What determined a white vs. black rag top?

[Alexander C.]

On a black 1956, what exactly would determine if the original rag top was white or black? Was it black coves, white walls, something else?

I ask because I haven't yet tracked down the original owner and I think I may have thrown away the original rag top I had a correct and date coded black top installed for both looks and the white is just hard to keep white and clean. But to me, keeping the car correct to how it was produced is much more important to me than looks or maintenance.

My car was originally a black car believed to have black coves. When the 2nd owner bought it in 1965, it was painted red but retained the black coves. It also had a white soft top. When I bought the car, I simply figured that the top had been changed from black to white when painted red by the original owner, it had different seat covers and carpet installed then so why not I thought. However some things bothered me. The car has been in storage 39 years and has only 24K confirmed original miles. Also the white top had the original style weather stripping. I figured at the time this was simply available in 1965 and thought nothing of it. It's really starting to eat at my now if it was original or not. I never checked the date code on the rear window either

I'm curious how restorers of cars without original rag tops on black cars figure out what color to use.

Thanks!

[Bruce B.]

Re: What determined a white vs. black rag top?

Body color.
Black or white body had a choice of black or white top.
Copper, green, blue and Venetian Red had the choice of a beige or white top.
Info per the NCRS Corvette Specifications Guide first edition, first printing summer of 1989