Okay, I've seen at least 3 different style of interior door panels on these. What is "correct", what "belongs", and what was available? Who might know? -Pete
Pete, I like to save eBay auctions of the '64 big cars, and it seems there were at least three different styles of door panels available. I have attached some from various auctions. I couldn't tell you if these were "correct", but I assume seeing them in more than one car would lead me to believe they were factory.
Was this on a '64 Wildcat or an Electra 225? In 1965-66, the Wildcat 4 door models were available with similar door panels and metal armrests in Canada. I don't know if similar door panels were available on 1964 Wildcats too. I have never seen a Wildcat with these. Here are those from 1965: 1965 U.S. model base trim Wildcat, U.S. base trim LeSabre, U.S. Wildcat Deluxe convertible and U.S./canadian LeSabre Custom convertible 1965 U.S. model Wildcat DeLuxe, U.S. and canadian LeSabre Custom models (except convertibles) 1965 U.S./canadian Wildcat Custom standard interior door panels (not available in the Wildcat Custom 4 door sedan model 46669) 1965 canadian Wildcat Custom (trim option on 4 dr H.T. 46639 and standard on the 4 door sedan 46669) 1965 Electra 225 base model, similar to the model above but with different cloth and no hinged door pulls. (the seats on this car were redone with incorrect material but the door panels are original) 1965 Electra 225 Custom (and Limited)
Your best bet would be to try and find a sales catalog on those cars; - they might list the type of trim it had in it. Like the post above said, there's probably at least two distinct styles available, a regular and a Custom. Your model number (on the serial number plate) will have whether the car was a Wildcat Custom, or just a regular Wildcat, and then throw in the angle of the car being built in Canada...yeah, it gets confusing. All of the Wildcat Custom series were built in the US, there will only be one trim style for those cars, and the model number would be 466xx for a Custom.
Pete My car is like the red interior 64 with the buckets and the door panels are the same as the yellow one also. The 2nd pic is Electra and the others look Lesabre to me. Just from being around 63-64`s for years. No brochures to look at just memory. I could be wrong. o No: Gary
Back in 1964, there were two trim levels available in Wildcats but there was no distinction in the serial number. And those built in Canada had standard Custom trim in 1964-66. They also had standard bucket seats, consoles and tachs in the 1964-65 coupes and convertibles too. Other differences were a standard clock, a standard automatic transmission, and when power windows were ordered, power vents were included in 1965-66. Usually, canadian cars were cheaper than US models but these Wildcats seem to be an exception. I think they were also the most expensive cars made by GM Canada. Electras and Rivieras were imported from the states and they were taxed before the auto pact was signed in 1965. It seems that GM Canada wanted to make the Wildcat coupes take the role of the Riviera in Canada (standard automatic transmissions and standard consoles before 1966 just like in the Riv) and 4 doors with trim from the Electra 225 and Electra 225 Custom. Even the pillared sedan had standard Custom trim here while it was only available with the cheaper trims in the United States. I have never looked closely at a canadian '64 Wildcat 4 door sedan but I'd like to know if it also had nicer trim. If somebody has a pictures or a canadian trim catalog, I'd like to have more info on that.
I have the first (red) style. My aim of this post in the first place was trying to figure out if I could change the door panel style one day for something nicer, but remain in the realm of OE for that year and model.
