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

[Kenneth B.]

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

Don't see why no one will post VIN's of the original light saddle interiors. Mine has been judged twice with only a few points for carpet condition. Interior has NEVER cleaned or taken out. It only has been vacuumed It also has original paint. If others would post VINs of the Original mottled variety then we would at least see if there is a pattern.

[Mathew S.]

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

The door panels are not marbeled, and neither is the emergency brake cover. The original plastic trim for the rear compartments wasn't either. The dash, console, and both sides of the lower dash (gauge area and map pockets), however the map pockets weren't either. The lighting was too poor to get pictures of the other pieces. The car isn't at my home, so it makes it take longer to get the pictures. I'll post the pictures tomorrow, or could email them directly since they are on iPhone and I'm posting from an iPad.

[Mark E.]

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

Thanks Mathew.

I'm surprised the door panels are not marbeled since they are vinyl covered, not painted, and since they are adjacent to the dash which is marbled. But it's not as if I've seen any marbled door panels either- I just haven't paid attention until now. Can you tell if these panels have been replaced or redyed?

The map pockets from my car which I believe are original are not marbled either, even though the surrounding dash is. Odd isn't it?

When you can, I'd like to know about your seat-back trim, T-top trim (if applicable), quarter panel trim, A-pillars and rear window trim as well.

Go ahead and post your photos on this thread as a reference for others.

Thanks again.

Information and photos from other '70 Light Saddle owners is welcomed!!

[Mathew S.]

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

These are the pictures of the dash area. The first picture is of the map pocket and the area around it. The second and third picture is of the same section but areas that are usually hidden. The last picture is the gauge cluster and dash pad. The shift console looks like these pictures below. The door panels (portions that I have looked at), emergency brake console, rear compartment door trim, all are solid appearing. I have used a cleaner on the parts below and the darker color does not come off. I can try to back to where the car is and get a closer look at what the other pieces look like. The carpet is darker, but that could be dirt and age for it.

IMG_6485.jpgIMG_6486.jpgIMG_6488.jpgIMG_6490.jpg

[Mark E.]

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

Thank you so much, Mathew! Your input is very helpful as we try to understand how these interiors should be colored.

Al Knoch received my front console yesterday, and guess what? They've never seen this marbling in '70 Light Saddle before! Apparently several folks there looked at the piece but Al himself hasn't seen it yet. So maybe the jury is still out.

I told them about this thread and the NCRS members who confirmed they've seen this coloring and believe it to be original. I think they believed me! (Or just wanted me to go away; not completely sure.) The good news is Al Knoch is willing to experiment with matching the marbled coloring by adding dye to the recesses of their regular Light Saddle vinyl.

Keep your fingers crossed. If they're successful, we'll have a source of reproduction vinyl for these interiors.

If they're unsuccessful, then plan B is to take Terry's advice and find a faux painter who's willing to try.

Plan C is for me to experiment myself. Plan D is to install a black interior.

[Mark E.]

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

Below are links to two other '70 Vettes I found for sale on the internet featuring "marbled" Light Saddle interior. Note the close up photos showing the dash and front console. The SN of the car in the first ad is 194370S400746. So this is a very early car while my '70 was built in July, SN 12,931.

These cars are out there! I feel like we discovered a distinct interior color that, until now, wasn't recognized- Marbled Light Saddle.

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/cl...tionId=3910005

http://www.vettefinders.com/index.cf...e-for-sale.htm

[Brady C.]

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

Mark:
Plan "E" is just take the deduction like i have as Reba and group have a keen eye and any reproduction will have difficullty passing with no deducts for originallity..... There comes a time when money and points get way out of balance and this may be one of those times. I have come to the reaity as i approach a Duntov try to focus on easier points than interior color.....

Just my opinion.
Regards,
B. Como
#42793
1970 Corvette bronze / saddle

[Mark E.]

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

Brady,

Does your near-Duntov have an original marbled Light Saddle interior? If yes, PLEASE post detailed photos showing its dash, console, door panels, t-top, and window trim. We're really trying to understand the coloring of different pieces.

What's your VIN or build date?

