1970 with upgraded interior

[Bob H.]

Should my car with optional interior have a wood grain trim on the console too?

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

Yes, the deluxe interior has wood trim on the shifter plate and each door panel.

[Bob H.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

Thanks Mark

[Reba W.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

According to the JG, not all 1970s with leather seats had this interior trim. I do not know if we have established a SN range.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

I don't know if this applies to 70 or not but on later models if the console trim plate was smooth and not pebble grain then it was from a car with wood trim.

[Reba W.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

The smooth console top began around 1977 I believe.

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

According to the JG, not all 1970s with leather seats had this interior trim. I do not know if we have established a SN range.

That's surprising. By "this interior trim" do you mean console wood trim only, or all wood trim? Whenever I saw console wood trim missing on a car, I assumed it was removed. But after 50 years, it may be difficult to determine this one way or another.

[Russ S.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

The 77 console was a completely different style than earlier c3. The console style starting in 68 to 76 had a smooth console plate if the car had deluxe interior with the wood grain. Without the wood grain they had a pebble grain.

The smooth console top began around 1977 I believe.

[Ray K.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

As stated within the 1970-1972 6th Edition Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide, Optional Custom Premium Interior included the following:
- Leather Seats (vertical leather panels)
- Custom Door Panels have plush pile carpet on the lower portion, trimmed along the top edge by a chrome metal strip
- Custom Door Panels have a veneered walnut insert, surrounded by a chrome-plated bezel which is mounted horizontally in the upper portion of
the door panel.
- Plush Pile Carpet (Front & Rear)
- Console Trim Plate has a veneered walnut insert that matches the door trim.
- NOTE: It is noted that not all 1970 Corvettes with this custom premium interior had this veneered walnut console trimplate.

I have this option on my my '71 LT1, which I ordered and bought new and still have.
It agrees with the TIM & JG as written,

Mark,
Does your '70 have all of the other customer interior items?

Ray K (#43777)

[Mark E.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

The interior of my '70 is restored, so not a good benchmark.

Russ, I didn't know there are smooth shift plates for veneer and pebble grain shift plates without veneer.

So the JG is saying some 1970 deluxe interiors do not have wood veneer on the shift plate. Do these cars have a pebble grain shift plate?

[Owen L.]

Re: 1970 with upgraded interior

The console style starting in 68 to 76 had a smooth console plate if the car had deluxe interior with the wood grain. Without the wood grain they had a pebble grain.

Russ, I didn't know there are smooth shift plates for veneer and pebble grain shift plates without veneer.

So the JG is saying some 1970 deluxe interiors do not have wood veneer on the shift plate. Do these cars have a pebble grain shift plate?

Are you positive about this Russ? My '72 has all the components of the custom interior but the veneer is missing from my console plate, which is pebbled. The car is unrestored and I sincerely doubt the console plate was replaced prior to my ownership beginning in '89.

I thought the factory veneer was originally adhered to a sheet metal backing which was then adhered to the standard (pebbled) console.

Edit: thinking more on this, wouldn't the AIMs call out a different (smooth) console plate for the custom interior from the standard plate? I don't recall seeing that anywhere in my '72 AIM.