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

[Jimmy P.]

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

Hey Mark,
I was looking at a beautiful Marlboro Moroon 1970 Convertible for sale at AutoSport Corvette in Indiana Pa. It has the saddle interior with the marbling. I can't copy the photos to post here. Maybe you could check out the site, there are plenty of interior photos of the car. I never paid attention to this marbling when looking at interiors before, but now I look for it all the time..

[Mark E.]

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

Hey Mark,
I was looking at a beautiful Marlboro Moroon 1970 Convertible for sale at AutoSport Corvette in Indiana Pa. It has the saddle interior with the marbling. I can't copy the photos to post here. Maybe you could check out the site, there are plenty of interior photos of the car. I never paid attention to this marbling when looking at interiors before, but now I look for it all the time..

It's SN 14655. The dealer claims: "3 owner, 47k original miles 1970 Corvette Convertible...in the same family since 1974. It was purchased in 1974 with 39,910 miles and then sold to his relative in 2005 with 46,000 miles on it... The interior has brand new AL Knock seat covers with a new carpet kit. The door panels and the dash pad are dead original and look fantastic. All the gauges, radio, center console and gear shifter are all original..."

In the first photo, the door panel vinyl looks lighter (and maybe no or less marbling) than the adjacent dash. The dealer claims these panels are original, and the doors even have original looking cracks in the armrest.

Are these really selling for $50k? It looks like a fairly original, complete, maybe #2 condition car, but beyond the engine, PS, alarm and AM/FM, I don't see many options. But maybe that's part of its charm...

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[Jimmy P.]

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

Not sure if they are selling at those prices, but all the other C3's listed there are in that $$$. They have been on there for quite awhile. He does get a lot of really nice vettes. Nice place, only a couple of hours away from me. I would have a hard time with the holes on the rear from a luggage rack that apparently was installed at one time. I thought of your thread when I was looking at the interior.

[Robert R.]

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

Mark,
After following this thread, my thought is that the marbling effect could actually be time and age of the material. There is a 73 coupe on eBay with the light tan interior. The closeup picture of the speedo shows the same effect you described.image.jpg

[Mark E.]

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

Mark,
After following this thread, my thought is that the marbling effect could actually be time and age of the material. There is a 73 coupe on eBay with the light tan interior.

Robert,

I guess that's possible, but I believe unlikely.

First, the coloring and marbling is consistent regardless of the panel's expose to sun. For example, color and marbling of the dash top and the panel under the steering column look the same on my car.

Second, the marbling is limited to specific panels. If caused by age, why isn't the vinyl on the door panels and A-pillars also becoming marbled?

[Mark E.]

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

Not sure if they are selling at those prices, but all the other C3's listed there are in that $$$. They have been on there for quite awhile. He does get a lot of really nice vettes. Nice place, only a couple of hours away from me. I would have a hard time with the holes on the rear from a luggage rack that apparently was installed at one time. I thought of your thread when I was looking at the interior.

I'm not the Corvette market expert, but most ads I see (I like to browse Hemmings.com) for 70-72 Corvettes in this condition and price point are either big blocks with lots of options or LT-1s. I'm not even sure a 454 with AC in this condition would sell for $50k.

Maybe I'm just out of touch? On the other hand, this car's price may explain why it isn't selling...

EDIT: This same dealer also has a documented '72 454 4-speed, AC coupe with lots of options and about the same number of claimed miles. They're asking exactly the same price as the low option 350hp convertible we're talking about. Go figure. Maybe this represents the market premium for a convertible?

[Kenneth B.]

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

After cleaning my 70 light saddle interior I did see some of the darker color in the creases on some of the vinyl. I believe it is caused but the aging of the material not the sun light or any outside source much like the white plastic turning a yellow color after years of aging.

[Mike E.]

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

There's a blue 73 listed on Chicago Craigslist today (Saturday) that shows marbling on the saddle dash cluster vinyl.

[Mark E.]

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

There's a blue 73 listed on Chicago Craigslist today (Saturday) that shows marbling on the saddle dash cluster vinyl.

Thanks Mike. Go ahead and post the photos if you can.

[Mark E.]

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

After cleaning my 70 light saddle interior I did see some of the darker color in the creases on some of the vinyl. I believe it is caused but the aging of the material not the sun light or any outside source much like the white plastic turning a yellow color after years of aging.

Well that's certainly a theory we need to consider, Kenneth.

From my personal experience (only a sample size of one), the vinyl on my '70 has had this coloring since I acquired it almost 26 years ago. I noticed the marbling back then as well; it hasn't changed much. I guess it's possible the discoloration happened during its first 20 years, but that seems less likely than the possibility the vinyl looked this way when new.

Also, the marbled coloring is only on some panels. Did the vinyl on the dash and console discolor with the age, while the vinyl on the door panels and window trim did not? Or is it more likely this is how the vinyl looked when new?

[Kenneth B.]

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

I wonder if all the pieces were the same vinyl material. Maybe dash pads, kick panels door panels ETC were not the same. I know the vinyl t-top bags are different.

[Mark E.]

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

I wonder if all the pieces were the same vinyl material. Maybe dash pads, kick panels door panels ETC were not the same. I know the vinyl t-top bags are different.

I believe the vinyl did vary in the interior of the same car (some panels marbled, some not), and between different cars (some cars have marbling, some not). Earlier posts describe how the vinyl on door panels and window trim is noticeably different than the remaining vinyl covered panels.

[Mark E.]

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

I finally received my old console back from Al Knoch. My next step with matching the vinyl is to cut a small sample from the console and send it to SMS Auto Fabrics (see post 70 for context). SMS requested a sample since they didn't find an obvious match by looking at the photos I sent.

Meanwhile, I learn on this Forum that 1970 Corvettes should not have a vinyl patch sewn into the carpet over the dimmer switch. But guess what: the reproduction carpet I got from Al Knoch has a patch. I undid the stitching for the patch as they suggested, but it was also glued which left a mess. The painful part is that Al Knoch is out of stock with this carpet, and it will take "a few weeks" to get more from their supplier.

I might just put the car together with the original console, then drive it to shake it down until I come up with a better option.

[Jimmy P.]

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

It never ends with these cars does it Mark?
I think I read somewhere that most 70's didn't have the dimmer switch pad but "some did"

[Mark E.]

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

A couple of updates:

- After sending samples to SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon and Original Auto Interiors in MI, each has advised they don't have this material.

- I had a nice conversation with Mr. Al Knoch on the phone. First, he acknowledged he has seen Corvettes with "mottled" trim (his term; what I'm calling "marbled") similar to my original console I sent him earlier. He's seen it in C2 and C3 cars of various years and colors. Because of low demand and the minimum order quantity required, he hasn't asked his suppliers to reproduce it. Also, he advised that ABS, not vinyl, is the material I need to restore dash, door and console panels. ABS material is applied to the panel using a process called "backforming" that uses heat as the material is shaped using a mold. Unlike material used for seats, backformed ABS has no backing enabling it to stretch into the shapes needed.

- If I can find the proper ABS, both Al Knoch and Corvette America have offered to backform my material to their reproduction console frame.


My short term plan is to install the reproduction Al Knoch forward console I already have, even though it does not match the dash.

Longer term, as suggested by others earlier in this thread, I'll search for a painter who might be able to recreate the marbled effect using interior paint/dye on a sheet of ABS with the proper texture.