Dash pad & door top: correct color

[classic cruiser]

Hi All,  I have a 1963 6229 with the fairly common sandalwood interior (trim code 34) and bahama sand exterior (44).  I'm trying to figure out what color the dash pad and top of the doors are really supposed to be.   The top of the pad has all the usual cracks and was in the sun for a long long time, and appeared to be a greenish medium tan color.  Thinking the greenish tinge was from sun fading (the carpets appear that way as well), I removed the pad, and underneath where protected from the sun, the pad still looks to be a medium tan color with a green tinge, almost like an olive drab color.  Looks like that under the autronic eye as well.  Are the dash pad and door tops in a sandalwood interior really supposed to be a greenish tinge, or is that just bad sun/heat fading of a medium sandalwood (tan) color?

I had contacted SMS a while back to see if I could get a sample, and I could get samples of the upholstery fabric but not the dash pad/door top materials - they want a sample of mine to make a color match.  I'm not convinced I want to duplicate the color I'm seeing, if it's no longer the correct color. due to age.

I can find color chips for the exteror paint, but I can't find any for the dash pad.  Any suggestions?  I appreciate the replies!

Thanks!  Terry

[Chris Codd]

I have the same color car as you and my dash faded to that weird greenish color as well. I had mine died to match closer to the color of the speaker grill on the dash. When I removed the dash, it was brown in the areas where it was protected by the sun. Here is a before and after photo. 

http://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/before-1?context=user

http://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/after-1?context=user

[classic cruiser]

Wow!  That is quite a difference!  Your "before" pics look very similar to my pad in color, except that you can still see the brown on the edges of yours at the doors.  On mine, the top looks very close to yours.  Underside, and under the autronic eye /speaker grill, it's not brown/tan but a slightly more greenish version of the olive drab color.

Your "after" pics look real nice!  The color is what I was hoping to be the correct color, since I already bought 4 yards of it...

Thanks for the link to the pictures!

[24ro8f5mbs2jc]

Even though Christopher hinted it, the best way is to remove the dash and look on the hidden side. You can cut away a small piece and send to SMS.

[classic cruiser]

Yes, I did pull the pad.  Even the piece of the dash that is covered by the top of the brightwork on the instruments is this weird greenish color.  The piece under the autronic eye is olive drab too.  I tried scrubbing the pad with detergent to see if it made a difference, and there wasn't much of one, but the color transferred to the paper towels I used to dry it.  Underside, the color transfer was much less.

I do know this car sat in the sun for a long time.  The tint on the top of the windshield is even brownish.  I almost wonder if someone had pulled the pad many years ago and redyed or resprayed it.

I'll see if I can post a picture tonight.

[1d5kgb41rmhu4]

Terry,

Check the interior trim data and interior paint color charts in the help section. There were also dealer interior swatch books occasionally for sale that might help  

Another resource for Cadillac factory interior specs is Jenkins Interiors. You can call Hill Jenkins and tell him I referred you. 

Regards,

Jeff Kinzler

[classic cruiser]

Thanks for the tip!  I did look for color samples of the pad online here, but I didn't find any.  I'll give Jenkins a call.