[keith k]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

Yes, that is it, but here is a picture from a previous posting which isn't included in this ad.

Clean looking car, but I'm 99.5% confident that's a replacement carpet....

[Tellyshavilli]

So , this interior isnt even close to correct or original?

[70FormulaRAIII]

Here are some more pics from previous listings. It's a great car and well documented. I just think it's misrepresented. 335hp would make it a ram air, which it's not. And to me "all original" means ALL ORIGINAL! I'm still researching and gathering all the photos I can find, but to me there are several things about this interior that scream aftermarket.

[eaglesan13]

Well the dash looks original to me. Over they years the different materials on the dash, such as vinyl and plastic, age differently, which is why the filler panel under the steering column, ash tray and glove box door appear to be different shades than the vinyl dash. So it looks original to me. Can't tell on the interior fabric (would probable have to see it in person). But I agree the carpet has been changed.

Originally Posted by 70FormulaRAIII

Here are some more pics from previous listings. It's a great car and well documented. I just think it's misrepresented. 335hp would make it a ram air, which it's not. And to me "all original" means ALL ORIGINAL! I'm still researching and gathering all the photos I can find, but to me there are several things about this interior that scream aftermarket.

[70FormulaRAIII]

http://www.cars-on-line.com/41306.html
http://www.todaysauto.net/index3.php?page=FORMULA.html

The formula wheel isn't correct because the steering column would also be black. The carpet is a replacement. I'll post some pics I found that appear to be correct because they show a carpet with an orange tone. I'm not sure about the dash. The lighter pieces all match one another: the console, console lid and kick panels. The only thing that is darker is the dash.

Also, I was thinking custom trim included the color keyed seat belts and chrome buckles. Because this one has the standard buckles and the upholstery seems a couple shades light, I figured the seats were aftermarket. Prob just the lighting. Anyway, I did some more digging and found that option 451custom belts and 452 custom belts seat & shoulder could be ordered. It seems that option 451 had to be ordered for color keyed belts, which means that the custom belts in my car are incorrect. I'm sorta fine with it cuz i need rear belts and black will be much easier to find

http://www.mcecars.com/index.cfm?auto_id=581
This car shows what appears to be the correct shade of sandalwwod carpet. It also shows the PHS with custom belts which it has. The car has a sandalwood steering column with Formula wheel which PHS shows it should not have. If a bird got the Formula wheel it should also have a black steering column just like the T/A

[70FormulaRAIII]

I just snapped a couple pics of Christeen. The panels are original, but they are missing the bird emblem. I don't know how it attaches. Is this something that could have fallen off or do you think maybe it was just a factory error? The console, kick panels, passenger seat and rear seats are also original. I can't tell any difference looking at them. But the trim in 1970 was medium sandalwood. In 1971 it was light sandalwood. I dont know if the seats were the same tone and/or maybe it was the other interior components that got lighter in 1971. I haven't found any pics of a 1971 sandalwood interior.

[70FormulaCA]

Originally Posted by 70FormulaRAIII

http://www.cars-on-line.com/41306.html
http://www.todaysauto.net/index3.php?page=FORMULA.html

The formula wheel isn't correct because the steering column would also be black. The carpet is a replacement. I'll post some pics I found that appear to be correct because they show a carpet with an orange tone. I'm not sure about the dash. The lighter pieces all match one another: the console, console lid and kick panels. The only thing that is darker is the dash.

Also, I was thinking custom trim included the color keyed seat belts and chrome buckles. Because this one has the standard buckles and the upholstery seems a couple shades light, I figured the seats were aftermarket. Prob just the lighting. Anyway, I did some more digging and found that option 451custom belts and 452 custom belts seat & shoulder could be ordered. It seems that option 451 had to be ordered for color keyed belts, which means that the custom belts in my car are incorrect. I'm sorta fine with it cuz i need rear belts and black will be much easier to find

http://www.mcecars.com/index.cfm?auto_id=581
This car shows what appears to be the correct shade of sandalwwod carpet. It also shows the PHS with custom belts which it has. The car has a sandalwood steering column with Formula wheel which PHS shows it should not have. If a bird got the Formula wheel it should also have a black steering column just like the T/A

One of my Formulas that has the saddle interior original came with the Formula steering wheel (confirmed with PHS). I checked the column and it is black.

[70FormulaRAIII]

Also, the dash in my car was restored by Just Dashes. In this lighting it looks too brown to me compared to the others. It's too hard trying to figure this stuff out looking at photos.

What is the concensus on the best match for aftermarket carpet? I've looked at online samples from ACC and OER. At this point I'm thinking stay with black. It gives the interior a more sophisticated look I think.

[GREGGDOG]

Originally Posted by 70FormulaRAIII

I just snapped a couple pics of Christeen. The panels are original, but they are missing the bird emblem. I don't know how it attaches. Is this something that could have fallen off or do you think maybe it was just a factory error? The console, kick panels, passenger seat and rear seats are also original. I can't tell any difference looking at them. But the trim in 1970 was medium sandalwood. In 1971 it was light sandalwood. I dont know if the seats were the same tone and/or maybe it was the other interior components that got lighter in 1971. I haven't found any pics of a 1971 sandalwood interior.

