Late 65 interior question

[Kurt G.]

This evening a friend who owns a July build '65 asked a question. His car is a standard interior car. He wanted to know if the door pull should be the black vinyl pull or the chrome one mentioned on page 255 of Noland Adam's restoration guide. Thanks.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Late 65 interior question

Door pulls on '65s are vinyl, and match the color of the door panel. This is what the '65 TIM&JG says. All of the 5 of this model year that I've owned were so, including another late car (later than your friend's, I'll bet).

[Carl N.]

Re: Late 65 interior question

Kurt, In the late '60's early '70's when used 65's were traded in and the vinyl pulls were in poor condition the dealerships would replace the vinyl with the chrome - also as supplies of vinyl were not stocked by dealerships the chrome were the only alternative

[William C.]

Re: Late 65 interior question

I've owned '65 cars from the three digit serial numbers up to the last week of production, and never saw one factory with chrome handles. Absent some GM paperwork authorizing the substitution, I'd look at it as service replacement along the line in the last 45+ years. Keep in mind the chrome versions were a '66 model year release, so it would have to be a VERY late car.

[Loren L.]

Re: Late 65 interior question

Mr. Midkiff's car is the LAST one; I have 23561 and it came to me with chrome - then I discovered its "showcar" past, painted Mack Truck orange with an orange interior AND '66 inside door pulls. The "showcar" owner asked if I wanted copies of the pictures of the car being shown and I passed....... It DOES have, however, an instrument panel cluster stamped July 27, 1965 that does carry a '66 temperature gauge.

[Ray K.]

Re: Late 65 interior question

As referenced in the above comments all 1965's had the vinyl door pulls. My '65 is June production. The only part numbers as shown in the P & A catalogs were 3863715 and 3863716 and carried the notation " paint as required ".
I think early on that was how the remaining '65 inventory was utilized. With the 1966 introduction they became chrome handles 3867569 and 3867570. At the dealership where I worked we stocked both varieties of the door pulls. Some customers purchased the vinyl pulls and either did not get it painted to the correct color or went to the body shop and had it painted to match. Other customers would opt to purchase the chrome handles as there was not much difference in price -- $1.75ea for vinyl pulls and $2.18ea for chrome pulls. And Carl is correct, used vehicles with broken or missing handles were usually given the chrome upgrade.

Ray