Possibility of repro seat Covers for 66 Grande Parisienne buckets

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Possibility of repro seat Covers for 66 Grande Parisienne buckets

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Interesting I would have thought that Impala SS was the same

If you are doing a survey, how many people know what a 66 GP interior looks like?

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Ditto on the Caprice upholstery. Each year of Grande Parisienne (66 - 69) uses the corresponding year of Caprice seat covers and door panels (and consoles on bucket seat cars). Now I don't know if you can get the Caprice seat covers; perhaps everything is geared towards the Impala SS.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Cameron, I haven't paid attention to other years really but the 66 Caprice and 66 Grande Parisienne don't share door panels or seat pattern. Is that what you meant?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

66 Grande guy wrote:

Howdy guys, as some of you may know Dale at NOS was checking into the possibility of obtaining repro covers for these particular buckets as I think they were one year only, one model pattern and there currently isn't anything correct out there.

He asked me if I would have any idea what the market was for these to see if the manuafacterer would consider setting up a die for the pattern.

Here was my thinking on it. Do you think I might be anywhere near correct?

...So I take it that the pattern is not the same as an American Bonneville Brougham. That being probably settled I am going to have to do some research on this. I do know that there were 5147 Grande Parisienne Two door Hardtops made as well (as about 1200 4 door hardtops which would not have had bucket seats obviously.) It seems to me that there was a split bench option as well so not all of the 5147 2 doors wouuld have come with buckets. I am going to throw my speculation below out as a thread so carl s and others can have a crack at it.

My best guess is that about 3000 would have come with buckets and there may be a market for maybe 300 overall if you assume there is a 10% survival rate. (They were a pretty high end car so maybe they tended not to be trashed as much as say Strato Chiefs?) How many of those actually are going to get restored- maybe 1/10 of that. So maybe 30? I know that is not an answer that is going to get anybody interested in getting these dies made but that is probably in the ball park.

ken (66 Grande Guy)

Ken, I would say most of the above I agree with. If anything, maybe the bucket seat cars would have been more than 3000 but that is strictly speculation based on the cars I've seen and owned. I am thinking maybe only 10-15% of the cars had the Strato Bench.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

427carl wrote:

Interesting I would have thought that Impala SS was the same

If you are doing a survey, how many people know what a 66 GP interior looks like?

Good point. I'll have to post some pics

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I do know for certain thet the 64 Custom Sport used exactly the same seat cover style as the US Grand Prix.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I'm quite certain the 66 Grande Parisienne seat covers and door panels are unique.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

OK it took a while as I have been bit under the weather but here is a link to a 66 Caprice bucket seat picture (from a great site called the Old Car Manual Project by the way)

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet_Full_Size_Brochure/1966%20Chevrolet%20Full%20Size-04-05.html

and here are a couple of pictures of a 66 grande bucket and the door panel patterns.

-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Sunday 10th of March 2013 12:43:56 AM

NOS · Poncho Master!

the Caprice are different in 1966. My contact thought that the Bonneville Brougham might be the same but apparently not. He checked all his US factory info and did not come up with any hits
The 63, 64, 65 Gran Prix & Custom Sports had the same interiors with the exception of a fold down rear arm rest in the GP. By the way we have these seats available as reproductions both convertible & htp

Dale @ NOS

68sd · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

66 grande prix

1966 Pontiac Prestige-09

66 bonneville

1966 Pontiac Prestige-13

66 bonneville brogham

1966 Pontiac Prestige-04-05

66 grande

66 parisienne

1966 Pontiac _Cdn_-04

66 caprice

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet_Full_Size_Brochure/1966%20Chevrolet%20Full%20Size-04-05.jpg

66 impala SS

-- Edited by 68sd on Monday 21st of February 2011 03:55:51 PM

-- Edited by 68sd on Monday 21st of February 2011 03:56:40 PM

grande jim · Guru

Thanks Fred .....I was looking for all those flyers, and you beat me to it

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Thats pretty much that then. I guess I'll have to go the custom shop route eventually. For the time being I'm going to swap them side for side so the drivers seat is at least usable.

Dale from NOS and everybody else, I really appreciate the help and work it took to get this info.

-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Monday 21st of February 2011 11:42:31 PM

Grant · Member

Im just looking where I can close to original material to get my seats redone, any ideas?

grande jim · Guru

Grant wrote:
Im just looking where I can close to original material to get my seats redone, any ideas?

If it's (fabric) you might be able to order the original fabric through a company in the us because I have noticed some of the American cars have the same fabric print as are Canadian cars. Is your car still for sale?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Yes, I know this is an old thread...

My Strato Bench and rear seat are at the upholstery shop. He asked if I could get him a picture of how the original seat looks, so this will help lots.

However, I am thinking I want to put a fold down armrest rear seat in. I know the 66 Grand Prix uses it, and I know where I can get one. However, am I right in remembering the 66 Grande Parisienne 4 door hardtops also use a fold down armrest on the rear seat? The brochure doesn't show a rear seat but I'm hoping someone here has one that they can look at.

Nailhead, do you have one by chance?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

66 Grande guy wrote:

OK it took a while as I have been bit under the weather but here is a link to a 66 Caprice bucket seat picture (from a great site called the Old Car Manual Project by the way)

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet/1966_Chevrolet_Full_Size_Brochure/1966%20Chevrolet%20Full%20Size-04-05.html

and here are a couple of pictures of a 66 grande bucket and the door panel patterns.

-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Sunday 10th of March 2013 12:43:56 AM

Hey Ken, if I would make a drawing of your bucket picture, could you fill in some measurements for me showing where the pleats/lines/buttons etc are located?

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Of course i could!

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Great, thanks, I'll try to draw it up tomorrow and get it to you.

The guy doing my seats is quite fussy and I know he will want to have all that.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

One of my seats is intact (the pass of course) so it should be a good reference. If you end up being really happy with this job let me know because mine need help too.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I will be real surprised if I'm not happy. This guy is a neighbour/friend and I've known him for over 30 years. He has made a living doing upholstery out of his home for about that long too. If there's any complaint that can be made about him, it would be that he is never in a hurry and will often tell you he doesn't think he can make it look nice (even though he always ends up with happy customers!)

I will keep you posted, that's for sure.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

I forgot you're using the Strato bench so his stuff wouldn't fit mine although I think the backs are identical eh? Still, I don't know of a good upholsterer here and while I will prably run with the originals for while I will need soemthing done. The drivers was pretty worn (bottom) and although the passengers looks good I suspect it will not last. I have swiched them side to side so at least the drivers will get limited use and shouldn't get more wrecked.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Yes, I just need info for the back. The bottom should be easy, no buttons and just make the lines the same as the back.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Ken, I have done a drawing and if you would please, I'd live to have you fill in boxes A-E with measurements.

As always, put it on my tab and some day when I see you again I promise to pay up!

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I realize B and E look the same on my drawing. However, in your picture I think B is a smaller dimension than E. It appears to taper.