It's been a long time since I posted anything on my Parisienne, and it's not because nothing happened.. it's actually quite the contrary!
Just to recap a little, I bought this car in December 2017, abandoned for 7 years in a canvas shed, no motor in it.. She had mildew and crap inside, and was looking sorry after so much neglect.
I bought a 1964 283 and aluminium Powerglide that I installed in her, and have done everyhting required to make it safe and reliable mechanically. I wanted to make it a nice driver and not do much else.. but as it's always the case with the cars I buy "just to enjoy as is", I am actually doing slowly but surely, a restoration on it.
Kept the interior as is after a good cleanup, and I enjoyed the fact that it was 100% original and untouched.. but I had to come to the hard reality that it was just too far gone to keep it like that (the rear seat was literally falling apart and tearing up more every time I touched it), and with the moisture in the seats, it probably was even a health risk to continue using it like that.
I am into these cars for their far-out design and being the purist that I am, I had to have the seats redone exactly like the factory or I wouldn't do them at all.
The interior project started with a lucky find on Facebook as someone advertised a bunch or old car interiors that they found in a dry barn, stored since 1965. Among them was one from a 59 Parisienne coupe, in blue!.. The seat frames were absolutely pristine, as mine were so rusty and worn that they fell apart.
Then, I took the plunge and ordered all the correct materials from SMS in Oregon and found this one guy here in Quebec that is a true artist upholsterer and who could accept the challenge of making these complicated seats 100% factory correct. The guy even took the time, and had the patience to recuperate, clean, soften and reuse the original central parts of the seats with the silver star on them, so the whole interior would be exactly as new!
It took all last winter, and cost me a fortune, but the results paid off! The seats are absolutely stunning and will last a long time. Here are some pics:
Then, as I had planned to do a lot of driving with the car (and I did - more than 3500 miles this summer only, and still going!) and I had gone through my set of bias ply tires, I ordered a set of brand new bias look radials from Coker. What a beautiful tire this is, and it rides wonderfully! Doing all of this, I also converted the car with reversible conversion kits for power front disk brakes AND a Borgeson power steering!
Now, this is a superb cruiser. I think I am done working on her this year, just enjoying it for the rest of the season.
That car is stunning and I love the color accented with those wheel covers. Will be on the lookout for it the next time I visit your beautiful province. Glad you are getting lots of miles on her.
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I have to say I'm impressed with how much effort you put into making the interior correct. From what I've noticed, interiors seem to be the most ignored part of the old car hobby, and more often than not damaged or worn interiors are replaced/repaired with materials that are readily available rather than correct ones.
If it's a custom it doesn't matter, of course, but on original/restored cars it's one of the first things I notice. In my mind, bodywork and paint is just a matter of spending the money or doing the work, as long as the paint is formulated correctly, just about any original colour can be duplicated. Engines and driveline, the same - parts and knowhow are easy to come by, so it's not such a challenge to get it working right and paint it up so it's pretty.
However, original interior materials and patterns are a whole other game and getting them correct are several notches higher than getting a paint job or getting it to run well, IMHO. Going to the trouble and expense that you did really shows out the beauty of the original interior design, and I guarantee that everybody who looks at the car will notice it. The fifties were an explosion of 'out there' designs and colours, and you nailed it! Great job!!
You are to be commended for putting the time and effort in to keeping interior original. It's a fine looking set of wheels! The interior is one of the things that drew me to my car as well and I fear the day that I have to replace it. In your search did you come across anyone selling the clear vinyl seat covers that use to be available from dealers back in the day?
You are to be commended for putting the time and effort in to keeping interior original. It's a fine looking set of wheels! The interior is one of the things that drew me to my car as well and I fear the day that I have to replace it. In your search did you come across anyone selling the clear vinyl seat covers that use to be available from dealers back in the day?
Thanks a lot!
Indeed, I was thinking about putting clear covers on the seats, and one of my friends, who owns a 1960 Pontiac Laurentian, has the covers made by a local upholstery shop, and the results are great.
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1959 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hardtop Sport Coupe
1956 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina 4 door hardtop
I've been on the fence with whether or not I want clear seat covers. On the one hand they would protect the original beauty of what the car has but on the other hand anyone wearing shorts would likely curse sticking to them. I'm not a short wearer, prefer to keep these skinny legs under wraps, but my wife and grandkids wear shorts. If there was a cheaper over the counter set I would consider them and wouldn't feel guilty about tossing them if the family complained about them.
You've done everything right with your 59. It's been a joy to behold its resurrection! I hope to get my seats redone in my 65, at least to the level they look close. It's not easy.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
