Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

[Michael H.]

Last week I posted and suggested that the inside of a 63-65 Beige soft top was also beige. I know most readers weren't buying that story so, not being one to give up easily, I did a little more research. I contacted long time NCRS member and good friend Bob Keblusek and asked if by chance he happened to have a 63,64 or 65 dealer album. Some readers may not know what the dealer album is or what it contains but for those that have never seen one, it's a large book that has, among other things, pictures of all of the new Chevrolet car lines, including Corvette. It also has ACTUAL material samples of seat vinyl and leather in all the available colors, vinyl top material also in all the available colors. AND, it has conv top samples in the three available colors for Corvette.

Bob just happened to have a 1964 dealer album so I asked if he would be willing to gently lift the corners of all three color swatches. He agreed. (this is starting to sound like a long story) Anyway, he reports; The black material is black on the underside. The white material is black on the underside. And the beige material is.... yea, you guessed it... beige on the underside.

This is the actual material that the supplier used for the top assembly.

I'd like to hear from anyone that has a 63 or 65 dealer album.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

I cant confirm 64s but I do know that 58 blue was blue on the inside. I took the top off and have some of the material.

[Michael H.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

Wayne,

That's very interesting! I was just wondering about the C1 top inside color a few hours ago but I wasn't sure what was available other than white and black. I forgot about the blue.

[John D.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

Michael, I should have a 63dealer album. Doesn't RJ have one? I will look for it tonight. AC in NJ should have one also. Howard Baker should have one. Email as to what you are looking for or is it just the beige thing. I think my new 65 Glen Green car had a beige top. Can't remember for sure. Had two tops. Didn't keep the car very long though. Can't even remember what color interior it had. Ask Gregory about the beige top. He probably knows the answer. Bob judged my exterior at Marlborough and didn't miss much. Really knows his stuff. I didn't see any beige 63 tops at the show. On the other hand there was one saddle convertible but it had a white top. John

[Michael H.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

Thanks John. I already know the answer. Just trying to prove it now. As mentioned in a previous post, my 65 396 car had it's orig beige top with beige underside. I posted a poor quality pic of it in the last go around on this subject. Since then I've had three emails from people that disagree. Said their beige top was black inside. I asked if this was the original factory installed top, to which they replied....no, but they still disagreed.

[Joe R.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

Michael,

Have a friend that has a 63 roadster that is white with a beige soft top. When he's in town again, I'll go over and photograph his ORIGINAL 63 with ORIGINAL beige soft top. Got AC also!

Regards,

JR

[Geoff C.]

Re: Beige 63-65 Soft Tops... Again

Michael,

I have a 1963 Dealer albumn. Well, I peeled back a corner of the 3 conv top samples and on mine the darn glue is so good that it lifted the surface of the thick paper it is bonded to. They used good products in that era.

(Just for you ), I scraped some paper off the back of the beige sample and there is no Black layer. I’m really afraid of destroying the back and I don't want to completely remove the samples, but it does look Tan rather than White. And the White sample does have Black layer. Like I said, I really don’t want to scrape the back on all 3 samples, but it does look like Black-Black, White-Black, Beige-Beige.

Geoffrey

PS You know I just sniffed the Saddle Leather sample and it still has that Leather smell I recall from 1963. Closed my eyes and I can recall a hot August day driving mine. (White/Saddle Leather.) Eons ago.

[Michael H.]

Thanks Guys......

Dr Binotti reported that his 65 dealer album also showed the beige back side so it looks like all three dealer albums have the same beige with beige back side. This should be corrected in the new judging guide. The 3rd edition calls for black on the back side of beige tops. Not sure what the 63-64 4th edition shows and I haven't heard anything about the 65 JG.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen an original tan top for 66 so I don't know what the back side is supposed to be. I do know that the 66 tan top canvas is a different part number than the 63-65 top.

Wonder if a blue 67 top is blue inside or black?