alan S.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

Hi Russ,
Is it possible that somehow over the years the coloring agent in vinyl 'migrated' and is condensed in the darker areas?
Is there any correlation between the 'texture' of the vinyl and the dark areas? Is it in the 'low' areas of the texture?
Regards,
Alan

[Mike E.]

Re: 1970 Light Saddle "marbled" coloring- How to duplicate?

The green/light saddle 70 convertible I owned was an original interior car, and there was no similar marbling in that vinyl, I'm sure.