I hear what you're saying about originality vs. repro but my original front console is a broken eyesore. It has several tears in the vinyl and its underlying frame is badly fractured. It looks like a PO's 300# girlfriend sat on it with a gasket scraper in her back pocket during the Mille Miglia.

Much of my interior is being replaced anyway, including door panels, seat covers, brake console, carpet and sundry trim. The only major original interior pieces left are the dash, seat frames and backs, and steering column. This isn't a Bowtie candidate, but I'm working hard to have a nice original looking interior.

[Brady C.]

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

Mark:
July 2, 1970 build date on converrtible so late build. All interior has been changed except map pocket and sun visors, so not help here... Plan to make San Antonio in 2017....

[Mathew S.]

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

Mine is a July 18 build date per the trim tag. If you need additional pictures I can get them this weekend. The interior appears to be original other than the plastic frame for the rear compartments.

[Mark E.]

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

Mathew,

A set of detailed photos would be great to post for everyone's reference. Close ups of the grain and coloring of individual pieces would be helpful. And make a note of which pieces you know to be original or not.

I think the limit per post is four photos, so this may take a few posts to cover.

[Joe R.]

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

I think the limit per post is four photos, so this may take a few posts to cover.

Mark,

That's old info that is no longer correct. I believe it's unlimited now. Check out some of Rich Mozetta's fine threads for proof!

Joe

[J W.]

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

I have a 1970 LT-1 with a rare brown vinyl interior that is largely original and pristine. VIN is 16,XXX. It absolutely, positively has marbling (or mottling, distressing, antiquing, or whatever you want to call it) on all the soft vinyl trim pieces - dash, lower dash, console, A-pillars, T-top pads, etc. The marbling is molded or blended into the vinyl, not sprayed or faux painted on. The seat covers are also marbled, except for the weave inserts. All the hard trim pieces like the e-brake console and seat backs are non-marbled solid brown. The car does not have the original door panels. It has solid brown repros. I talked to the previous owner who replaced the door panels in the 1990's to see if he had the original door panels, figuring they were probably marbled too. He said he replaced them due to their poor condition but saved them because of the unusual marbling. Back then, he tried to find marbled door panels but couldn't. He then told me he sent the original marbled seat covers to Al Knoch to restore and replace the weave inserts because he couldn't find any replacement marbled seat covers like the originals. The marbling on my car is not subtle; it is fairly obvious. The marbling on some of the light saddle photos posted looks subtle. So, maybe there are more marbled light saddle cars out there, but they have been unappreciated. As we say in medicine, maybe it has seen you, but you haven't seen it.

FWIW, I also have an original 1975 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale convertible with a marbled burgundy interior. Like the LT-1, the marbling is blended into the vinyl, not applied as a coating. So, apparently GM used some suppliers who offered an attractive marbled vinyl.

[Mark E.]

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

Michael,

That's fascinating. I don't think I've seen a '70 brown interior, marbled or otherwise. Trim code 414? Have you posted about this before?

If not, would you post close up photos to document what this color looks like?

Is it mostly dark brown, with light accents in the recesses of the grain? Or the other way around?

Have you seen solid brown vinyl interiors too?

The coloring of my Light Saddle vinyl also seems to be molded into the vinyl, not dyed.

I wonder if some of the other colors (black, red, blue, green) had marbled variants as well.

As I posted earlier, I sent my console to Al Knoch and asked if they would duplicate it. You might consider asking them to duplicate your vinyl for a set of door panels. They may be more receptive with multiple requests.

[J W.]

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

Mark

Yes it is trim code 414. It was a one year only option and very rarely seen nowadays. I did post about the marbling in the past and it didn't generate much interest.

Why is it so difficult to post photos on this site? I can't figure out how to do it. Seems like it should be easy to do... I have some interior photos that show the marbling but no close-ups. The car is in winter deep sleep away from me so I probably can't get close-ups until spring.

The background is lighter and the marbling is darker.

I have never seen another 1970 with 414 brown vinyl interior, marbled or otherwise.

Several years ago I did try to get Al Knoch to make me a set of marbled door panels, but they said unless I could locate the exact ABS vinyl I was looking for from another supplier, they couldn't help. I searched the country and couldn't find anyone who manufacturers dark brown marbled vinyl.