Early '63 Coupe Interior Trim

[Harry L.]

Can anyone help a friend and I decifer what the correct interior Windshield and door trim might be for an early (Sept.) '63 Coupe? The car was disassembled prior to purchase and there is some confusion as to what is correct.

Is the Header piece above the Windshield where the sunvisors srcew into supposed to be painted or polished stainless? The stainless piece is correct for the Convertible, but is it also for the Coupe? The pieces going down the left and right sides of the windshield appear to have been painted, as was the lower piece at the inside bottom of the windshield.

Another question arises on the interior door trim. After leaving the windshield, on each door the trim over the top of the doors appear to have been originally painted. However, then on the corners at the rear upper portuion of each door, there is what appears to be an "original" stainless corner piece. Then the trim going down the backside of each door is again painted.

Can anyone verify if in fact GM mixed painted and stainless pieces on the interior trim of the '63 Coupes? If not, which is correct for this early car?

Pictures would be helpful if anyone has any original examples available to help clear up this confusion.

Thanks in advance,

Harry

[Chuck W.]

Re: Early '63 Coupe Interior Trim

Can anyone help a friend and I decifer what the correct interior Windshield and door trim might be for an early (Sept.) '63 Coupe? The car was disassembled prior to purchase and there is some confusion as to what is correct.

Is the Header piece above the Windshield where the sunvisors srcew into supposed to be painted or polished stainless? The stainless piece is correct for the Convertible, but is it also for the Coupe? The pieces going down the left and right sides of the windshield appear to have been painted, as was the lower piece at the inside bottom of the windshield.

Another question arises on the interior door trim. After leaving the windshield, on each door the trim over the top of the doors appear to have been originally painted. However, then on the corners at the rear upper portuion of each door, there is what appears to be an "original" stainless corner piece. Then the trim going down the backside of each door is again painted.

Can anyone verify if in fact GM mixed painted and stainless pieces on the interior trim of the '63 Coupes? If not, which is correct for this early car?

Pictures would be helpful if anyone has any original examples available to help clear up this confusion.

Thanks in advance,

Harry

Hi Harry,

We worked on s/n 181 a few years ago which was a SWC. Interesting enough the windshield trim was stainless and not painted. This included the header, sides, and lower surround. Prior to seeing that car I was always under the impression that SWC's all had painted windshield trim. Hope this information is helpful to you.

http://albums.phanfare.com/4788455/2122172

Chuck

[Michael H.]

Re: Early '63 Coupe Interior Trim

I owned 63 # 00170 years ago. It was an unrestored car and the trim pieces that you mention were definitely painted interior color.
The reason much of the paint flakes off of some of these pieces is because they were polished stainless.
It's possible that the original design called for unpainted polished stainless but this decision must have been changed prior to start of 63 production.

[Chuck W.]

Re: Early '63 Coupe Interior Trim

I owned 63 # 00170 years ago. It was an unrestored car and the trim pieces that you mention were definitely painted interior color.
The reason much of the paint flakes off of some of these pieces is because they were polished stainless.
It's possible that the original design called for unpainted polished stainless but this decision must have been changed prior to start of 63 production.

S/N 181 had been previously restored.

[Harry L.]

Re: Early '63 Coupe Interior Trim

Thanks to both Chuck & Mike.

Not sure if the issue is clearer, but I appreciate your feedbacks.

Thanks again.