58 Impala steering wheel - Trick question

[Fredw]

Hi folks!

My 58 Impala sport coupe restoration project is on pace, a slow pace, but it is going...

Now, I am dealing with the interior of my car. The car has an original gold interior. I got a brand new interior kit from Ciadella Interiors. What a nice acquisition! The new seats look great with the new covers and the roof looks brand new now. But that was the easy part. With the new interior, I am facing two little tricky situations.

Checking the new parts against the original interior of my car, the original kick panels have nothing covering them. They seem to be gold colored card boards. However, the new part has a vinyl cover. Which of them is correct for the car? I will use the new ones that I have bought anyway, but I would like to know which should be the correct one for the car.

The other tricky situation is about the steering wheel paint. I have checked the factory documentation and in this document, all 58 Impalas have steering wheel with two colors. One of these colors is the interior main color and the other one is silver. I was checking the internet and saw red, black, green, coral and blue steering wheels with the silver sections. And they look pretty nice! But all gold steering wheels that I saw have an ivory or beige section instead of silver. Shouldn't it be described in the factory documents that gold interior cars should be painted beige instead of silver? Or have all these cars been painted beige by mistake?


Regards,

Fred.

 

[models916]

I seem to remember my 58 Biscayne wheel was gold and cream.

 

[oldskydog]

The original kick panels were painted backing/composition board.
I seem to recall the off white, or cream is correct on the steering wheel.

 

[threeimpalas]

...I have checked the factory documentation and in this document, all 58 Impalas have steering wheel with two colors...

This is assuming the "factory documentation" you have is: 1) all-inclusive, 2) complete, and 3) correct. Chances are is never was all three even back in '58, and is even less likely to be so 50+ years later.

Folks put too much stock in believing that manufacturers have/had everything nailed down 100% and documented. My work experience in such corporations has found otherwise.

 

[oldskydog]

You are right that the factory specs written in late 57 call for the steering wheel to havegold sides and silver top and bottom but I also agree that all the gold cars steering wheels I've seen I remember to be gold and beige but I could be wrong.
There were changes in the interior and paint charts for 58 and its possible that it was changed in production.
I will look for the revised chart and see if it changed.

 

[Fredw]

Hi guys!

Thank you for all the information!
This document that I have is available on GM-Heritage Center site. I agree about the factory documentation, sometimes they change the specifications and do not document that.
As far as I know, my car had never been painted, but I got some parts that have been altered during its life. For example, the upper door parts have been chromed and somebody has painted the dash with a dark shade of gold. So, that's why I can't rely on my car's interior looks. The steering wheel color was very faded, but it was beige and gold.
I think the gold and beige/ivory steering wheel fits better with the gold interior but, maybe, the silver section should coordinate with the silver color of the dash appliqué?

Regards,

Fred.

 

[oldskydog]

Check this out. Might be silver but looks more beige to me.

Chevrolet : Impala Coupe 1958 impala 2 door hardtop

 

[ragtp66]

[/URL][/IMG] Here is a picture of a totally unrestored steering wheel from my 58 thats shows the gold & beige combination. My car is Honey Beige with Anniversary Gold and the Gold Interior Trim code 847 paint code 986E