When were steering columns painted?

[Todd H.]

There appears to be shoreline beige paint under the venetian red on the steering column on my never restored, never disassembled '57, #2968. The guy who bought it when it was about a month old has told me it was black with a red interior then, and it still is today. Original black paint is on the top of the dash, and there's no evidence that the lower dash was ever beige. It appears to have one re-shoot of red over the original red that is still underneath. The second owner is deceased, so I can't be sure the column wasn't replaced, but there is no evidence that it ever was. Were columns painted the two colors in lots ahead of car assembly, and then placed with appropriately colored interiors? Did they ever run short of a needed color and then have to repaint? Any original cars that seem to have had the column color changed?

[Dan D.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

My 57 was the same thing (#4124). Black with silver coves, red interior, black upper dash.

The column was painted red over the beige. There apparently were not a lot of red interiors, most were beige and if they ran out of red columns, they just over painted beige ones.

I would say your car came from the factory just the way it is now.

-Dan-

[Todd H.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Thanks for the response, Dan. It's interesting to hear from someone else with the same thing.

I guess, after all, that the only cars to get a red column would've been black cars with a red interior, so I shouldn't be surprised that there would be some beige re-paints in cars like ours. I just hadn't heard of it before.

[Mike M.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

4450 is as dan described on his 57.mike

[Dan H.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

I had an early 58, vin 297, with red interior. Yes, the column was beige under the red paint on it.
Dan

[Steven B.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Assuming these numbers are close And red exterior with beige cove and red interior would have beige instrument panel and column.

1957 Corvette Exterior Color Choices

CODE	EXTERIOR	QUANTITY
-	Onyx Black	2,189
-	Polo White	1,273
-	Venetian Red	1,320
-	Arctic Blue	487
-	Aztec Copper	452
-	Cascade Green	550
-	Inca Silver	65

1957 Corvette Interior Color Choices

CODE	COLOR
-	Beige Vinyl (1,315 Built)
-	Red Vinyl (5,021 Built)

[Todd H.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Thanks for the numbers, Steven.

I'm sure that most of the black cars came with a red interior, but since all of the other '57s would have had a beige column, my repainted column is no surprise.

I'm sure everyone will love my rare steering column at the car show.

[Steven B.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Great piece of history on our cars you brought to light Todd. Thanks! The numbers came from the usual extrapolation source so who knows. I have an original Polo White with red interior '57 that has a white column so I looked at it again. The column has no beige under the white and has some areas very thinly painted. Interesting about Dan's early '58, too!

[Todd H.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Oh yeah, the white columns... rarest of all! My car was a racer, so some areas have seen a lot of change, but I didn't think the column was one of them. Incidentally, they weren't too good at masking the end by the steering box.

[Wayne G.]

Re: When were steering columns painted?

Todd, Ditto on my Black '57 with red int. (#4026) beige under the red column.

Wayne