I have seen many examples of 70 Formulas, T/A's, Firebirds, and Esprits With power windows and Without the door panel bird emblems. Not sure if this feature applied to only early builds however. Be happy, consider it original, rare, and cool and not incorrect.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

So , this interior isnt even close to correct or original?

It looks to me like it's ALL original, except for the carpet and steering wheel.

[70FormulaRAIII]

Originally Posted by GREGGDOG

I have seen many examples of 70 Formulas, T/A's, Firebirds, and Esprits With power windows and Without the door panel bird emblems. Not sure if this feature applied to only early builds however. Be happy, consider it original, rare, and cool and not incorrect.

Yea I haven't seen any others in person yet. But the people in this forum have me fascinated by the history of these 70 models and how they were built at the factory. I didn't even know that the different plants would use different materials during production. It really does make each one of these cars very rare and unique no matter how it was optioned.

[Tellyshavilli]

Originally Posted by keith k

It looks to me like it's ALL original, except for the carpet and steering wheel.

Yes it does to me also , but I thought somebody may have known something we don't .

[eaglesan13]

Here is a 70 with sandlewood interior, and the carpet on the door panels looks orange/redish.

http://classiccars.com/Classifieds/L...487AB936&cs=11

[70FormulaRAIII]

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

Yes it does to me also , but I thought somebody may have known something we don't .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by eaglesan13
We've talked about this car before. Nice car, but I don't like the aftermarket gauges. Seems like a lot of money for a base 400, a/c, auto car, but I seem to remember it sold at BJ a few years ago for mid to high 30's.

Now I remember the aftermarket gauges.

There are NO really clear pics of the dash in current auction.(could there be a reason for that?)

I wonder if any of the bidders realize that it doesn't have factory gauges?



Im thinking this car isn't a very good example of a correct and all original 1970 Firebird sandalwood interior. The seats and console look spot on, but what about the dash? Do they really get darker with age or could it have been restored with a darker aftermarket dye?

[70FormulaRAIII]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

Here is a 70 with sandlewood interior, and the carpet on the door panels looks orange/redish.

http://classiccars.com/Classifieds/L...487AB936&cs=11

Yea eaglesan13, that one and the pic tabob posted earlier in the thread seem to be the best examples.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by 70FormulaRAIII

Im thinking this car isn't a very good example of a correct and all original 1970 Firebird sandalwood interior. The seats and console look spot on, but what about the dash? Do they really get darker with age or could it have been restored with a darker aftermarket dye?

I'm getting confused about which car anyone is referring to in this thread, but if it's the gold Formula with the cream top, I think it's dash and console look original.

Keep in mind that all of these parts discolored differently (and pretty easily). If you look at the dash in the area around the instrument bezel where the sun doesn't get to it as much, that's usually a good indication of what the correct color should be.

Dash, console and kick panels should be the same color, and were quite a bit darker than the seats and side trim. In 1970 sandalwood was really the only interior color option on a Firebird where this was the case - the rest were all pretty much "monotone".

[70FormulaCA]

Originally Posted by keith k

I'm getting confused about which car anyone is referring to in this thread, but if it's the gold Formula with the cream top, I think it's dash and console look original.

Keep in mind that all of these parts discolored differently (and pretty easily). If you look at the dash in the area around the instrument bezel where the sun doesn't get to it as much, that's usually a good indication of what the correct color should be.

Dash, console and kick panels should be the same color, and were quite a bit darker than the seats and side trim. In 1970 sandalwood was really the only interior color option on a Firebird where this was the case - the rest were all pretty much "monotone".

So for 70 saddle interiors, everything was pretty much the same color? Seats, dash, console, panels, etc (except the carpet)? Just curious since I have one with the saddle interior.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by 70FormulaCA

So for 70 saddle interiors, everything was pretty much the same color? Seats, dash, console, panels, etc (except the carpet)? Just curious since I have one with the saddle interior.

Actually now that you mention it, I think the saddle had a slightly different color dash, console, and kick panels, too. The contrast did not seem to be as great, though, as the saddle vinyl was darker than the sandalwood vinyl.

I took the attached pictures of the saddle interior in a little old lady-owned 45k original mile 70 Esprit that was for sale near me.

[70FormulaRAIII]

Thanks for posting those pics Kieth. it looks like the saddle carpet is similar to what ends up in some of the sandalwood cars when they have the original replaced. I don't think the aftermarket vendors carry the original sandalwood...prob cuz not enough people want it.

[eaglesan13]

Did all sandlewood cars come with the same color carpet, or did they use different colors depending on the exterior color? I don't know, which is why I'm asking, but it seems like the orange/redish carpet might look okay with a color like Castillian Bronze but not with Lucern Blue, Atoll Blue, etc....